Why the study?
Can retinal photographs taken with crossed polarizers be used to diagnose diseases affecting the macula?
Can retinal photographs taken with crossed polarizers be used to diagnose diseases affecting the macula?
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Polarized-light retinal photography reveals patterns caused by cone-photoreceptor birefringence, offering a potential clinical tool for diagnosing macular diseases.
Retinal photographs taken with crossed polarizers in the input and recording light paths show a cross or brush pattern overlying the macula. Experiments were done indicating that this pattern is due to the birefringence in cone-photoreceptor outer segments. Haidinger's brushes are also attributed to cone outer segments, but the effect is due to a combination of the dispersion in the birefringence and the dichroism of the outer segments. The objective, polarized-light retinal pattern is shown to be a useful clinical tool for diagnosing diseases affecting the macula.
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Hochheimer et al. (1982) studied this question.
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