Imaging individual neurons in the retinal ganglion cell layer of the living eye

Abstract

Significance Retinal ganglion cells are the primary output neurons of the retina that process visual information and transmit it to the brain. We developed a method to reveal these cells in the living eye that does not require the fluorescent labels or high light levels that characterize more invasive methods. The death of these cells causes vision loss in glaucoma, the second leading cause of blindness worldwide. The ability to image these cells in the living eye could accelerate our understanding of their role in normal vision and provide a diagnostic tool for evaluating new therapies for retinal disease.