Spatially and temporally dependent optical aberrations induced by the inhomogeneous refractive index of live samples limit the resolution of live dynamic imaging. We introduce an adaptive optical microscope with a direct wavefront sensing method using a Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor and fluorescent protein guide-stars for live imaging. The results of imaging Drosophila embryos demonstrate its...

Optical traps are commonly constructed with high-numerical-aperture objectives. Oil-immersion objectives suffer from spherical aberrations when used for imaging in aqueous solutions. The effect of spherical aberrations on trapping strength has been modeled by approximation, and only a few experimental results are available in the case of micrometer-sized particles. We present an experimental st...

We describe a simple method for generating known optical aberrations dynamically, using a ferroelectric liquid-crystal spatial light modulator. Aberrations inherent in the optical system are measured and corrected, and as an example Kolmogorov turbulence is simulated for aperture sizes D/r(0) from 0 to 30, varying at frame rates up to 2.5 kHz. A measure of wave-front generation efficiency is in...

We describe the effect of optical aberrations on fluorescence fluctuations microscopy (FFM), when focusing through a single living cell. FFM measurements are performed in an aqueous fluorescent solution and prove to be a highly sensitive tool to assess the optical aberrations introduced by the cell. We demonstrate an adaptive optics (AO) system to remove the aberration-related bias in the FFM m...

We present a method for the numerical correction of optical aberrations based on indirect sensing of the scattered wavefront from point-like scatterers ("guide stars") within a three-dimensional broadband interferometric tomogram. This method enables the correction of high-order monochromatic and chromatic aberrations utilizing guide stars that are revealed after numerical compensation of defoc...

Although the human eye has a relatively simple optical system, it is not perfect. It has been well known that the human eye suffers from the wavefront aberration that includes both lower (defocus and astigmatism) and higher order aberrations. The lower order aberration has been effectively corrected with conventional ophthalmic lenses such as spectacles and contact lenses. However, it is more c...

R. S. Dutra, 2, 3 N. B. Viana, 3 P. A. Maia Neto, 3 and H. M. Nussenzveig 3 Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia, Rua Sebastião de Lacerda, Paracambi, RJ, 26600-000, Brasil LPO-COPEA, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-590, Brasil Instituto de F́ısica, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Caixa Postal 68528, Rio d...

PURPOSE The mouse eye is a widely used model for retinal disease and has potential to become a model for myopia. Studies of retinal disease will benefit from imaging the fundus in vivo. Experimental models of myopia often rely on manipulation of the visual experience. In both cases, knowledge of the optical quality of the eye, and in particular, the retinal image quality degradation imposed by ...

We present the range of optical architectures for imaging systems based on a single optical component, an aperture stop, and a detector. Thanks to the formalism of third-order Seidel aberrations, several strategies of simplification and miniaturization of optical systems are examined. Figures of merit are also introduced to assess the basic optical properties and performance capabilities of suc...

Visual optics is taking on new clinical significance. Given that current refractive procedures can and do induce large amounts of higher order ocular aberration that often affects the patient's daily visual function and quality of life, we can no longer relegate the considerations of ocular aberrations to academic discussions. Instead, we need to move toward minimizing (not increasing) the eye'...