Adaptive Optics Imaging of Outer Retinal Diseases

Adaptive Optics Imaging of Outer Retinal Diseases

The objective of the study is to collect adaptive optics (AO) retinal images from human subjects with outer retinal diseases (diseases of the outer retina including photoreceptor, retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), basement membrane or choroidal pathologies) to develop new diagnostic methods, biomarkers, and clinical endpoints.

Objective: The objective of the study is to collect adaptive optics (AO) retinal images from human subjects with outer retinal diseases (diseases of the outer retina including photoreceptor, retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), basement membrane or choroidal pathologies) to develop new diagnostic methods, biomarkers, and clinical endpoints.

Study Population: Up to fifty (50) healthy volunteers without eye disease (Cohort 1) and up to fifty (50) affected participants with any type of outer retinal disease (Cohort 2) will be enrolled.

Design: This is a longitudinal study protocol where participants will be imaged with investigational multimodal AO (mAO) retinal imaging systems that include optical coherence tomography (OCT) and scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (SLO) channels over three years. High resolution OCT and SLO videos will be collected while the instruments automatically detect and correct for image distortion caused by ocular aberrations. In general, videos of different retinal cellular structures will be acquired from several retinal locations using various imaging modes.

Outcome Measures: The primary outcomes for this protocol are development of new diagnostic methods and disease biomarkers, investigation of cellular morphological and functional changes due to various outer retinal diseases, and development of new AO clinical endpoints for novel therapies.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Are 21 years of age or older,
2. Have the ability to cooperate with instructions during adaptive optics imaging (similar to instructions given during a clinical eye exam),
3. Have the ability to understand and sign an informed consent. (Non-English speaking participants will not be enrolled into the study), and
4. Have been diagnosed with outer retinal disease or condition (Cohort 2).

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Have a condition which prevents adequate images from being obtained (e.g. unstable fixation or media opacity),
2. Have visual correction outside of the range +4 diopters (D) to -8 D,
3. Have a history of adverse reaction to mydriatic drops,
4. Have a predisposition to (i.e., narrow iridocorneal angle) or any history of acute angle closure glaucoma (AACG), or
5. Are working under the direct supervision of Drs. Hammer, Cukras and Liu, or any of the NIH/NEI AIs.