RPE Characterisation With Transscleral Optical Phase Imaging in Retinal Disorders

Cross Sectional Study: in Vivo Morphometric Characterisation of Human Retinal Pigment Epithelium With Transscleral Optical Phase Imaging in Photoreceptor/ Retinal Pigment Epithelium/ Bruch's Membrane/ Choriocapillaris Complex Disorders

Accumulating evidence suggest that the functional unit of photoreceptor/ retinal pigment epithelium (RPE)/Bruch's membrane/choriocapillaris plays a key role in pathophysiologic processes of a wide range of medical retinal disorders of the eye. Little is known about in vivo morphometric characteristics of human RPE cells as in vivo observation of these cells was so far technically challenging and hence nearly impossible to implement in a clinical setting. Transscleral optical phase imaging is a novel in-vivo microscopy technique allowing human RPE imaging on a cellular level with the potential of clinical application in a multimodal retinal imaging approach for diagnostic purpose in medical retina patients.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Informed Consent as documented by signature (Appendix Informed Consent Form)
• Patients with a medical retinal disease involving the retinal pigment epithelium (age related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, retinal vascular occlusive disease, central serous chorioretinopathy, tapetoretinal degeneration)
• Participants with healthy eyes for the control group

Exclusion Criteria:

• Inability to follow the procedures of the study due to language problems, psychological disorders, dementia etc. of the participant
• Aged < 18 years.
• Pregnancy
• Epilepsy