Abstract: Methods and apparatus for producing images of the retina or fundus with improved quality and visualization of its features. This is accomplished by adjustment of specific pupil size, pupil position, detector pinhole size and wavelength parameters of the instrument to give improved image quality as described by a chosen image quality metric. Methods are less complex than adaptive optics and give an improved image in a region of interest and potentially over a larger field of view. Thus, it will be useful in instruments designed for the screening of retinal disease(s). The methodology is applicable to an individual's eye, on the basis of either the group that said individual falls into or measurements of the quality of their eye's optics. As described herein, the settings (including optimum pupil size, pupil position, detector pinhole size and/or wavelength for imaging) can be chosen to give improved the retinal image quality.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and device to image the fundus of the eye using polarized light which includes circular polarization. The invention is most broadly comprised of a device to generate polarization states of light, including circularly polarized light (i.e. potentially combinations of elliptically polarized light and depolarized light combined, elliptically polarized light alone, or circularly polarized light with depolarized light or circularly polarized light alone). This light can be used with any fundus imaging device including but not limited to fundus cameras, scanning laser ophthalmoscopes, confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscopes, optical coherence tomography instruments, with or without some form of wavefront correction. This is a change from common fundus imaging systems which use randomly polarized light or linearly polarized light.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for improving the signal to noise ratio, the contrast and the resolution in images recorded using an optical imaging system which produces a spatially resolved image. The method is based on the incorporation of a polarimeter into the setup and polarization calculations to produce better images. After calculating the spatially resolved Mueller matrix of a sample, images for incident light with different states of polarization were reconstructed. In a shorter method, only a polarization generator is used and the first row of the Mueller matrix is calculated. In each method, both the best and the worst images were computed. In both reflection and transmission microscope and Macroscope and ophthalmoscope modes, the best images are better than any of the original images recorded. In contrast, the worst images are poorer. This technique is useful in different fields such as confocal microscopy, Macroscopy and retinal imaging.