ADAPTIVE OPTICS

Course overview

ADAPTIVE OPTICS (AO) IS A TECHNIQUE FOR IMAGING THE RETINA AT THE CELLULAR LEVEL BY CORRECTING OPTICAL ABERRATIONS INHERENT TO THE EYE. IN VIVO EXAMINATION OF THE INDIVIDUAL PHOTORECEPTORS AND RETINAL VASCULATURE MAY HELP UNDERSTAND RETINAL PATHOLOGIES BETTER. ALL AVAILABLE INVESTIGATIVE MODALITIES FOR RETINAL DISEASES DETECT THEM ONLY AFTER VISIBLE FUNDUS CHANGES OCCUR. ADAPTIVE OPTICS MAY AID IN RECOGNIZING THEM BEFORE SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE SETS IN AND MAY HELP DEVELOP NEWER TREATMENT MODALITIES. HOWEVER, ITS USE IS CURRENTLY LIMITED TO RESEARCH AS VARIOUS CHALLENGES LIKE COST AND AVAILABILITY MUST BE OVERCOME BEFORE BEING IMPLEMENTED IN DAY-TO-DAY PRACTICE. THIS ACTIVITY SUMMARIZES THE BASIC PRINCIPLES AND ADVANTAGES OF ADAPTIVE OPTICS AND ITS POTENTIAL IN DIAGNOSING AND TREATING RETINAL DISORDERS.