Investigation of Blue light blocking lenses effect on visual and non-visual systems

Visible light, in particular, blue light, plays an ambiguous role in health & vision. Blue light may damage retinae, but it is also essential for sleep regulation. “Blue-blocking” lenses are ̶being marketed as protection against blue light without affecting sleep. While the need to provide eye protection against ultraviolet is well established, the need to protect blue light is not proved for anything other than direct viewing of the sun and some artificial sources such as welding arcs.

Control of the blue hazard could interact with the regulation of melatonin and sleep patterns.

This proposed project will help to build an understanding of how light, and the manipulation of lens coatings, may impact on sleep, colour perception and other indicators of visual comfort and health.

Automated detection of ocular diseases with Artificial Intelligence

Currently, artificial intelligence (AI), especially Machine learning (ML), techniques are revolutionising healthcare for its potential in image-based diagnosis, disease-prognostication, and risk-assessment. In ophthalmology, AI is also becoming common for screening, image-interpretation, early diagnosis and guiding treatment of eye conditions. This research aims are to - devise and evaluate new clinically meaningful metrics for analysing ocular images, implement novel machine and deep-learning algorithms for automatic segmentation, disease detection and progression-classification of eye diseases using both fundus photographs and optical coherence tomography (OCT) images from both healthy subjects and patients undergoing treatment for eye disease. 

Visualising Tear Film Lipid Layer Using Quantum Dots

Quantum dots (QDs) are semiconductor nanocrystals that can provide a range of diagnostic and therapeutic applications in ophthalmology for effective treatment of ocular diseases. Tear film evaporation is one of the key factors responsible for dry eyes that can lead to visual disturbances and contact lens in tolerance. Tear film evaporation depends on the structure of the lipid layer. Understanding the fundamental of tear dynamics has importance for developing treatment modalities for ocular surface diseases.

The thrust of this research project is to develop a novel instrumentation and imaging technique to visualise tear film layers in vivo using silicon QDS as they are non-toxic and emit discrete wavelengths of light which are very bright and stable.

3D reconstruction and visualization of ocular disease model from OCT images with virtual reality

3D reconstruction of medical images helps in image interpretation with visualising depth and understanding the underlying pathological process in disease. Additionally, the modern technology of 3D visualisation with virtual or augmented reality makes the treatment and diagnosis process very faster and more comfortable even in a surgical setting for all clinicians. It also helps the patient to understand the state of his/her disease very evidently. In this project, the 2D slices of OCT images of glaucoma patients will be collected and reconstructed with volume rendering process in different 3D software and afterwards, the 3D model will visualize with the virtual reality devices. Moreover, the project will also comprise some 3D animation and roaming in the visualisation environment to make it more realistic for the understanding of disease for diagnosis purpose. One of the goals of this project is to measure its impact on patient health literacy, to determine if this method can be used to enhance patient understanding of ocular disease processes.

Multi-modal optical coherence imaging for early detection of eye diseases

Visual impairment and loss due to eye diseases are common problems in older Australians. Age-Related Macular Degeneration and Glaucoma are the leading eye disease causes of blindness. Early detection of these eye diseases can prevent permanent vision loss. The thrust of the project is to develop a coherence-domain microscopy system based on our previously published geometric phase liquid-crystal technology with multi-modalities features, including polarisation and fluorescence imaging techniques.

The novelty of the system lies in two folds. By using a novel geometric phase-shifting technique based on liquid crystal, technology will improve the image acquisition and simplifies the optical setup by avoiding the necessity for using the instrumentationally complex, lateral point scanning scheme. Secondly, by coupling two different imaging techniques such as polarisation and fluorescence imaging techniques will provide morphology, anatomical and physiological properties, eg. birefringence of ocular tissues. This will facilitate and enhance early diagnosis of ocular pathologies leading to more effective treatments and preventing vision loss.