Apparatus for high resolution imaging of a moving object comprises a
source of low coherence light, an optical coherence tomography imaging
instrument or a dual channel, optical coherence tomography/confocal
imaging instrument, a transverse scanner, an interferometer, depth
adjustment means, and interface optics. First and an optional second
sensing blocks sense the axial and respectively the transverse position
of the object. A splitting element is shared so that the interface optics
and the sensing blocks have a common axis of light transmitted to and
from the object. Timing means establishes a timing, and timing intervals
and reference times for images as they are taken. The acceptability of
each scanned image is determined according to predetermined criteria. A
series of en-face OCT images, or of longitudinal OCT images of the object
may be taken at different depths or transverse coordinates, and the stack
of collected images is used to build 3D profiles of the object.