An improved imaging system for hyperspectral analysis of the human iris

We have developed an instrument and a method to perform in vivo hyperspectral imaging of the human iris in order to quantitatively measure its spectral reflectance. Understanding age-related changes in the reflectance properties of the iris is important for multiple aspects of vision research. The images are acquired in the spectral range 450-810nm from three healthy volunteers. The spectral resolution is equal to 30nm, while each image of 1024×768 pixels has a spatial resolution of 22.5μm. The instrument appears suitable for measuring iris pigmentation changes over time. These measurements could offer new diagnostic possibilities in ophthalmology.