CN117320614A

CN117320614A - Eye examination device with camera and display screen

Info

Publication number: CN117320614A
Application number: CN202280033425.5A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 贝扎德·曼苏里; 内达·安萨里
Original assignee: Neoloptec Co
Current assignee: Neoloptec Co
Priority date: 2021-05-11
Filing date: 2022-05-10
Publication date: 2023-12-29
Also published as: CN117295447A

Abstract

The invention discloses an eye examination device which can be used in professional settings. The eye examination apparatus has a body with a first eye aperture and a second eye aperture for a user to see into the eye examination apparatus using both eyes. The eye examination apparatus also has a first camera coupled to the body and positioned to acquire an ophthalmic image through the first eye aperture and a second camera coupled to the body and positioned to acquire an ophthalmic image through the second eye aperture. The eye examination apparatus also has at least one display coupled to the body and positioned to be visible through the first and second eyelets.

Description

Eye examination device with camera and display screen

RELATED APPLICATIONS

The priority of this patent application is U.S. provisional patent application No. 63/186,983, application date 2021, 5, month 11, and U.S. provisional patent application No. 63/209,227, application date 2021, 6, month 10. The entire contents of these two U.S. provisional patent applications are incorporated herein in their entirety.

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to an eye examination apparatus for vision assessment and diagnostic purposes.

Background

Thousands of people suffer from brain and eye diseases, such as concussions, each year. When a person is injured, it is necessary to assess whether the person has concussions or other symptoms of vision impairment. The portable visual diagnostic device may help assess whether an individual is injured and/or concussed in order to treat an injured and/or concussed person and enable others to resume normal activities.

In poor areas and countries, where access to expert medical resources may be very difficult or even impossible, portable eye examination devices are very useful, eye care and vision assessment options may be provided to distinguish life-threatening or vision illness requiring immediate medical intervention from benign eye illness that is not an emergency medical condition. In addition, such convenient ophthalmic and vision assessment can help elderly and physically limited individuals who have difficulty going to a doctor's office for an ophthalmic examination. Ophthalmic and vision assessment devices can be conveniently used for eye examination anywhere in the world. They provide a number of benefits such as allowing users to select their favorite doctor for ocular assessment, reducing reliance on traditional ocular examination equipment, and potentially eliminating the need to go to an ophthalmic center or clinic for routine or complex ocular examination.

Unfortunately, currently available portable eye examination devices are either bulky or complex to use. Some conventional devices can only provide custom solutions, i.e. they can only identify certain specific ocular diseases, and are not practical for routine ocular examinations and vice versa. Conventional devices typically lack the desired accuracy. More importantly, they are not able to identify serious ocular diseases (ophthalmic diseases) and are therefore unreliable.

Disclosure of Invention

An eye examination apparatus for professional use is disclosed. The eye examination apparatus has a body with a first eye and a second eye, both eyes of which can be used by a user to look into the eye examination apparatus. The eye examination apparatus further has a first camera connected to the main body and located at a position where an ophthalmic image is obtained through the first eye, and a second camera connected to the main body and located at a position where an ophthalmic image is obtained through the second eye. The eye examination apparatus further has at least one display screen coupled to the body and positioned to be visible through the first and second eyelets.

An eye examination apparatus is also disclosed having a mask with a transparent display such that an image displayed on the transparent display is overlaid on a view of an environment viewable through the mask. The eye examination apparatus further comprises: a first camera assembly configured to acquire an ophthalmic image of a first eye of a user; a second camera assembly configured to acquire an ophthalmic image of a second eye of the user; and a processing unit for controlling the transparent display, the first camera assembly and the second camera assembly.

An eye examination apparatus configured to be worn by a user and having a display configured to display an image overlaid on an environmental view is also disclosed. The eye examination apparatus further has at least one semi-transparent mirror or prism, the first camera being configured to obtain an eye image of a first eye of the user by reflection of the at least one semi-transparent mirror or prism, and the second camera being configured to obtain an eye image of a second eye of the user by reflection of the at least one semi-transparent mirror or prism. The eye examination apparatus further has a processing unit for controlling the display, the first camera and the second camera.

