Cataract Research
During the past year, CLA has established a working relationship with a
practicing local area ophthalmologist and a small business to develop
laser-based cataract detection that can be combined with an existing digital
retinascope. The ophthalmologist has donated a retinascope and a patient
database to CLA with a valuation exceeding $250,000. The retinascope provides
rapid refractive and amblyopia
 diagnostics,
and the CLA cataract technique will yield the size and volume distribution of
the cataracts with comparable speed. Methods previously developed by CLA for
small particle detection in combustor exhausts have been adapted to this application, and will enable detection of
both pediatric and matured cataracts. In this reporting period, CLA has
performed simulated cataract detection using both femtosecond pulse laser
scattering and retinal reflectivity to demonstrate feasibility of the method.
Also, since many cataract patients will present with both cataracts and
refractive errors, we have performed detailed eye model calculations and
compared the results with both simulated and real patient results of the donated
database with excellent agreement. The figures show, respectively, the good
agreement of the computed and
measured
intensity results for a simulated eye. Lastly, to model accurately the
cataracts, we have established a collaboration with faculty members in the
Department of Ophthalmology at the Allied Health Science Center in Memphis to
provide both the necessary biochemical expertise and also laboratory-grown
cataracts for our use.
Investigator: Dr. James W. L. Lewis, Dr. Y. -L. Chen, and Dr. C. Parigger
Sponsor: Center for Laser Applications
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