Hammer M and Schweitzer D: Quantitative reflection spectroscopy at the human ocular fundus. Appl. Opt. in press

A new model of the reflection of the human ocular fundus on the basis of the adding-doubling method, an approximate solution of the radiative transport equation, is described. This mo del enables us to calculate the concentration of xanthophyll in the retina, of melanin in the retinal pigment epithelium and in the choroid, and of hemoglobin in the choroid from fundus reflection spectra. The concentration values found in 12 healthy subj ects are in excellent agreement with literature data. In individual cases of pathologic fundus alterations, possible benefits to the ophthalmologic diagnostics are demonstrated.