France's INOVEO project delivers first prototype system for cellular-level retinal imaging

September 3, 2008 -- The INOVEO project -- which brings together 11 of France's leading academic labs, high-tech companies and university ophthalmology departments -- has a goal: Provide doctors with a novel device for clinical investigations into retinal disease. INOVEO was initiated two years ago, but recently took a large leap.

This summer, the first prototype of INOVEO's retinal imaging system was delivered to the Hôpital Necker, a children's hospital in Paris. The system incorporates the first of Imagine Eyes' mirao 52-e Electromagnetic Deformable Mirror, released just this week; Imagine Eyes, maker of advanced ophthalmic medical devices that use wavefront and adaptive optics technologies, serves as coordinator of the INOVEO project. In contrast to other retinal imaging projects that use adaptive optics, the principal challenge for INOVEO was to develop a device that would enable cellular level retinal imaging in almost any eye – even those presenting significant optical aberrations or having been affected by certain pathologies.

The INOVEO consortium members plan to use the project's ultra-high resolution, adaptive optics flood illumination fundus camera to explore new frontiers in early diagnosis and treatment of retinal diseases. The project was awarded grants from both the ANR (Agence National pour la Recherche), which is one of France's national research funding organizations, and the Retina France Association.