Scientists at the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) have developed a new non-invasive retinal imaging technique, allowing them to view individual cells at the back of the eye involved in vision loss in diseases such as glaucoma.
The technique, called multi-offset detection, is reportedly a modification of the existing technology confocal adaptive optics scanning light ophthalmoscopy (AOSLO). Through this new technique, researchers were able to distinguish individual retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) in both animal and human subjects. Additionally, researchers were also able to cellular structures, such as nuclei, in the animal subjects.
Researchers hope the new imaging method will allow them to detect the loss of single ganglion cells, and even detect size and structural changes in RGC cell bodies, to help stop diseases such as glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
The research was recently reported in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
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Source: University of Rochester Medical Center