Other aspects and features of the present disclosure will become apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art upon review of the following description of various embodiments of the disclosure.

Drawings

Embodiments will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGS. 1a to 1d are perspective views of an eye examination apparatus utilizing at least one smartphone;

FIG. 1e is a schematic diagram showing a user wearing an eye examination device for an ophthalmic examination;

FIG. 1f is a perspective view of an eye examination apparatus equipped with a smart phone;

FIG. 1g is a side view of an eye examination apparatus for ophthalmic examination equipped with a two-part smart phone;

FIG. 1h is an exemplary ray diagram of an eye examination apparatus showing how a camera captures an ophthalmic image during an eye examination;

FIG. 1i is a schematic diagram of an eye examination apparatus equipped with two smartphones and at least one convex lens for ophthalmoscopy;

FIG. 1j is a schematic diagram of an eye examination apparatus equipped with two smartphones and a mirror 156 for OCT (ophthalmic coherence tomography);

FIG. 1k is a schematic diagram of an eye examination apparatus equipped with a diopter for refractive eye examination;

FIGS. 1l and 1m are schematic views of the refractor of FIG. 1 k;

FIG. 1n is a schematic view of the diopter wheel of FIGS. 1l and 1 m;

FIG. 1o is a schematic illustration of an eye examination apparatus having a pair of shutters;

FIG. 1p is a flow chart of a computer-implemented ophthalmic inspection method;

FIG. 2a is a schematic diagram of an eye examination apparatus that may be used in a professional environment;

FIG. 2b is a schematic view of a sensor module of the eye examination apparatus of FIG. 2 a;

FIGS. 2c through 2f are perspective views of an eye examination apparatus implemented using a headband;

FIGS. 2g to 2l are perspective views of an eye examination apparatus implemented using a helmet;

Fig. 3a to 3c are perspective views of another eye examination apparatus that may be used in a professional environment.

Detailed Description

It should be apparent at the outset that although an example implementation of one or more embodiments of the present disclosure are provided below, the disclosed systems and/or methods may be implemented using any known or existing technology. The disclosure should not be limited to the example implementations, drawings, and techniques shown below, including the example designs and implementations shown and described herein, but may be modified within the scope of the appended claims along with their full scope of equivalents.

Smart phone instance

Referring first to fig. 1a to 1d, there is shown a perspective view of an eye examination apparatus 100 using at least one smartphone. The eye examination apparatus 100 has a closed state (fig. 1 a), wherein the front box 111 and the upper box 110 are placed inside the eye examination apparatus 100. The eye examination device 100 also has an open state (fig. 1 c) in which the front box 111 and/or the upper box 110 are slid out or removed from the eye examination device 100. The front cartridge 111 and the top cartridge 110 are each configured to receive a portion of a smart phone and are slidably inserted into the body of the eye examination apparatus 100. The eye examination apparatus 100 has two eyelets 101 and 102.

Referring now to fig. 1e, a schematic diagram of a user wearing an eye examination device 100 for an ophthalmic examination is shown. In some embodiments, as in the illustrated example, the eye examination device 100 has headbands 112 and 113 for securing the eye examination device 100 to a user. The headgear 112 and 113 may include an upper strap 112 and a lower strap 113, both configured to be worn on the head by a user to maintain a stable position of the eye examination device 100 during an eye examination. Other means of fixation are also possible.

In the example shown, the front box 111 and the top box 110 each house one smartphone (i.e., a total of two smartphones) for ophthalmic examination. As explained in further detail below, ophthalmic examinations of both eyes can be performed simultaneously using both smartphones. However, it should be noted that an ophthalmic examination may also be performed using a single smart phone, such as the smart phone in the front box 111, or alternatively the smart phone in the front box 110.

