The eye is a complex organ constructed of virtually every tissue and fluid found in the human body:

• The cornea is a typical extra-cellular matrix composed primarily of collagen.
• The aqueous is an ultra-filtrate of blood, containing most of the molecules found in blood serum at  concentrations that are reflective of serum levels.
• The lens is a highly organized array of crystallin proteins.
• The vitreous is similar in nature to the articular cartilage and synovial fluid found in joints.
• The retina and optic nerves are in fact part of the central nervous system.

Since light may enter into the eye through the transparent cornea and then pass through tissues representative of nearly every tissue type in the body, the eye truly is a "window into the body " (PDF File)

As an example to better understand why the eye is critical to our research, take a closer look at the aqueous region. This clear liquid (located between the cornea and iris in the image above) contains the same components at the same concentrations as blood serum. More specifically, the concentration of glucose in the aqueous mimics the concentration in blood. This crucial piece of information is the cornerstone of our Polarimetry research involving non-invasive testing of blood glucose levels in diabetics.

We are developing instruments that can non-invasively monitor the health of Astronauts on long-term space missions as well as shed light on debilitating vision diseases here on Earth. In using this "eye portal", the technologies we develop will also help diagnose other conditions and diseases.