In Vivo Uses of Quasi-Elastic Light Scattering Spectroscopy as a Molecular Probe in the Anterior Segment of the Eye

Historically, light scattering has been used to study the size and shape of macromolecules in solution as well as the properties of a wide range of condensed materials, such as colloidal suspensions, gels, and solid polymers. When light interacts with matter, the energy of the interacting light photons can change. Photon energy can be gained from or lost to the translational, rotational, vibrational, and electronic degrees of freedom of the molecule. The resulting scattered light therefore undergoes frequency shifts. The frequency shifts, together with the angular distribution, polarization, and intensity of the scattered light depend on the size, shape, and molecular interactions in the scattering material. It is theoretically possible, by measuring these light scattering characteristics, to obtain information about the structure and molecular dynamics of the scatterers.