title: Adaptive optics technology for high-resolution retinal imaging.
abstract: Adaptive optics (AO) is a technology used to improve the performance of optical systems by reducing the effects of optical aberrations. The direct visualization of the photoreceptor cells, capillaries and nerve fiber bundles represents the major benefit of adding AO to retinal imaging. Adaptive optics is opening a new frontier for clinical research in ophthalmology, providing new information on the early pathological changes of the retinal microstructures in various retinal diseases. We have reviewed AO technology for retinal imaging, providing information on the core components of an AO retinal camera. The most commonly used wavefront sensing and correcting elements are discussed. Furthermore, we discuss current applications of AO imaging to a population of healthy adults and to the most frequent causes of blindness, including diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration and glaucoma. We conclude our work with a discussion on future clinical prospects for AO retinal imaging.
authors.affiliation: Fondazione G.B. Bietti IRCCS, Via Livenza 3, 00198 Rome, Italy. mlombardo@visioeng.it
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lombardo
authors.forename: Sebastiano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Serrao
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Devaney
authors.forename: Mariacristina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Parravano
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lombardo
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D061848:Optical Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D055095:Optics and Photonics / Q000379:methods*; D012160:Retina / Q000473:pathology*; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000473:pathology