Imaging eyes: ocular diagnostics by adaptive optics

眼科成像的最新进展对理解和治疗导致视力丧失的疾病产生了重大影响。眼睛是一个独特的透明器官，允许视网膜的光学成像，视网膜是眼睛后部的感光组织。光学相干断层扫描（OCT）是一种常用的诊断成像模式，越来越多地被研究用于实时体积成像。然而，即使人眼具有良好的光学性能，OCT和相关光学成像技术的横向分辨率也是有限的。需要自适应光学（AO）来获得在细胞水平上可视化视网膜所需的分辨率。最初是为天文成像而开发的，AO使用可变形光学器件对进入眼睛的光进行波前校正，校正角膜和眼内透镜中的缺陷，并允许在视网膜上进行衍射限制聚焦。我的研究项目的目的是研究新的OCT，AO和相关的高分辨率成像技术，以克服视网膜结构和生物功能可视化的挑战。 短期Objectives 1）推进实时OCT与定量分析，以指导视网膜医疗程序;2）调查波前无传感器自适应光学细胞分辨率视网膜成像在体内：3）演示基于光的视网膜治疗的概念实验的证据。SignificanceDiseases影响视力影响加拿大的老龄化人口和金额数十亿美元的直接成本，加拿大的医疗保健系统。新型高分辨率眼科诊断成像技术的开发具有更早检测视网膜退行性变化的潜力，并且具有更高的灵敏度，对于及时进行视力保护干预至关重要。此外，针对临床前应用的高分辨率和功能性视网膜成像能力的开发有可能加速针对广泛视力障碍和神经系统疾病的新型疗法的开发。该技术的发展具有强大的潜力，产生新的知识产权，并为视觉研究和视觉保健的新型成像系统的商业化。

Recent advancements in ophthalmic imaging have made significant impacts to understanding and treating diseases leading to vision loss. The eye is a uniquely transparent organ, permitting optical imaging of the retina, the light sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) is a commonly used diagnostic imaging modality that is increasingly being investigated for real-time volumetric imaging. However, even with the good optical performance of the human eye, the lateral resolution of OCT, and related optical imaging techniques, is limited. Adaptive Optics (AO) is needed to obtain the resolution required to visualize the retina at the cellular level. Originally developed for astronomical imaging, AO performs wavefront correction of the light entering the eye using deformable optics, correcting the imperfections in the cornea and intra-ocular lens and permitting diffraction limited focusing on the retina. The purpose of my research program is to investigate novel OCT, AO, and related high resolution imaging technology to overcome the challenges to visualization of the retinal structure and biological function. Short Term Objectives1) Advance real-time OCT with quantitative analysis to guide retinal medical procedures;2) Investigate Wavefront Sensorless Adaptive Optics for cellular resolution retinal imaging in vivo:3) Demonstrate proof of concept experiments for light based retinal therapeutics.SignificanceDiseases affecting vision affect Canada's aging population and amount to billions of dollars in direct costs to the Canadian health care system. The development of novel high resolution diagnostic imaging technology for eye clinics with the potential to detect degenerative changes in the retina earlier and with higher sensitivity is essential to timely vision preserving interventions. Furthermore, the development of high resolution and functional retinal imaging capabilities for preclinical applications has potential to accelerate the development of novel therapies for a broad range of vision robbing and neurological diseases. The technological development has strong potential for generation of novel intellectual property, and for commercialization of novel imaging systems for vision research and vision health care.