Abstract
Presentation Description :
The purpose of the project is to study how cone photoreceptor function is associated with structural degradation. Using high-speed Phase-Sensitive Adaptive Optics-Optical Coherence Tomography (PhS-AO-OCT), we measured photoreceptor function near small drusen and atrophy regions which are commonly seen in diseases like age-related macular degeneration. Brief synchronous visible stimuli were delivered to the retina with a Maxwellian view illumination channel co-aligned to the AO-OCT beam. The phase difference between cone inner-outer segment (IS/OS) junction and cone outer segment tip (COST) signals was calculated and converted to optical path length change. To avoid inter subject variability, cone responsivity and OS length were compared between non-affected and affected regions. We found that the structural degradation (i.e., with drusen) results in a weaker cone response to visible stimulation. Phase-sensitive adaptive optics – OCT is an optical technique that quantifies photoreceptor function on a single cell basis. This capability can be used as a precise biomarker for early disease detection and to aid new therapies.
This abstract was presented at the 2023 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in New Orleans, LA, April 23-27, 2023.