Imaging of individual cells and their function in the living human retina

Functional imaging of individual cells and neurons in the living human retina promises improved diagnostics for retinal disorders and new input for basic research. This project aims at imaging the morphology and function of individual retinal neurons, e.g., ganglion cells, in the living eye after optical stimulation of the photoreceptors. It will allow analyzing their physiology and pave the way to investigate the pathological impact of ophthalmic and neuronal diseases on them.

When seeing, light gets detected in the eye causing a rapid number of events and activity in neurons that are located in the human eye. We now want to visualize this activity in humans after the optical perception of a visual signal. With a novel imaging technique, we will get three-dimensional data on a microscopic scale of the neurons and their activity. In the future, this research may help identify different cell types and pave the wave for improved diagnoses in ophthalmology and neurology.