Referring now to fig. 1f, a perspective view of an eye examination apparatus 100 equipped with a smart phone 161 is shown. The smart phone 161 is placed in the front box 111 and inserted into the front box slot. Once inserted, the bezel 111 holds the smartphone 161 in a predefined position with the subject such that the camera 115 of the smartphone 161 is positioned to capture an ophthalmic image through the first eye 101 and the display 116 of the smartphone 161 is viewable through the second eye 102. This allows one eye to be examined at a time.

Referring now to fig. 1g, a side view of an eye examination apparatus 100 equipped with two smartphones 161-162 for performing an ophthalmic examination is shown. As described above, ophthalmic examinations for both eyes can be performed simultaneously using both smartphones 161-162. To support this, the eye examination apparatus 100 is provided with a semi-transparent mirror 106 attached to the main body. For the user's right eye 171, the semi-transparent mirror 106 is used to reflect light from the camera 117 of the smart phone 162 in the set-up box 110 while allowing light to pass through for use by the display screen of the smart phone 161 in the set-up box 111. In contrast, for the left eye (not shown) of the user, semi-transparent mirror 106 is used to reflect light from the display of the smart phone in the set-up box 110 while allowing light to pass through for use by the camera of the smart phone 162 in the set-up box 110.

Each of the smartphones 161-162 acts as a DCS (display camera set). In some embodiments, DCS161 in the front box 111 is designed as the primary DCS and DCS162 in the upper box 110 is designed as the secondary DCS, although the opposite designation is also possible. The camera 117 of the secondary DCS162 and the display 116 of the primary DCS161 are for the right eye 171 of the user, and the camera 115 of the primary DCS161 and the display (not shown) of the secondary DCS162 are for the left eye (not shown) of the user. Thus, the image of the right eye 171 is reflected by the semi-transparent mirror 106 at an angle of 90 degrees, captured by the camera 117 of the secondary DCS162, while the image of the left eye (not shown) is captured directly by the camera 115 of the primary DCS 161. Meanwhile, the right eye 171 may see the display screen 116 of the primary DCS161 through the semi-transparent mirror 106, and the left eye (not shown) may see the display screen (not shown) of the secondary DCS162 through the semi-transparent mirror 106 reflected at an angle of 90 degrees. In some embodiments, the two DCS161-162 have software that, when executed, can cause the two DCS161-162 to operate synchronously and present similar images to both eyes. In other implementations, the two DCS161-162 may operate independently and display different images. The two DCSs 161-162 may also present two images, designed as two-part and three-dimensional, to present the depth of an object or scene. Still other embodiments are possible.

In the example shown, the settop box 110 is configured to position the secondary DCS162 at a top portion of the eye examination device 100. In other implementations, a downbox (not shown) is configured to position the secondary DCS162 at the bottom portion of the body. More generally, the ocular examination device 100 may have a second coupling for receiving the secondary DCS162 and for holding the secondary DCS162 in a predefined position relative to the body, whether this predefined position is in the top or bottom portion of the body, the operation of the ocular examination device 100 is independent of whether the secondary DCS162 is in the top or bottom portion of the body, as the reflection of the semi-transparent mirror 106 may be made from the top and bottom portions of the body.

As used herein, an "ophthalmic image" may include an eye surface image, an eyelid image, an optic nerve image, a retinal image, and/or other images related to ophthalmology. Generally, to acquire an ophthalmic image using a camera, the camera will be positioned in front of the patient's eye and in line with the visual axis of the eye, or in another position, so long as the reflection and/or refraction of light (e.g., using mirrors and/or prisms) enables the camera to similarly capture the front of the patient's eye. In either case, it is preferable to capture the center of the patient's retina (i.e., the macula and optic nerve).

