“Stare at the green dot,” instructs the ophthalmic nurse as I awkwardly adjust my head onto the always-too-short-for-me chinrest of the optical coherence tomography (OCT) instrument. The green dot appears, accompanied by a dense web of thin red lines that I recognize as the full-field scan pattern of the OCT laser. In a few seconds, she announces, “OK, done.” This amazes me—I recall the early time-domain OCT experiments in the 1980s, where scanning and processing simple cross-sectional profiles on surrogate eye models or ex vivo samples could take hours. After an additional corneal mapping with structured light imaging, I was ready to schedule the laser surgery that would fix my aging, progressively blurring eyesight. Before leaving the office, to the puzzlement of the staff, I asked for a copy of my OCT images—an uncommon request!
Three weeks and two 15-minute procedures later, both eyes were as good as new. The in-office optical measurements determined in advance and with precision the focal lengths of the new crystal-clear interocular lenses and the laser astigmatism correction. Not only is the haze from my cataracts gone, but my vision has been corrected to better than 20/20 without glasses, erasing five diopters of lifelong nearsightedness in the process—a modern miracle, and one I deeply appreciate.
My experience with cataract surgery brought back memories of when I volunteered with United for Sight for an outreach project in West Africa in 2011. Working alongside a team of Ghanaian eye-care professionals and support staff, I helped screen patients, distributed reading glasses and sunglasses, and managed logistics. It was inspiring to watch Ghanaian physician Seth Wanye and his team perform dozens of cataract surgeries daily, restoring sight to individuals who would otherwise face a lifetime of blindness. Just 10 years later I would benefit from the same life-changing procedure, enhanced by the most advanced optical technologies in the history of vision care.
I observed Seth Wanye perform eye surgeries at a clinic in rural Ghana in 2011. Photo credit: Peter de Groot.
Reflecting on these experiences, I’m once again impressed by the healing power of optics. Reviewing the programs for SPIE BiOS, European Biomedical Optics, and Medical Imaging conferences, it’s clear that optics and photonics are not only essential for vision care, but also for nearly every stage of modern medicine—from diagnostics to interventions. A global community of optical scientists, engineers, and clinicians works tirelessly to enhance the quality of life for millions. Through SPIE events and publications such as Biophotonics Discovery, the Journal of Biomedical Optics, the Journal of Medical Imaging, and Neurophotonics, they share their discoveries and insights, advancing not only optics for the life sciences, but also for fields like quantum imaging, surface structure metrology, and AI-driven data analysis.
Today, I often use those OCT images of my own eyes in tutorials and lectures on the history and applications of interferometry. Not only is this fascinating technology, it’s also a reminder that maintaining and restoring the precious gift of vision is one of the everyday miracles made possible by the healing power of optics.
Peter de Groot
2025 SPIE President
