Abstract: An optical coherence tomography (OCT) unit provides a mechanism/method for automatic artery and vein identification. The method may be embodied by specialized algorithm or by a machine learning model, such as a support vector machine or neural network. The present method may identify a vascular configuration that forms a vortex structure in the deep capillary plexus (DCP) of an OCT-based (e.g., OCTA) image of a retina. The identified vortex may then be designated a vein, and other vascular structures from other plexuses, such as from the superficial vascular plexus (SVP), that connect to the identified vortex structure are likewise designated veins. Additional criteria, some based on the vein designations, may be used to identify arteries.