Project description
Novel imaging technique for assessment of progressive retinal diseases
Non-invasive two-photon ophthalmoscopy has the potential to obtain information about retinal physiology and assist in the diagnosis of progressive outer retinal disease before vision is seriously impaired. This technique tracks the visual cycle via the transient fluorophore all-trans-retinol in rods and cones separately. The EU-funded TrackCycle.2P project aims to establish two-photon ophthalmoscopy as a method for visualisation of retina function in clinical applications. The goal is to develop an adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscope optimised for safe two-photon imaging in the human eye and quantification of the visual cycle in response to stimulation. Successful development of this novel imaging technique will result in better understanding of normal and abnormal visual cycle function and retinal biochemistry in health and disease.
Objective
In vivo methods to objectively assess retinal physiology are rare among existing imaging techniques. To accelerate the diagnosis of progressive outer retinal disease and the development of treatment before vision is seriously impaired, there is a need for such methods that can quantify visual cycle kinetics in the living eye.
Two-photon ophthalmoscopy shows potential to provide new information in this regard paired with microscopic resolution of retinal morphology. The technique can noninvasively track the visual cycle via the transient fluorophore all-trans-retinol in rods and cones separately. In this proposal, we aim to establish two-photon ophthalmoscopy as a method to assess outer retina function and to explore its prospect towards clinical application.
An adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscope optimized for safe two-photon imaging in the human eye will be developed. With this instrument, we will quantify the visual cycle in rods versus cones in response to stimulation in healthy human subjects. Particularly the cone visual cycle is not yet fully understood and requires further study. Further, the visual experience of subjects exposed to two-photon ophthalmoscopy will be investigated. The technique uses a pulsed laser as imaging source aimed to evoke nonlinear processes in the retina that can potentially be perceived by the subjects. A detailed understanding of these pathways will provide greater insight into the first steps of vision and help to design suitable stimulus paradigms to test visual cycle function.
Successful implementation of two-photon ophthalmoscopy in the human eye promises to deepen our knowledge of normal and abnormal visual cycle function and further our understanding of retinal biochemistry in health and disease.
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Funding Scheme
ERC-STG - Starting GrantHost institution
72074 Tuebingen
Germany