Referring now to fig. 1h, an example light ray diagram of an eye examination apparatus 100 is shown illustrating how a camera 115 captures an ophthalmic image during an ophthalmic examination. In some embodiments, the eye examination device 100 has a pair of convex lenses 151, such as, but not limited to, 50D, for the first eye 101 and the second eye 102. In some embodiments, the eye examination apparatus 100 also has a second pair of convex lenses 152, such as, but not limited to, 20D, for the camera 115 of the first smartphone 161 and the camera 117 (not shown) of the second smartphone 162. In some embodiments, the convex lenses 151 and 152 provide sufficient magnification to give the cameras 115 and 117 of the smartphones 161-162 a broad range of possibilities, as the camera resolution of the smartphones may be lower than desired. However, for a camera with very high resolution, such magnification can be reduced or even eliminated, in which case the convex lenses 151 and 152 can be omitted. Still other embodiments are possible such as, but not limited to, emission, capture, and analysis of light for ophthalmic coherence tomography.

In some embodiments, the ophthalmic inspection device 100 also has at least one light emitter 153, the light emitter 153 being positioned to generate infrared light or visible light from the first eye 101 and the second eye 102 via reflection by the semi-transparent mirror 106. In some embodiments, at least one light emitter 153 includes a first infrared emitter positioned to generate infrared light from first eye 101 and a second infrared emitter positioned to generate infrared light from second eye 102. In some embodiments, infrared light may be used for illumination inside the ophthalmic examination device 100, with reflections captured by the infrared cameras 115 and 117 on the primary DCS161 and the secondary DCS 162. Using this functionality of the primary and secondary DCS161-162, the user can avoid pupil constriction and take a picture of the back of the eye 171 using an instant flash when the cameras 115 and 117 are in focus and the picture of the retina is clear. In some embodiments, at least one light emitter 153 is part of secondary DCS162, but other embodiments are possible in which at least one light emitter 153 is part of first DCS161 or separate from both DCS 161-162.

In the example shown, the camera 115 of the primary DCS161 is placed directly in front of the patient's eye 171 and is coincident with the visual axis of the eye so that the camera 115 can capture the retinal center (i.e., macula and optic nerve) of the eye 171. In this way, the camera 115 may obtain a line of sight from the eye of the eye examination apparatus 100. By "line of sight" is meant herein a substantially straight path within the eye examination apparatus 100 where no reflection occurs, although there may be some degree of refraction, for example through the semi-transparent mirror 106 and/or any lens, such as the convex lens 152. Note that the camera 117 of the secondary DCS162 is not placed directly in front of the patient's eyes. Instead, the camera 117 of the secondary DCS162 is placed in the upper box 110, although other locations are possible. However, by using the semi-transparent mirror 106, the camera 117 of the secondary DCS162 can capture the center of the retina of the other eye of the patient. The eye examination apparatus 100 may correctly position the primary DCS161 and the secondary DCS162 to acquire ophthalmic images.

According to the eye examination apparatus 100, the user can remotely perform an ophthalmic examination without professional apparatuses without going out to the clinician's office. Instead, they may use their own smartphones 161-162. This is an improvement over currently available portable eye examination devices. The eye examination apparatus 100 does not require any high-end camera. The eye examination apparatus 100 is relatively easy to use using one or two smart phones 161-162 and thus is suitable for use by home, school, medical staff, etc.

Referring now to fig. 1i, a schematic diagram of an eye examination apparatus 100 equipped with two smartphones 161-162 and at least one condenser lens 154 for ophthalmoscopy is shown. Ophthalmoscopy is a way of examining the fundus, including the retina and optic nerve, and is often performed using magnified or focused light. In the example shown, the condensing lens 154 converts the divergent light beam emitted from the light emitter 153 of the smart phone 162 in the set-up box 110 into a parallel light beam, which is reflected onto the semi-transparent mirror 106, and the second lens 151 condenses the parallel light beam into a convergent light beam to be irradiated onto the retina of the eye 172. In an alternative embodiment, the condenser lens 154 irradiates the retina with the divergent light beam as a convergent light beam, and the second lens 151 may be omitted. In some embodiments, one or both of lenses 154 and 151 may be adjusted to change focus and focal length to accommodate different eye sizes and anatomic variations. The camera 115 of the smartphone 161 is located in the front box 111 as a detector that captures light reflected from the retina of the eye 172 and passes through the semi-transparent mirror 106 to the camera 115. Thus, the combination of the two smartphones 161-162, the semi-transparent mirror 106 and the at least one condensing lens 154 enables ophthalmoscopy.

