Subsurface ultrasound microscopic imaging of the intact eye.

The authors have developed a method of obtaining images of cross sections of the intact eye at microscopic resolution. High-frequency ultrasound transducers (100 MHz) have been developed and incorporated into imaging devices. These devices are capable of producing images to a depth of 4 mm at an axial and lateral resolution approaching 20 microns. Resolution exceeds that of current combined A- and B-scan imaging devices by a factor of approximately 10. Microscopic images of ocular structures including Schlemm's canal, cornea, iris, ciliary muscles, and retina have been produced in eye bank eyes. These studies show the feasibility of developing an apparatus to be used in the clinical setting for examining anterior structures of the eye not visible by current techniques.