Ultrafast holographic LIDAR for functional ophthalmology – LIDARO

We will develop and use innovative holographic laser imaging, detection, and ranging (LIDAR) instruments and software for ophthalmology. These non-invasive methods will allow reliable measurements of biomarkers such as blood flow, arterial wall stiffness and local neuronal activity in the eye. These original quantitative functional biomarkers are independent of the operator and will enable clinicians to improve ophthalmological disease management but also more systemic diseases such as hypertension. To achieve these goals, acquisition of scattered laser light at rates greater than 60,000 frames per second by sensor arrays is necessary. We will take advantage of the availability of high-speed streaming cameras with the required frame rate, which can now transfer data to commodity computers for real-time digital holographic processing. There is still no reliable quantitative measurement of local hemodynamics, arterial elasticity, and neural activity in the eye. State-of-the-art methods for blood flow, and neural activity analysis such as optical coherence tomography (OCT), dye angiography, and electrophysiologic examination are lacking precision and are not compatible with patient monitoring. The proposed imaging methods will be tested in clinical research in two national reference centers in ophthalmology participating in the consortium, where quantitative indicators will be validated on healthy volunteers, assessed during triggered physiological changes, and in case of ophthalmological and/or systemic diseases. These quantitative biomarkers could also predict the potential of pathological state, and monitor response to treatment. High technology-readiness-level demonstrators will be transferred to the industrial partner, Lumibird Quantel Medical, for development, production, and marketing of medical imaging devices.