spectralis

Spectralis is a line of ophthalmic imaging devices produced by Heidelberg Engineering GmbH. The platform is designed to provide multimodal, co-registered imaging of the retina and optic nerve, combining scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (SLO) with spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT).

In typical configurations, Spectralis integrates multiple imaging modalities on a single workstation. It supports SLO imaging for high-contrast fundus views, SD-OCT for high-resolution cross-sectional scans, and additional modalities such as fundus autofluorescence, fluorescein angiography, and indocyanine green angiography. Some systems include OCT angiography capabilities. A distinguishing feature is real-time eye tracking and image registration, which helps align serial images and reduce motion artifacts during acquisition.

Applications and use cases for Spectralis include clinical diagnosis and monitoring of retinal and optic nerve diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, retinal vein occlusions, glaucoma, and various optic neuropathies. The co-registered images enable correlation of structural changes seen on OCT with surface and vascular imaging, supporting assessment of disease progression and treatment response. The platform is also used in ophthalmic research to investigate retinal microstructure and perfusion.

Market presence and history: Spectralis was introduced by Heidelberg Engineering in the late 2000s and has since become a widely adopted tool in ophthalmology clinics and research centers worldwide. While lauded for image quality and multimodal capability, the systems are specialized medical devices that require trained operators and appropriate clinical workflows.