Retinal degeneration – Growing role of AO imaging
IOVS journal recently released the ARVO 2025 abstracts special issue.
We are pleased to share that it features 5 studies by users of Imagine Eyes’ adaptive optics (AO) retinal cameras which provide new, relevant insights into retinal degenerative diseases. During their presentations at ARVO, the authors demonstrated the versatility and precision of AO imaging, particularly in providing detailed phenotypic analysis and tracking disease progression.
AO imaging with rtx1 was instrumental in the KEYS natural history study of EYS-associated retinitis pigmentosa:
In a subset of KEYS, Hiraoka et al. found that longitudinal changes in cone density were correlated with loss of visual function. In another related sub-study, Gocho et al. reported solid data demonstrating the ability of rtx1 to measure retinal changes over shorter time frames compared to traditional imaging such as OCT.
Figure adapted from: Kubota et al, Ophthalmic Genetics 2020 and Roshandel et al, TVST 2021
Stephenson et al. obtained detailed characterizations of cone photoreceptor mosaics in patients with PRPF31-associated dominant retinitis pigmentosa, revealing microstructural abnormalities even in asymptomatic individuals.
Another study in dry AMD by Markle et al. demonstrated that AO cameras to visualize and analyze hyporeflective clumps (HRCs) associated with the progression of geographic atrophy.
Finally, as an outcome of the AO-Vision collaborative project to develop AI retinal biomarkers based on AO imaging, Andrade et al. demonstrated that consistent image quality is essential for accurate cone density measurements and reproducible results, emphasizing the importance of standardized imaging protocols. This project had a positive impact on the rtx1 AO camera, which now integrates a set of standardized protocols with fast workflows, and streamlines AO examinations.
These 5 studies underscore the growing role of AO imaging in advancing the understanding of retinal disease, improving diagnostic accuracy, and providing a platform to monitor disease progression in short time frames with unmatched precision.
How can the rtx1 AO camera advance your clinical studies or trials ?