Intraocular Scatter Compensation with Spatial Light Amplitude Modulation for Improved Vision in Simulated Cataractous Eyes

Cataract is one of the common causes of visual impairment due to opacification of the crystalline lens. Increased intraocular scattering affects the vision of cataract patients by reducing the quality of the retinal image. In this study, an amplitude modulation-based scatter compensation (AM-SC) method is developed to minimize the impact of straylight on the retinal image. The performance of the AM-SC method was quantified by numerical simulations of point spread function and retinal images in the presence of different amounts of straylight. The approach was also experimentally realized in a single-pass system with a digital micro-mirror device used as a spatial amplitude modulator. We showed that the AM-SC method allows to enhance contrast sensitivity in the human eyes in vivo with induced scattering.