Abstract: | A new one-sided tandem scanning microscope (OTSM) has been utilized to optically section a transparent cornea and ocular lens with submicron depth and transverse resolution. Its high resolution, image quality, and contrast, together with color capability, real-time operation, and easy alignment, have advantages over previous confocal systems. Planes within the nuclei of surface epithelial cells, the epithelial basement membrane, nerve fibers, the interior of endothelial cells, and the transverse structure of the lens fibers are readily observed. The utility of real-time microscopic observation of live biological structures provides a new paradigm for cell biology and diagnostic ophthalmology. |