The mammalian ocular system possesses a significant IR transmission window between the longest visually detectable light wavelength at 700 nm and the cut off water absorption band at 1400 nm. This near IR optical band may provide a channel for controlling vision processes. Of particular interest is the regeneration process which involves the re -Wmerization of all-trans retinal to 11-cis retinal and the molecular recoupling of retinal with opsin.". This re-isomerization, moving against potential energy gradient, is the rate limiting step is assumed to involve either a vitamin A intermediate or a directly applied enzyme, "isomerase"). The concept investigated in this study concerns the possibility of directly influencing the isomerization process by ultrashort IR laser pulses.

Date Published: 1 January 1987
PDF: 2 pages
Proc. SPIE 0813, Optics and the Information Age, (1 January 1987); doi: 10.1117/12.967132

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 0813:
Optics and the Information Age
Henri H. Arsenault, Editor(s)