RETINAL SPECTROFLUOROMETER

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DESCRIPTION: (Adapted from the Investigator's Abstract) Our goal is to develop a commercial instrument for measuring and characterizing intrinsic fluorescence (autofluorescence) in the retina. This instrument will make it possible to broaden the research connecting lipofuscin-the dominant retinal fluorophore-with aging, age related macular degeneration (AMD), and several juvenile retinal degenerations. Lipofuscin also is thought to reflect oxidative damage to the retina and its quantification would provide a cumulative index of oxidative damage to the retina. It will also be possible to measure macular pigment which is thought to have a protective role in ocular physiology. We see a market for such a device among retinal researchers and pharmaceutical companies. Furthermore, an instrument designed specifically for retinal spectrofluorometry will allow the study of other retinal fluorophores (collagen, drusen, flavi proteins) as well as open the possibility of quantitative studies using exogenous fluorescent markers (fluorescein, IDG, BPD, etc). Long term, we see the possibility that this technology could be used to screen for risk for AMD, and monitor the effectiveness of treatment. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATION: The proposed commercial application is as a research instrument designed to measure lipofuscin concentrations in selected areas of the retina.