Complete polarisation-sensitive confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscope.

The goal of this project is to develop a new imaging instrument for vision research and clinical vision applications and introduce it to the medical and clinical environment using objective methods of image quality assessment. Conventional retinal imaging systems record only the intensity of light scattered from the sample. However information about the sample is also contained in the polarisation of the scattered light. To fully characterise the effect of the sample on the polarisation of ligh t requires 16 quantities (the Mueller matrix). The instrument we will develop will measure the full polarisation properties of the scattered light and so be able to image structures that are not visible with conventional intensity images. The research proposal consists of two steps: 1) To develop and build a complete polarisation-sensitive confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscope that is capable of measuring the full polarisation properties of the retina. 2) To use the instrument in a prelimina ry study to identify polarisation features that can reveal the presence of ocular diseases using objective methods to evaluate medical feedback on the polarisation images.