School of Medicine

Department of Ophthalmology

Current Research

Confocal Microscopy

Numerous discoveries in our laboratories have recently made it possible to perform in vivo fluorescence confocal microscopy. This should permit not only the diagnosis of infections, but also, perhaps, a new approach to the understanding of basic metabolic changes in vivo and the penetration of fluorescent compounds into single cells in vivo. Dr. Bahram Khoobehi is developing multispectral imaging of the cornea using confocal microscopy. Dr. Michael K. Smolek is using Nidek CS4 confocal microscopy to examine the characteristics of precorneal tear film for the purpose of screening and grading dry eye. He is also using the CS4 to examine the structural organization of the collagen matrix of the corneal stroma for the purpose of developing new diagnostic tests for ectasia.  Dr. Jean Jacob is using confocal microscopy to study the tear film and structural changes of the corneal epithelium under dry eye conditions.

Click here to go to the Confocal Microscopy Research Facility.

Click here to go to the Applied Physics Laboratory.