In Vivo Imaging of Retinal and Choroidal Morphology and Vascular Plexuses of Vertebrates Using Swept-Source Optical Coherence Tomography

Purpose: To perform in vivo evaluation of the structural morphology and vascular plexuses of the neurosensory retina and choroid across vertebrate species using sweptsource optical coherence tomography (SS- OCT) and SS-OCT angiography (SS-OCTA) imaging. Methods: A custom-built SS- OCT system with an incorporated flexible imaging arm was used to acquire the three- dimensional (3D) retinal OCT and vascular OCTA data of five different vertebrates: a mouse (C57BL/6J), a rat (Long Evans), a gray short-tailed opossum (Monodelphis domestica), a white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus), and a great horned owl (Bubo virginianus). Results: In vivo structural morphology of the retina and choroid, as well as en face OCTA images of retinal and choroidal vasculature of all species were generated. The retinalmorphology and vascular plexuseswere similar between rat and mouse, whereas distinct choroidal and paired superficial vessels were observed in the opossum retina. The retinal and vascular structure of the sturgeon, aswell as the pecten oculi and overlying the avascular and choroidal vasculature in the owl retina are reported in vivo. Conclusions: A high-quality two- dimensional and 3D in vivo visualization of the retinal structures and en face visualization of the retina and choroidal vascular plexus of vertebrates was possible. Our studies affirm that SS-OCT and SS-OCTA are viable methods for evaluating the in vivo retinal and choroidal structure across terrestrial, aquatic, and aerial vertebrates. Translational Relevance: In vivo characterization of retinal morphology and vasculature plexus of multiple species using SS-OCT and SS-OCTA imaging can increase the pool of species available as models of human retinal diseases.

Automated summary

In vivo evaluation of the structural morphology and vascular plexuses of the neurosensory retina and choroid across vertebrate species was performed using SS-OCT and SS-OCTA imaging. The results showed that the retinal morphology and vascular plexuses varied among different species. These methods can be used to evaluate retinal diseases in various species.