Retinal imaging with a low-cost micromachined membrane deformable mirror.
OBJECTIVE
To study the retina in normal subjects with a high-resolution imaging system using adaptive optics for wave front aberration correction.


METHODS
We used a low-cost 37-element micromachined membrane deformable mirror (MMDM) with a continuous membrane as the reflective surface. A Hartmann-Shack wave front sensor with cooled charge coupled device camera was used to measure the wave front aberration. Zernike polynomials were used to describe the wave front shape. We developed a mirror control system to compensate for wave aberrations. We tested this instrument in normal subjects.


RESULTS
We were able to image the retina in monochromatic laser light and document the increase in resolution. While it is hard to estimate the exact size of the smallest structures in the image, we were able to subjectively grade the image quality. The system is able to compensate for higher order aberrations present in the human eye.


CONCLUSIONS
The capabilities of correcting ocular aberrations are limited by the number of adjustable elements in the mirror and the deflection range of the surface. The advantage of the MMDM system is its low cost when compared with other adaptive optics solutions such as piezodriven mirrors and spatial light modulators. This technique may allow for improved resolution for clinical fundus photography.
Bartsch
Dirk-Uwe
DU
University of California San Diego, UCSD Shiley Eye Center, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093, USA. dbartsch@ucsd.edu
Zhu
Lijun
L
Sun
P C
PC
Fainman
Shaya
S
Freeman
William R
WR
D000328:Adult; D055592:Biophysical Phenomena; D001703:Biophysics; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008297:Male; D019721:Ophthalmoscopes; D055095:Optics and Photonics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D012160:Retina / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D012171:Retinal Vessels / Q000033:anatomy & histology