Time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy of the retinal pigment epithelium: age-related studies

Time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy shows promise as a high-sensitivity, high-discrimination tool for diagnostic purposes. The application of this technique to the study and the diagnosis of aging processes within ocular tissues is investigated. An age-related study of the pigments (melanin, lipofuscin, and melanolipofuscin) of the retinal pigment epithelium, performed using time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy with picosecond gating, is presented. The study was performed on intact pigment granules, extracted with soft procedures, and the results have been correlated with the ultrastructure of the granules and with the results of continuous-wave absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy. Both classes of pigments exhibit age-related fluorescence properties