Introduction

Corneal ulcer can be caused by trauma, foreign body, infection, entropium, trichiasis, districhiasis. The ulcer can be superficial, deep or perforating depending on which layers of the cornea affected.

In veterinary practice the examination of cornea usually made with direct or indirect ophthalmoscope and fundus camera. Thanks to development in ophthalmic diagnostics available a new tool, optical coherence tomography (OCT). With the OCT we are able to examine the layers of the cornea almost in histological level.

Objectives

Our goal to show the important role of the OCT in the examination of the carnal ulcers.

Methods

The principle of operation of the optical coherence tomography (OCT) is very similar to the ultrasound with one major difference, that in case of the OCT the physical wave originates from a special light source.

Results

In our study we examined 24 dogs with corneal ulcer. The age of dogs was between 3 weeks and 15 years. During our research we take picture of foreign body in the cornea, perforated cornea, superficial ulcers. The OCT can examine the layers of the cornea, so we were able to determine the type of the ulcer exactly.

Conclusions

With OCT we are able to examine the layers of the cornea so we can make more accurate diagnosis. We can determine the type, depth of the ulcer.