Method and apparatus for imaging the choroid

1. A method to image the choroid of an eye, the method comprising:

transclerally illuminating the choroid by propagating a substantial portion of incident light through the sclera of the eye, the incident light having a wavelength spectrum in the near-infrared region and the sclera acting as a waveguide to guide, substantially through total internal reflection, the incident light to illuminate the choroid from the rear of the eye; and

obtaining a transmission image of the choroid by collecting the light passing out through the choroid and the pupil of the eye using an image sensor.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein transclerally illuminating the choroid comprises applying the incident light transdermally through the upper or lower eyelid.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein transclerally illuminating the choroid comprises illuminating the choroid by applying the incident light at a plurality of locations surrounding the eye using one or more light sources associated with different angles of incidence.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

adjusting the incident angle of the incident light to control the proportion of the incident light that propagates through the sclera to the rear of the eye to the incident light that is transmitted through the sclera near the front of the eye.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein obtaining the image of the choroid comprises capturing a single image of the choroid or capturing a continuous stream of images of the choroid.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein obtaining the image of the choroid comprises capturing an image of the Haller or Sattler layers of larger choroidal vessels.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

providing an additional light source having a wavelength spectrum in the visible region for identifying the illumination region of the incident light having the wavelength spectrum in the near-infrared region.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

adjusting at least one of size, shape, orientation and convergence angle of the incident light to minimize interference from unwanted scattering.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

measuring blood oxygenation level using at least two images obtained at different wavelengths on either side of the oxygen isobestic wavelength in the near-infrared region.

10. An apparatus for imaging the choroid of an eye, the apparatus comprising:

an illumination source for transclerally illuminating the choroid by propagating a substantial portion of incident light through the sclera of the eye, the incident light having a wavelength spectrum in the near-infrared region and the sclera acting as a waveguide to guide, substantially through total internal reflection, the incident light to illuminate the choroid from the rear of the eye; and

an image sensor for collecting the light passing out through the choroid and the pupil of the eye to obtain a transmission image of the choroid.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the illumination source includes means to illuminate the choroid through a plurality of locations surrounding the eye.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the illumination source includes one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs) emitting light in one or more wavelengths in the near-infrared region.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the illumination source is a single discrete source.

14. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the illumination source is a distributed source or an aggregation of discrete sources.

15. The apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising:

means to capture a single image of the choroid or means to capture the choroidal images in a continuous stream of images of the choroid.

16. The apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising:

an optical fibre to deliver the incident light having a wavelength spectrum in the near-infrared region.

17. The apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising:

an additional light source having a wavelength spectrum in the visible region for identifying the illumination region of the incident light having the wavelength spectrum in the near-infrared region.