Dynamic Visual Stimulus Presentation in an Adaptive Optics Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscope

Abstract

PURPOSE: To demonstrate the technology and application of synchronized laser modulation in the adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscope (AOSLO), which makes it possible to deliver adaptive optics (AO) corrected stimuli to the retina of a living eye and to record the precise retinal location where the stimulus has landed. METHODS: The modification involves the development of custom software to control a high frequency pixel clock and a waveform generator board in synchrony with the scanning mirrors. The experiment involves a measurement of visual acuity with and without aberrations correction with AO. RESULTS: The system can project stimuli at a frame rate of 30 Hz with high sampling resolution (7.5 seconds of arc), thereby limiting the quality of the retinal image to the level of AO correction. Visual acuity in six subjects is improved on average by 33% after aberration correction across a 5.89-mm pupil. CONCLUSIONS: Dynamic visual stimulus presentation in an AOSLO works effectively and expands the scope of AOSLO applications. [J Refract Surg. 2005;21:S575-S580.]