In this presentation we will describe a new method for non-contact in vivo corneal and lenticular microscopy. The technique is based on fundus retroillumination, i.e. anterior segment back-illumination via reflection from the posterior fundus. As such, the retroillumination microscope provides a unique transmission imaging configuration sensitive to forward-scattered light. To enhance intrinsic phase-gradient contrast, we apply asymmetric illumination. The technique produces micron-scale lateral resolution images across a large 1 mm diagonal field of view in the central cornea. We will show representative images of the epithelium, the subbasal nerve plexus, large stromal nerves, dendritic immune cells, endothelial nuclei, and the anterior crystalline lens fibers and nuclei. Finally, we will discuss potential clinical applications and extension to three-dimensional imaging.
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