Methods and system for imaging an inner limiting membrane using a stain

A method comprising:

• applying a stain to an inner limiting membrane, epi-retinal membrane, or posterior vitreous cortex of an eye;
• causing the stain to produce fluorescent light having a wavelength within a range outside a visible spectrum;
• and
• capturing a microscope image of the inner limiting membrane, epi-retinal membrane, or posterior vitreous cortex with a microscope imaging system that is sensitive to light within the range outside the visible spectrum.

A method comprising:

• applying a stain to an inner limiting membrane, epi-retinal membrane, or posterior vitreous cortex of an eye;
• directing light from an excitation light source at the stain to cause the stain to produce fluorescent light having a wavelength within a near-infrared range;
• capturing the fluorescent light and generating an Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) image of the inner limiting membrane, epi-retinal membrane, or posterior vitreous cortex with an OCT imaging system, the OCT imaging system configured to detect light within the near-infrared range;
• and
• while capturing the fluorescent light and generating the OCT image, capturing a microscope image of the inner limiting membrane, epi-retinal membrane, or posterior vitreous cortex with a microscope imaging system that is sensitive to light within the near-infrared range.