Ophthalmic diagnosis through measurements of ocular tissues autofluorescence has recently reached its first clinical maturity. This technique is intrinsically non-invasive and, thanks to the availability of a new family of measuring instruments, is becoming reliable even if performed in a few seconds and is of no burden to the patient. Diagnostic methods based on ocular tissue autofluorescence could become important tools in the prevention of a number of diseases which may lead to blindness, and therefore have a great social impact. The present paper is intended to give, from one side, an update of the rationale concerning fluorophores in the eye and their absorption and fluorescence properties; from the other, it offers an overview of ophthalmic fluorescence techniques aimed at the detection, quantitation and discrimination of ocular autofluorescing substances, highlighting their usefulness as a diagnostic aid in the early detection and prevention of ocular diseases.
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