Advanced polarization imaging method, apparatus, and computer program product for retinal imaging, liquid crystal testing, active remote sensing, and other applications

A method of retinal polarimetry, comprising:

• emitting laser light to a retina via (a) a polarizer, (b) a first liquid crystal polarization controller, (c) a non-polarizing beam splitter, (d) a rotating half-wave retarder, and (e) an objective lens, the laser light passing through (a), (b) and (c) in this order;
• reflecting light from the retina to a co-polarized photodetector via the objective lens to generate reflected images, the rotating half-wave retarder, the non-polarizing beam splitter, a second liquid crystal polarization controller, and a polarizing beam splitter;
• obtaining a Mueller matrix from the plurality of reflected images;
• and
• calculating a plurality of depolarization parameters, except for the depolarization index, from the Mueller matrix as a contrast mechanism for identifying features of the illuminated retina.

A method of retinal polarimetry, comprising:

• illuminating a retina with polarized light via a probe inserted into the eye;
• producing a depolarization parameter and one of a retardance and a diattenuation parameter;
• collecting light reflected off the retina with a receiver located outside of the eye or inside of the eye;
• analyzing the reflected light with a polarization state analyzer;
• obtaining a Mueller matrix image from the reflected light;
• and
• analyzing said Mueller matrix by calculating a plurality of depolarization parameters, except for the depolarization index, from the Mueller matrix as a contrast mechanism for use in identifying features of the retina.