In the example shown, light emitter 153 is from a smartphone 162 in the head box 110 and camera 115 is from a smartphone 161 in the head box 111. Additionally or alternatively, a light emitter of the smartphone 161 in the front box 111 and a camera 117 of the smartphone 162 in the top box 110 may be used. Both of these solutions can be simultaneously implemented, which can allow both eyes to be examined ophthalmically at the same time, or separately.

Referring now to fig. 1j, there is shown a schematic diagram of an eye examination apparatus 100 equipped with two smartphones 161-162 and a mirror 156 for fundus coherence tomography (OCT). Optical coherence tomography is an imaging technique that uses the principles of interference to capture high resolution images based on interference of superimposed waves in a reference arm and a sample arm. In the example shown, low coherence light source 153a produces low coherence light that impinges on semi-transparent mirror 106, which acts as a beam splitter. For the reference arm, a portion of the low coherence light passes through the semi-transparent mirror 106, reflects onto the mirror 156, reflects back to the semi-transparent mirror 106, and is received by the camera 115 of the smartphone 161 in the front box 111. For the sample arm, the remaining low coherence light of low coherence light source 153a is reflected onto semi-transparent mirror 106, and is reflected onto the retina of eye 172, passes through semi-transparent mirror 106, and is received by camera 115. Thus, the camera 115 receives the reference light wave from the reference arm and the sample light wave from the sample arm. The reference light wave and the sample light wave may interfere constructively (i.e., increase in intensity) when they are in phase agreement, and destructively (i.e., weaken in intensity) when they are not in phase agreement. This interference between the reference light wave and the sample light wave provides imaging information that can be detected as an analog interferometric OCT signal. In some embodiments, the camera 115 can detect near infrared light (NIR) to help capture analog interferometric OCT signals.

In some embodiments, the sample arm includes a lens 151 for focusing the low coherence light into a focused beam of light onto the retina of eye 172. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the sample arm includes a two-dimensional microelectromechanical (MEMS) mirror 155, which is a beam deflection device that provides lateral scanning of the OCT. The collimated light impinges on the biaxial galvanometer of the two-dimensional MEMS mirror 155 and is redirected onto the lens 151, the lens 151 acting as a telecentric objective. The lens 151 focuses the light onto the retina of the eye 172, and the reflected light is received by the lens 151 and refocused by the semi-transparent mirror 106. In some embodiments, the lens 151 and the two-dimensional MEMS mirror 155 are adjustable to provide variable focal length and projection.

In some embodiments, the camera 115 samples the analog interferometric OCT signal at equal spectral intervals. Each scan generates depth information of the interference pattern by reactions at different depths, forming an a-scan. An a-scan is a one-dimensional image of a sample (e.g., the retina of eye 172) at a particular depth. A cross-sectional microstructure image of the sample can be obtained by integrating multiple a-scans. In some embodiments, the captured analog interferometric OCT signal is converted to a digital signal and then OCT fringe data is processed locally on the smartphone or sent to a host computer for signal processing.

Referring to fig. 1k, a schematic diagram of an eye examination apparatus 100 equipped with a diopter 188 is shown for refractive eye examination. Refractive eye examination is an eye examination that measures a prescription for personal eyeglasses or contact lenses. The diopter 188 is an optional accessory that can be attached to the eye examination device 100 for diopter eye examination and then removed. In some embodiments, the refractor 188 is connected to the eye examination apparatus 100 using magnetic pins mounted at four corners of the back of the eye examination apparatus 100 and the front of the refractor 188. However, there are other implementations of connecting the refractor 188 to the eye examination apparatus 100.

Referring now to FIGS. 1l and 1m, a schematic diagram of the diopter 188 of FIG. 1k is shown. There are at least two wheels 180 and 181 on each side of the refractor 188, and a total of at least four wheels. In some embodiments, each wheel protrudes from the side, creating a dial 189 for rotating the wheel. In some embodiments, the refractor 188 also has additional wheels (not shown). More wheels may be used to provide more detailed refraction or ocular examination or treatment.

