A new approach to retinal tracking for image stabilization: initial results for the scanning laser ophthalmoscope

摘要

Imaging of the retina is an essential procedure in clinical diagnosis of disease, as well as in research to improve the understanding of ocular function. When the eye moves while retinal images are acquired or stimuli are presented, image quality and test accuracy suffer. Up to now, high-speed, low-cost, and direct retinal tracking technology has not been available. Research and development effort has been devoted largely to imaging enhancements, while no practical solution for the problem of retinal motion has been advanced. Physical Sciences Inc. has developed a new approach to direct retinal tracking. A fast, accurate analog retinal tracking device utilizes a very low power, eye-safe tracking beam that precisely locks onto small features of modest contrast. In the present work, a retinal tracking device was integrated into a scanning laser ophthalmoscope at the Schepens Eye Research Institute to stabilize the illumination raster on the retinas of human subjects. Stabilized fundus imaging was achieved for extended periods, despite the subjects' intentional eye movements.