Retinal imaging systems and related methods employ a user specific approach for controlling the reference arm length in an optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging device. A method includes generating a signal indicative of a position of a feature of a user's head relative to an OCT imaging device. A user specific reference arm adjustment length range for the user within a reference arm adjustment length range of the OCT device is determined based on the signal. A reference arm length adjustment module is controlled during an imaging of the retina to vary a reference arm length of the OCT imaging device within the user specific reference arm adjustment length range to identify an imaging reference arm length for which an OCT image detector of the OCT imaging device produces an OCT signal corresponding to the retina of the user.