EXPLAINER · Imaging

OCT vs. OCTA: What Is the Difference?

Two related imaging technologies answer different questions about retinal structure and blood flow.

THE TAKEAWAY

OCT primarily shows retinal structure; OCTA adds motion-based visualization of blood flow without dye injection.

01

OCT

Think structure: retinal layers, fluid, contour and thickness.

02

OCTA

Think flow: vascular networks and perfusion patterns derived from repeated OCT scans.

03

Why the distinction matters

Together they can provide complementary information, but each has artifacts, limitations and interpretation requirements.

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