Adaptive Optics: Adaptive Optics - 20/10 PERFECT VISION AG

Adaptive Optics are systems that modify the wavefront of light within an optical system to alter the performance of this system. Generally, Adaptive Optics (AO) are used to provide compensation of optical distortions, which may be introduced by a medium between the object and the image, or to introduce aberrations into a system to generate a particular optical output.

Adaptive Optics were originally established in astronomy and defense technology to compensate for fluctuations of the atmosphere when observing the sky with ground-based systems. Today, there is an immensely growing interest in applying AO technologies to a variety of industrial and medical applications.

20/10 PERFECT VISION has large experience as well in the wavefront technology as in the adaptive optics technology. Utilizing a stunning 48,000 individually movable micro-mirrors, 20/10’s AO-Kit MEMS module can adapt its macro-mirror surface to nearly any desired shape. By reflection of light at this mirror surface the desired wavefront changes can be achieved. For example, the AO-Kit can simulate the refractive change to the cornea post LVC surgery.

At the ESCRS 2002 in Nice 20/10 PERFECT VISION presented first results of an ophthalmic wavefront system with integrated adaptive optics. This system which is as compact as a normal wavefront system used in clinical practice today and is capable of measuring higher order aberrations and to reduce them clearly. In a study the system was able to reduce the higher order aberrations in eyes by about 50%. By reducing the higher order aberrations, the maximal visual acuity can be increased. From an optical point of view the maximal visual acuity for a 6 mm pupil should be better than 20/10 after eliminating all kinds of aberration. At this dimension the size of the cones and the image processing in the brain become the limiting factors for the visual acuity. The adaptive optics allows us to find the non optical limit of the visual acuity for each patient prior to refractive surgery.