Eye Disease & Blindness
Ophthalmology
Nearly 1 in 3 individuals will experience some degree of vision loss by the age of 65. Loss of vision can have serious implications for quality of life, as it is a central component of perception and interaction. Additionally, people with vision loss may require additional support to continue living their daily lives which can impose a significant financial burden on society. The majority of vision loss complications in North America is due to diseases such as diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and glaucoma. The diagnoses and treatments of diseases require the ability to properly evaluate the health of the retina and other ophthalmologic structures. This has driven the development and adoption of advanced modern imaging techniques such as optical coherence tomography (OCT), fluorescence-based intraocular imaging, and ultrasound-based imaging. These modalities aim to better identify key physiological characteristics, including retinal vasculature, in the hopes of improving early detection and treatment of these disease processes.
We recently pioneered a non-contact, non-invasive, optical absorption-based imaging technique called Photon Absorption Remote Sensing Microscopy (PARS® Microscopy). This technique enables ultra-sensitive and accurate structural and functional imaging of intraocular vasculatures. PARS® technology provides a direct accurate measurement of oxygen saturation (sO2) which is essential information for early detection and understanding age-related vision loss problems. Our team is working to customize PARS® microscopy to be combined with currently available imaging systems in clinical ophthalmology such as OCT. We believe that by bringing PARS® to the ophthalmology clinic we will positively impact patient outcomes.
Nearly 1 in 3 individuals will experience some degree of vision loss by the age of 65. Loss of vision can have serious implications for quality of life, as it is a central component of perception and interaction. Additionally, people with vision loss may require additional support to continue living their daily lives which can impose a significant financial burden on society. The majority of vision loss complications in North America is due to diseases such as diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and glaucoma. The diagnoses and treatments of diseases require the ability to properly evaluate the health of the retina and other ophthalmologic structures. This has driven the development and adoption of advanced modern imaging techniques such as optical coherence tomography (OCT), fluorescence-based intraocular imaging, and ultrasound-based imaging. These modalities aim to better identify key physiological characteristics, including retinal vasculature, in the hopes of improving early detection and treatment of these disease processes.
We recently pioneered a non-contact, non-invasive, optical absorption-based imaging technique called Photon Absorption Remote Sensing Microscopy (PARS® Microscopy). This technique enables ultra-sensitive and accurate structural and functional imaging of intraocular vasculatures. PARS® technology provides a direct accurate measurement of oxygen saturation (sO2) which is essential information for early detection and understanding age-related vision loss problems. Our team is working to customize PARS® microscopy to be combined with currently available imaging systems in clinical ophthalmology such as OCT. We believe that by bringing PARS® to the ophthalmology clinic we will positively impact patient outcomes.
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In-vivo imaging of ocular tissue using PARS. Vasculature of the iris imaged from ~ 2.5 mm × 2.5 mm area (a) Vasculature around the iris imaged with PARS (b) In-vivo images of melanin content in RPE and choroid layers (c) Images acquired using multiwavelength PARS system at 532 nm (d) 558 nm (e) and the corresponding SO2 map (e). [Sci Rep 11, 11466 (2021)].
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PARS retinal imaging. Fundus PARS image acquired from large vessels around ONH from a 2.6 × 2.6 mm area (a). zoomed-in section of one of the vessels acquired from a similar area with smaller vasculature (b). Fundus image acquired using scattering contrast of PARS system showing arteries (red arrows) and veins (blue arrows) (c). Oxygen saturation map in the retina obtained using multiwavelength PARS imaging (d). [Sci Rep 12, 4562 (2022)].
Volumetric and cross-sectional OCT images. Cross-sectional images acquired in-vivo from rat retina showing distinct layers of the retina. CH: choroid, CRA: central retinal artery, INL: inner nuclear layer, IPL: inner plexiform layer, IS/OS junction of inner segment and outer segment layer, NFL: nerve fiber layer, ONL: Outer nuclear layer, ONH: optic nerve head, OPL: outer plexiform layer, RPE retinal pigment epithelium layer. (a, b). OCT fundus images visualizing optic nerve head, large retinal vessels, optic nerve fiber bundle (yellow arrows), deeper retinal layer microvasculature (red arrows) (c–e). [Sci Rep 12, 4562 (2022)].
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