The scanning laser ophthalmoscope--a review of its role in bioscience and medicine.

The scanning laser ophthalmoscope (SLO) offers the potential for retinal imaging that is complementary both to that of the fundus camera and also the newly developing technique of optical coherence tomography (OCT). It has the ability to produce rapid images at low light levels using light of specific wavelengths. This permits temporal studies of fluorescent-labelled cells which offer a unique insight into inflammatory processes in the eye. The facility to image with several different wavelengths simultaneously offers the potential for spectral imaging of retinal tissue with the aim of revealing those early changes in tissue perfusion that indicate the onset of retinal disease, so increasing the probability of successful therapy.