# Expanding the Accessibility and Quality of Ophthalmic Imaging through Optical Elements and Modeling

> **NIH NIH F31** · MEDICAL COLLEGE OF WISCONSIN · 2024 · $43,642

## Abstract

Ophthalmoscopy, or the in vivo imaging of the retina, is an essential tool for the characterization and diagnosis
of retinal and systemic diseases. Despite the ubiquity of conventional ophthalmic devices, oftentimes the
visualization of smaller features is limited in current modalities due to the presence of optical aberrations. While
adaptive optics (AO) can mitigate the effect of these aberrations and provide nearly diffraction limited images of
the eye using an AO scanning light ophthalmoscope (AOSLO), it cannot mitigate common ophthalmic conditions,
such as cataracts, or high myopia, which cause substantial wavefront aberrations and result in reduced visual
performance and image resolution. Moreover, the aperture of the human eye limits image resolution, impeding
visualization of the smallest structures in the retina. Current implementations of AOSLO split-detection (or phase
contrast) is also limited, as they cannot resolve features within the eye that lie at arbitrary angles, preventing full
characterization of phase-resolved structures. Finally, few modifications in AOSLO design since its conception
in 2002 are able to be applied to extant systems and require extensive mechanical modifications, precluding
upgrades in many devices. Altogether, these gaps prevent widespread accessibility of AO imaging to the
general population. As such, the objective of this proposal is to develop and construct optical elements and
models whereby an AOSLO might be equipped to image broader populations with increased resolution, thereby
accelerating future clinical applications and increasing current knowledge. The first aim will be to implement a
Dove prism for arbitrary-angle split-detection imaging in vivo. This integration would allow for visualization of
features oriented at various, arbitrary angles throughout the eye, such as vasculature, whose feature
visualization is severely limited in current AOSLO imaging modalities. This modification would enable features
of various retinal pathologies to be captured at multiple angles while simultaneously enabling extant systems to
be altered with minimal complexity. The second aim will be to explore and integrate variable in vivo illumination
profiles for both improving the resolution and extending the depth of focus of an AOSLO. This integration would
encompass such optical elements as Fresnel Zone Plates, light axicons, and annular masks to transform the
light intensity and distribution being delivered for the eye, allowing for superior resolution. This newly configured
illumination profile would enable ophthalmic imaging to expand beyond current subject groups while
simultaneously providing superior images with enhanced contrast. The research planned within this proposal will
address a fundamental gap in the AO and ophthalmological communities while providing a distinctive training
opportunity. This training plan will include in vivo retinal imaging, optical and mathematical design, software
development, eng...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10901438
- **Project number:** 1F31EY036262-01
- **Recipient organization:** MEDICAL COLLEGE OF WISCONSIN
- **Principal Investigator:** Ruth E Woehlke
- **Activity code:** F31 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $43,642
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-07-01 → 2025-04-22

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10901438

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10901438, Expanding the Accessibility and Quality of Ophthalmic Imaging through Optical Elements and Modeling (1F31EY036262-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-07 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10901438. Licensed CC0.

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