Imaging the Living Eye

This chapter focuses on ophthalmic imaging in rodents, but many of the principles can be translated to humans. Since the dawn of photography in the 1800s, scientists and physicians have pursued techniques to capture images from inside the living eye. Capturing the fundus, or the interior surface of the retina, initially proved to be challenging. An understanding of the ocular anatomy is required to grasp the principles of ophthalmic imaging. Refractive elements of the eye focus parallel rays of light to the light-sensitive posterior layers of the eye, and, therefore, the optical system of the eye must be considered when designing an ocular imaging system. The fundus camera magnifies and photographs the retinal fundus, providing two-dimensional anatomical information. Images can be used to determine the progression of retinal diseases, and especially those that involve retinal vasculature or a retinal lesions.