# SCH: Multimodal Retina Image Alignment and Applications

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO · 2024 · $92,970

## Abstract

PROJECT ABSTRACT
This supplement application is for the purchase of a 3-color Optos ultra-widefield (UWF) scanning
laser ophthalmoscope (SLO). The Optos SLO is the current state of the art for wide angle retinal
imaging and is widely used. Numerous studies have shown the advantages of UWF imaging for
diagnosis of retinal diseases. The previous generation Optos only used a red and green laser to
image the retina causing poor color representation and introducing unique artifacts. These limitations
have been overcome by the introduction of the red, green, blue (RGB) 3-color laser UWF Optos. We
have evaluated this instrument in the Jacobs Retina Center and in our department. The new RGB 3-
SLO color instrument provides images closer to the true color of the retina. In our comparative study
we imaged 75 eyes of 45 patients with four different instruments (Topcon fundus camera, RGB 3-
color Optos, RG 2-color Optos and the multicolor Spectralis OCT). We cropped the images to
identical field-of-view to avoid any image shape bias and in a masked study compared each of the
three SLO devices to the gold standard color fundus camera in the ability to make a clinical diagnosis.
We found that the RGB 3-color Optos is superior to the conventional RG 2-color Optos and the
multicolor Spectralis. We wish to purchase the RGB 3-color UWF Optos to permit our AI retina
research to continue with the state-of-the-art instrument. Note that our studies are already covered by
the IRB as we have a retina registry which permits use of de-identified images and in addition all
patients sign consent for ophthalmic examination and imaging when checking in to UCSD
Ophthalmology.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10990140
- **Project number:** 3R01EY033847-03S1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO
- **Principal Investigator:** Dirk-Uwe G Bartsch
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $92,970
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2021-09-30 → 2025-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10990140

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10990140, SCH: Multimodal Retina Image Alignment and Applications (3R01EY033847-03S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10990140. Licensed CC0.

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