ABSTRACT
Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a noninvasive imaging modality providing high‑resolution images of the central retina that has completely transformed the field of ophthalmology. While traditional OCT has produced longitudinal cross‑sectional images, advancements in data processing have led to the development of en‑face OCT, which produces transverse images of retinal and choroidal layers at any specified depth. This offers additional benefit on top of longitudinal cross‑sections because it provides an extensive overview of pathological structures in a single image. The aim of this review was to discuss the utility of en‑face OCT in the diagnosis and management of age‑related macular degeneration (AMD) and polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV). En‑face imaging of the inner segment/outer segment junction of retinal photoreceptors has been shown to be a useful indicator of visual acuity and a predictor of the extent of progression of geographic atrophy. En‑face OCT has also enabled high‑resolution analysis and quantification of pathological structures such as reticular pseudodrusen (RPD) and choroidal neovascularization, which have the potential to become useful markers for disease monitoring. En‑face Doppler OCT enables subtle changes in the choroidal vasculature to be detected in eyes with RPD and AMD, which has significantly advanced our understanding of their pathogenesis. En‑face Doppler OCT has also been shown to be useful for detecting the polypoid lesions and branching vascular networks diagnostic of PCV. It may therefore serve as a noninvasive alternative to fluorescein and indocyanine green angiography for the diagnosis of PCV and other forms of the exudative macular disease.