A system for the in vivo detection of the effects of AD in the interior of an eye. A scanningpolarimeter, including a residual retardance canceling system and an improved anterior segmentretardance compensator, produces an optical analysis signal representing the birefringence of the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) structures of the eye. The birefringence data is more accuratebecause of compensation for anterior segment birefringence and residual birefringence of opticalcomponents, such as, for example, the beam splitters, lenses, scanners and retarders. An electricalanalysis signal representing a large (20 by 40 degrees) retardance map is produced and evaluatedby an artificial neural network to produce an analysis classification signal representing thecontribution of Alzheimer's disease to the birefringence of the retinal layer corresponding to therelationship of the electrical analysis signal to an analysis signal database.
A METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DETECTING THE EFFECTS OF ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE IN THE HUMAN RETINA