Certified Ophthalmic Technician (COT) Practice Test 2025 - Free COT Practice Questions and Study Guide

Question: 1 / 400

Which type of waves does optical coherence tomography (OCT) use instead of sound?

Ultrasound waves

Radio waves

Light waves

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) utilizes light waves to create high-resolution images of the retina and other structures within the eye. This technology employs the principles of interferometry, where light is split into two paths: one directed towards the sample (in this case, the eye) and another towards a reference mirror. When the light waves reflect back, they are combined to produce an interference pattern that gives very detailed cross-sectional images of the tissue.

The use of light waves allows OCT to achieve resolutions that are much higher than those possible with sound waves, like those used in ultrasound imaging. Therefore, the ability of OCT to visualize microstructures in the eye is fundamentally reliant on its use of light waves, making it a highly effective tool in ophthalmic diagnostics.

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X-ray waves

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