Therapies in ophthalmology (eye care) are controlled on the basis of regular monitoring of the course of the disease. The success of previous treatments is reviewed and the need for further treatment is determined. The validity of collected information, its appropriate processing and target-oriented quantification thus play a central role in therapy control.

The retinal vasculature is involved in the progression of diabetic retinopathy as well as age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography (OCTA), which has been commercially available for a few years, allows a fast, non-invasive visualization of these blood vessels. The acquired images contain indicators of the disease stage and the need for treatment.

In the present project, the origin of the OCT angiography signal is investigated. In addition, information processing tailored to clinical applications is part of the project. This is done by quantifying image information acquired by commercial devices using modern image processing algorithms. Collected metrics are discussed in the context of disease progression with respect to their informative value. This systematic and detailed exploration of the diagnostic chain forms the basis for objective, reliable monitoring in clinical application.