An apparatus and methods for the real-time inspection for defects in and on transparent sheets, such as a sheet of glass, are described. A sensor detects a transparent light reflective coating on a transparent sheet and defines a sample profile. An optical inspection system utilizes an illumination source and an imaging device to obtain images of the transparent sheets. An image processing system analyzes for defects in the transparent sheets, including coating defects and defects in edge deleted perimeters. Inspection variables which correspond to the sample profile are used by the optical inspection system and image processing system for real-time inspection.