Optics Instrumentation for Advanced Ophthalmic Imaging

描述(申请人提供)：本次生物工程研究伙伴关系的两个目标是：(1)设计和构建新一代的哺乳动物视网膜无创成像仪器，其三维分辨率高于现有技术，并能够在体内分辨单细胞。(2)通过该技术在人类视网膜疾病和视网膜手术中的应用，探讨该技术的应用价值。这些仪器将结合自适应光学和共焦显微镜，自适应光学是从天文学借来的一种技术，可以自动纠正眼睛的所有像差，共焦显微镜是一种对视网膜进行光学切片的技术。牵头机构将是罗切斯特大学，合作伙伴包括劳伦斯·利弗莫尔国家实验室、南加州大学多尼眼科研究所、休斯顿大学、加州大学伯克利分校和谢彭斯眼科研究所。到第一年年底，四个临床地点都将有一台设备投入使用：南加州大学、罗切斯特、休斯顿和谢彭斯。在2-5年内，这些设备将提供对老年性黄斑变性和糖尿病视网膜病变中的新生血管、视网膜退行性疾病(如视网膜色素变性)中的光感受器、青光眼中的神经节细胞体、单个视网膜色素上皮细胞和最小视网膜毛细血管中的血流的高分辨率成像。在第三年，LLNL将建造一种配备自适应光学装置的新手术显微镜。南加州大学的视网膜外科医生将在4-5年对该设备进行评估。基于早期仪器的经验，BRP将在第四年设计和制造第六台仪器，该仪器将是便携式、紧凑和用户友好的。BRP以外的调查人员将可以使用该设备。BRP汇集了光学工程师、基础视觉科学家和临床视觉研究人员。这将使工程师能够根据临床研究的特定需求设计仪器，使他们能够将自适应光学技术直接转化为临床应用。LLNL为合作伙伴带来了天文学和激光聚变领域的光学工程和自适应光学方面的专业知识。罗切斯特和休斯顿将在应用于视网膜成像的自适应光学方面贡献经验。罗切斯特首先将自适应光学应用于高分辨率视网膜成像，休斯顿最近展示了一种原型自适应光学系统，这是这里提出的设备的先驱。Schepens在扫描激光眼底镜领域处于国际领先地位。加州大学伯克利分校提供视网膜退行性疾病研究方面的专业知识。南加州大学凭借其在视网膜疾病和视网膜手术方面的创新方法，将加入罗切斯特、休斯顿和谢彭斯的行列，为评估共焦自适应光学技术提供临床场所。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The two goals of this Bioengineering Research Partnership are (1) to design and construct a new generation of instruments for noninvasive imaging of the mammalian retina with 3-D resolution superior to existing technology and capable of resolving single cells in vivo. (2) to explore the value of this technology through application to human retinal disease and retinal surgery. These instruments will combine adaptive optics, a technology borrowed from astronomy that automatically corrects all the eye's aberrations, with confocal microscopy, a technology for optically sectioning the retina. The lead institution will be the University of Rochester, and partners include Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, the Doheny Eye Institute at USC, the University of Houston, the University of California at Berkeley, and the Schepens Eye Research Institute. By the end of year 1, a device will be operational at each of four clinical sites: USC, Rochester, Houston, and Schepens. In years 2-5, these devices will provide high resolution imaging of neovascularization in age related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy, photoreceptors in retinal degenerative disease such as retinitis pigmentosa, ganglion cell bodies in glaucoma, individual retinal pigment epithelial cells, and blood flow in the smallest retinal capilliaries. In year 3, a new surgical microscope equipped with adaptive optics will be constructed by LLNL. Retinal surgeons at USC will evaluate this device in years 4-5. Based on its experience with earlier instruments, the BRP will design and build a sixth instrument in year 4 that will be portable, compact, and user friendly. This device will be available to investigators outside the BRP. The BRP brings together optical engineers, basic vision scientists, and clinical vision researchers. This will allow engineers to design instrumentation informed by the specific needs of clinical research, allowing them to translate adaptive optics technology directly into clinical application. LLNL brings to the partnership expertise in optical engineering and adaptive optics from the fields of astronomy and laser fusion. Rochester and Houston will contribute experience in adaptive optics applied to retinal imaging. Rochester first applied adaptive optics to high resolution retinal imaging and Houston has recently demonstrated a prototype adaptive optics system that is the precursor for the devices proposed here. Schepens brings international leadership in scanning laser ophthalmoscopy. UC Berkeley provides expertise in the study of retinal degenerative diseases. USC, with its innovative approaches to retinal disease and retinal surgery, will join Rochester, Houston, and Schepens in providing clinical sites for the evaluation of confocal adaptive optics technology.