A liquid crystal programmable phase modulator (PPM) is used as correcting device in an adaptive optics system for three-dimensional ultrahigh-resolution optical coherence tomography (UHR OCT). The feasibility of the PPM to correct high order aberrations even when using polychromatic light is studied, showing potential for future clinical use. Volumetric UHR OCT of the living retina, obtained with up 25,000 A-scans/s and high resolution enables visualization of retinal features that might correspond to groups of terminal bars of photoreceptors at the external limiting membrane.

doi: /10.1016/j.visres.2005.08.028