Referring now to fig. 1n, there is shown a schematic view of wheels 180 and 181 of refractor 188 of fig. 1l and 1 m. The first wheel 181 has spherical convex and concave lenses 183 for testing refraction. The second wheel 180 has cylindrical convex and concave lenses 182 thereon for astigmatism inspection. Red, green, blue, etc. filters, pinholes, any prism, obscuration, neutral density filters, or any other electronically modified, physically modified or controlled lens or filter may be used in wheels 180 and 181.

In the example shown, the user can use the dial 189 to replace lenses or filters on the wheels 180 and 181. In other implementations, the lenses or filters on wheels 180 and 181 may be electronically replaced by one or more actuators, which may be electronically coupled to smartphone 161. In this way, the smartphone 161 can be used remotely or to replace lenses or filters on the wheels 180 and 181. In some embodiments, the results of the refractive eye examination will be sent to a host computer for evaluation and/or online ordering of prescription or contact lenses.

The eye examination apparatus 100 may be used to examine one eye alone or both eyes simultaneously. In some embodiments, the ophthalmic examination device 100 is equipped with at least one shield, such as a pair of shields. The shield may be used to selectively block light from an eye that is not examined. In addition or alternatively, a shutter may be used to distinguish between vision disorders. An example will be described below by referring to fig. 1 o.

Referring now to fig. 1o, a schematic diagram of an eye examination apparatus 100 having a pair of blinders 138 is shown. In some embodiments, the shield 138 may be provided as an additional fitment. The shield 138 may slide/scratch over the lens 101 or may be placed directly on the lens 101. In some embodiments, the shield 138 has a plurality of pinholes 139 (e.g., fifteen pinholes as shown). Pinhole 139 is configured as a non-random array of refractive light that results in blurred vision in non-neuropathic ocular disorders. More specifically, pinhole 139 helps to distinguish between vision disorders caused by neurological eye diseases, such as multiple sclerosis, stroke, etc., and vision disorders caused by non-neurological eye diseases, such as refractive errors, dry eye, etc. In addition, pinholes 139 are very useful for testing visual clarity in ring reamers (eye condition after paralyzing the pupil and lens muscles with a particular eye drop) because they can effectively reduce the intensity of incident light.

In some embodiments, each shield 138 is held in place by a pin 140 attached to the anterior surface of the ocular inspection device 100, which allows it to pivot downward in use. In other implementations, the blinder 138 can be placed or mounted directly on the lens 101. Still other implementations exist.

In some embodiments, the first eye opening 101 and the second eye opening 102 of the eye examination device 100 are separate openings, as shown. However, there are other implementations in which the first eye opening 101 and the second eye opening 102 are part of the same opening, i.e. one large opening, allowing the user to see into the eye examination device 100 with both eyes. In some embodiments, the eye examination apparatus 100 has a middle spacer 109 separating the left side for examining the user's left eye from the right side for examining the user's right eye.

There are many possibilities for the body of the eye examination apparatus 100. In some implementations, the body comprises a plastic material. In a particular implementation, the principal is generated using a 3D printer. The front box 111 and the upper box 110 may also be made of plastic material and generated using a 3D printer. In particular implementations, the user may generate the eye examination device 100 by himself using the 3D printer. In other implementations, ocular inspection device 100 is produced and distributed to users by the manufacturer. Note that other materials than plastic, such as cardboard, may be used. Factory produced head mounted devices are also possible. Still other implementations exist.

There are many ways in which the eye examination apparatus 100 may be secured to a user. In some implementations, as described above, the eye examination device 100 has headbands 112 and 113 for securing it to a user. In other implementations, the eye examination device 100 is simply held against the face by the user. In some implementations, the eye examination device 100 has a nose pad 175, which may help to properly fit the eye examination device 100 to the face of the user. Other implementations are also possible.

