Agnirva Space Premier League - Expedition #31779: Seeing Into the Eyes of Space: The Optical Coherence Tomography Demo on the ISS

Our eyes are not only windows to the soul—they're also a window into the health of astronauts during long-duration space missions. The Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) Technology Demonstration, conducted aboard the ISS during Expeditions 35 through 38, brought advanced medical imaging into orbit to study and monitor astronauts’ vision and ocular health in space.

OCT is a non-invasive imaging technique that uses light waves to capture detailed 3D images of the retina—the thin layer of tissue at the back of the eye. On Earth, it’s a common tool in eye clinics, helping doctors diagnose and track eye diseases. In space, it becomes even more critical. Astronauts often experience changes in vision during their missions, and understanding why this happens is a top priority for space medicine.

This tech demo integrated a compact, ruggedized OCT device into the space station's medical toolkit. Astronauts could use it to scan their own eyes, capturing high-resolution images that were then sent back to Earth for analysis. These images helped researchers detect subtle structural changes in the eye caused by microgravity, such as swelling of the optic nerve or changes in the retina.

Bringing OCT to space also tested how automated diagnostic tools might support future deep-space missions. In the future, astronauts won’t always have immediate access to ground-based doctors. With tools like OCT, they can perform detailed health checks independently. This type of autonomous health monitoring is essential for missions to Mars or other destinations far from Earth.

For students, this experiment demonstrates the intersection of biomedical engineering, optics, and space exploration. It shows how a technology used every day on Earth can be repurposed for use in space, solving unique challenges and protecting human health in one of the most extreme environments imaginable.

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