A reflectometric technique for assessing photoreceptor alignment

Clinical studies of photoreceptor orientation are limited by the fact that psychophysical methods for measuring the Stiles-Crawford effect are time consuming and require excellent co-operation from the subject. We have developed a novel instrument, the photoreceptor alignment reflectometer (PAR), that determines photoreceptor alignment by measuring the distribution in the pupil of light reflected by one retinal location. This determination is accomplished in a measurement time of 4 sec and requires minimal co-operation from the subject. The technique is not significantly affected by reflections at the limiting membrane, or by changes in entrance and exit pupil configuration, or by location of bleaching light entry. The PAR was used to measure the orientation of foveal photoreceptors, their directionality, and the ratio of directional to diffuse flux in 20 normal subjects ranging in age from 20 to 60 yr.