1. A system for diagnostically evaluating the health of tissue within the fundus of an eye, which comprises: a laser source for generating a laser beam, said laser beam having a plurality of laser pulses, wherein each laser pulse has a first wavelength and a pulse duration less than approximately two hundred femtoseconds; an optical assembly for focusing each laser pulse to a focal point in the fundus, with the focal point being characterized by a spot size having a diameter of approximately two microns; a means for detecting a return light having a second wavelength, wherein the return light is generated when the laser beam is incident on anisotropic tissue in the fundus; and a means for evaluating the return light to determine the health of the fundus tissue.