Improving Retinal Diagnostics

Current retinal diagnostic methods, such as electroretinography (ERG), rely on contact electrodes that can cause discomfort for patients and participants. These methods are also highly susceptible to movement artefacts, like blinks, which contaminate data and lead to trial rejection.

Optically pumped magnetometers (OPMs), a type of quantum sensor, offer a contactless alternative for measuring retinal activity. Unlike traditional systems, OPMs do not require cryogenic cooling and can be placed flexibly and closely around the eye. This significantly reduces susceptibility to artefacts from eye movements

Future improvements could make quantum retinal diagnostics as reliable as traditional methods, while reducing contamination from artefacts. This opens the possibility for more accurate, comfortable diagnostics and potential for new research into vision and eye diseases.