Provide a valuable resource to your clients or customers by linking to this resource page. Just place the following link on your website.
A zonal retinal thickness map is an OCT summary that shows retina thickness in different zones, often centered on the macula. The map may use rings or sectors with numbers for each area. Doctors use it to spot swelling, thinning, or uneven patterns. It also helps track change across follow-up visits.
read more about zonal retinal thickness map ...Many reports use a center zone plus surrounding rings, split into sections. Each zone has a thickness value in micrometers. The color overlay is a quick visual, but the numbers are what doctors track. The exact layout depends on the OCT device and settings.
Thicker zones can point to swelling or fluid, often linked with macular edema. It can also reflect inflammation or traction pulling on the retina. Thickness alone is not enough to name the cause. The OCT slice images help confirm what is driving the change.
Thinner zones can suggest cell loss or atrophy in some retinal conditions. It can also show long-standing damage after swelling resolves. Some people with high myopia can have naturally different thickness patterns. Doctors focus on symptoms, the OCT slices, and changes over time.
Call for new distortion, a new dark spot near the center of vision, or sudden blur. Get urgent care for flashes, a sudden burst of floaters, or a curtain-like shadow. If your doctor is tracking thickness maps, keep the follow-up schedule so trends are clear. Early checks can protect central vision.
No. The OCT image shows layer slices. The map summarizes thickness by zone based on those slices.
No. Color scales vary by device and settings. Your doctor will read the numbers and the slices, not colors alone.
Cataracts can reduce scan quality, which can affect how clean the boundaries look. Doctors can often still get good data, but repeats may be needed. Scan quality scores help with interpretation.
It depends on the condition. Active swelling may be checked often, while stable eyes may be checked yearly. Your retina doctor sets the schedule.
Optical Coherence Tomography. EyeWiki. https://eyewiki.org/Optical_Coherence_Tomography. Date Accessed March 11, 2026.
Retinal Thickness Analysis Using Optical Coherence Tomography. PubMed Central. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11988421/. Date Accessed March 11, 2026.
Thickness Mapping of Retinal Layers by Spectral Domain Optical Coherence Tomography. PubMed Central. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2991435/. Date Accessed March 11, 2026.
Optical coherence tomography: A guide to interpretation of common macular diseases. PubMed Central. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5778576/. Date Accessed March 11, 2026.
Use of OCT Retinal Thickness Deviation Map for Hydroxychloroquine Retinopathy Screening. Ophthalmology. https://www.aaojournal.org/article/S0161-6420%2820%2930562-5/abstract. Date Accessed March 11, 2026.