Bimodal method for detection and measurement of macular pigments in retina tissue

Abstract

A system and method are provided for bimodal detection and/or imaging of macular pigments. Fundus autofluorescence spectroscopy is applied in a first and a second region of an eye to measure fluorescence values from the fluorescing pigment (e.g., lipofuscin). The first region can be a macula, which has a higher density of macular pigments, and the second region can be in the peripheral retina, which has a lower density of macular pigments. Fundus reflection spectroscopy is applied in the first and a second region of an eye, as a baseline image, to determine absorptions due to other pigments (e.g., melanin) than the macular pigments and the fluorescing pigment. The density of macular pigments is determined using the measures fluorescence values and the absorptions due to other pigments.

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