While the illustrated example focuses on a particular type of coupling for receiving a smartphone, it is noted that other types of couplings are possible and are within the scope of the present disclosure. Any suitable coupling may be used that is capable of receiving and securing the smartphone in a predetermined position such that its camera can acquire an ophthalmic image through the first eye opening 101 and its display screen can be visible through the second eye opening 102. Snap-in implementations and/or other securing means may be used without a sliding box as shown. Other locations of the coupling are also possible. For example, as described above, the eye examination apparatus 100 may use a lower cassette (not shown) instead of the upper cassette 110. Other implementations are also possible.

Although the illustrated example uses semi-transparent mirror 106 for reflection, it is noted that a semi-transparent prism may be used instead. Notably, the semi-transparent prism may cause more refraction than the semi-transparent mirror 106, depending of course on geometry. Whether semi-transparent mirrors or prisms are used depends on the implementation. In either case, the light may pass through a semi-transparent mirror or prism, typically in a straight line or line of sight, although there may be some degree of refraction. In a particular embodiment, as in the example shown, the semi-transparent mirror is at a 45 degree angle to the first smartphone and the second smartphone in order to reflect light rays, as the smartphones are orthogonal to each other. However, other geometries are possible and are within the scope of the disclosure.

Referring now to fig. 1p, a flowchart of a computer-implemented method of performing an ocular examination is shown. The method may be performed by at least one processor, for example by a processor of one of the smartphones described above in connection with fig. 1a to 1 o. In some embodiments, the smartphone downloads and executes an application to enable the computer-implemented method described below.

In step 1-1, a processor captures an image of a first eye of a user using a camera of a smartphone. In step 1-2, the processor displays an image for a second eye of the user using a display of the smartphone. In some embodiments, the computer-implemented method is performed using only one smartphone. This allows eye-by-eye examination. In other implementations, a computer-implemented method is performed using two smartphones, and an eye examination of both eyes can be performed simultaneously.

In some embodiments, the processor captures an image of the first eye of the user using the camera of the second smartphone, as shown in steps 1-3. In some embodiments, the processor displays an image for a second eye of the user using the display of the second smartphone, as shown in steps 1-4. In some embodiments, the processor coordinates the first smartphone and the second smartphone to capture images of the first eye and the second eye simultaneously, as shown in steps 1-5. This facilitates simultaneous ocular examination of both eyes.

In some implementations, the first smartphone and the second smartphone each have a wireless functionality, such as a bluetooth radio or Wifi connection, and coordinating the first smartphone and the second smartphone involves pairing the first smartphone with the second smartphone (e.g., using the bluetooth radio or Wifi radio) to form a wireless bluetooth or Wifi connection, and coordinating communications between the first smartphone and the second smartphone using the wireless connection. Other embodiments are also possible.

In some implementations, the processor stores images of the first eye and the second eye in a memory of the first smartphone. In other implementations, each smart phone stores its own acquired image. In some implementations, as shown in steps 1-6, the method involves transmitting an image of the first eye and/or the second eye using a transmitter of the first smartphone. The transmitted data may be sent to a clinic, such as a doctor's office, for evaluation or examination by the doctor. In other implementations, each smart phone transmits its own data. Other embodiments are also possible.

According to the computer-implemented method, the user can remotely perform an eye examination outside the doctor's office by using his own smart phone without a professional device. This is an improvement over currently available portable eye examination devices. The eye examination apparatus 100 is relatively easy to use, requires only one or two smartphones, and is thus suitable for use by homes, schools, emergency personnel, etc.

In certain implementations, an Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning system is employed to analyze ophthalmic images to identify healthy and abnormal eyes and visual structures and functions. All embodiments described herein may be equipped with this functionality. The use of AI can help medical professionals to diagnose specifically and shunt emergency patients to emergency rooms or doctor's offices in time.

According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, a non-transitory computer-readable medium is provided having recorded thereon statements and instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, implement the methods described herein. For example, the non-transitory computer readable medium may include an SSD (solid state disk), a hard drive, a CD (compact disk), a DVD (digital video disc), a BD (Blu-ray disc), a memory stick, or any suitable combination thereof.

