High-speed adaptive optics partially confocal ophthalmoscope based on a digital micromirror device (DMD)

A high-speed adaptive optics (AO) partially-confocal ophthalmoscope using a digital micromirror device (DMD) and high-speed 2D CMOS camera is presented. The system allows for easy control of the trade-off between image acquisition rate and contrast by applying different illumination patterns on the DMD. The camera is synchronized with the DMD projecting multi-spot patterns on the human retina, which is pre-corrected by AO, for parallel scanning. Frame acquisition rates up to 250 fps was achieved this applying multi-spot scheme, with the contrast improving 2-3 fold compared to standard flood illumination. Partially confocal images of the human retina showed cone and rod photoreceptors over a range of retinal eccentricities.