The Development of Adaptive Optics and Its Application in Ophthalmology

More than 25 years ago, the first in vivo measurement of the eye’s wave aberration was demonstrated at the University of Heidelberg, using the Shack-Hartmann method. The continuous measurement of ocular aberrations paved the way to employ adaptive optics for the correction of ocular aberrations in ophthalmoscopy. Various new diagnostic and treatment modalities have since been successfully introduced, e.g. adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (AO-SLO), adaptive optics optical coherence tomography (AO-OCT) and adaptive optics two-photon ophthalmoscopy (AO-TPO). Employing adaptive optics techniques, the limits of human vision can be assessed. With the development of wavefront-guided laser refractive surgery, the quest for optically perfect vision is being pursued over the last 20 years.