Phase diversity improves retinal image quality in adaptive optics scanning light ophthalmoscopy

The quality of retinal images is compromised by aberrations that remain uncorrected even in confocal adaptive optics imaging. This study demonstrates phase diversity (PD), a computational imaging technique, to address residual aberrations and enhance image quality in adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (AOSLO). By using images of the same object obtained with and without deliberately added aberrations, PD computes and compensates for the effects of existing residual aberrations beyond those corrected by a closed-loop AO system. Experimental validation demonstrates that PD improves visualization of retinal microstructures, including cone mosaics and dendrites of fluorescently labeled retinal ganglion cells (RGCs).