Quantitative Analysis and Improvement of Retinal Image Quality

Retinal image formation through the optics of the human eye is the first step in the complex process of vision. Imperfections in the optics of the human eye, including aberrations and scatter, degrade retinal image quality. Determination of the contribution of ocular aberrations and light scatter to decreased retinal image quality, particularly in aging and diseased eyes, is essential to evaluate optical quality of the eye. Correction of ocular aberrations can enable acquiring retinal images with high spatial resolution.An optical imaging system has been established that provides for combined measurements of ocular aberrations and light scatter. Wavefront sensing was performed with a Shack-Hartmann aberrometer to determine the wavefront aberration function and calculate the point spread function, giving information on ocular aberrations. A line spread function was derived from the laser slit, giving information on combined ocular aberrations and light scatter. A relative index for ocular light scatter was derived. A hybrid deconvolution method for improving retinal image quality was developed.