Professional examples

Referring now to fig. 2a, a schematic diagram of an eye examination apparatus 200 that may be used in a professional setting is shown. Unlike the eye examination device 100 described with reference to fig. 1a to 1p, the eye examination device 200 of fig. 2a does not utilize an existing smart phone, but is equipped with its own dedicated sensor modules 121 and 122 and at least one display 119 and 120. Nevertheless, the operating principle of the eye examination apparatus 200 of fig. 2a is similar to that of the eye examination apparatus 100 of fig. 1a to 1 p.

There are many possibilities for at least one of the displays 119 and 120. In some implementations, as shown in the illustrated example, the at least one display 119 and 120 includes a high resolution display screen including a first display 119 positioned viewable through the first eye 101 and a second display 120 positioned viewable through the second eye 102. In other embodiments, at least one of displays 119 and 120 comprises a single display having a left portion visible through first eye 101 and a right portion visible through second eye 102. Each of the displays 119 and 120 may be placed on an upper portion in the eye examination apparatus 200, as shown, or on another portion, such as the anterior wall, in the eye examination apparatus 200. Other implementations are possible.

There are many possibilities for the sensor modules 121 and 122. Referring to fig. 2b, each sensor module may, for example, include a pair of infrared or visible light projectors/sensors 123 and 124, at least one high resolution camera 125, and a laser transmitter 126. Thus, each sensor module may have the ability to project a laser beam, infrared light, or visible light onto the retina of the eye, the reflection of which is captured by the high resolution camera 125. The sensor modules 121 and 122 may be mounted in the head-mounted device or in the mask. Other implementations are possible.

Although ocular examination device 200 is depicted with sensor modules 121 and 122, it is noted that other embodiments are possible in which no such modules are present. For example, the eye examination apparatus 200 may be provided with a first camera coupled to the body and positioned to acquire an ophthalmic image through the first eye 101 and a second camera coupled to the body and positioned to acquire an ophthalmic image through the second eye 102. Such a camera may be provided without an infrared projector/sensor 123 and without a laser transmitter 126. The camera 125 may be mounted in a head-mounted device or in a mask. Other implementations are also possible.

In some embodiments, as in the example shown, (i) a first camera (e.g., camera 125 of sensor module 121) is positioned to acquire an ophthalmic image through first eye 101 through the line of sight of semi-transparent mirror 106 and a first display 119 may be visible in first eye 101 through reflection of semi-transparent mirror 106, and (ii) a second camera (e.g., camera 125 of sensor module 122) is positioned to acquire an ophthalmic image through second eye 102 through the line of sight of semi-transparent mirror 106 and a second display 120 may be visible in second eye 102 through reflection of semi-transparent mirror 106.

In other embodiments, (i) a first camera (e.g., camera 125 of sensor module 121) is positioned to acquire an ophthalmic image through first eye 101 by reflection of semi-transparent mirror 106 and first display 119 may be visible through first eye 101 by line of sight of semi-transparent mirror 106, and (ii) a second camera (e.g., camera 125 of sensor module 122) is positioned to acquire an ophthalmic image through second eye 102 by reflection of semi-transparent mirror 106 and second display 120 may be visible through second eye 102 by line of sight of semi-transparent mirror 106.

Although the illustrated example depicts one semi-transparent mirror 106 for reflection, a semi-transparent prism may be used instead. It should be noted that the semitransparent prisms may cause more refraction than the semi-transparent mirrors, depending of course on the geometry. Whether semi-transparent mirrors or prisms are used depends on the implementation. In either case, the light may pass through a semi-transparent mirror or prism, typically a straight line or line of sight, although there may be some degree of refraction. In a particular embodiment, as in the example shown, the semi-transparent mirror 106 is at a 45 degree angle relative to the sensor modules 121 and 122 and the at least one display 119 and 120 in order to facilitate reflection, as the sensor modules 121 and 122 and the at least one display 119 and 120 are orthogonal to each other. However, other geometries are possible and are within the scope of the disclosure.

In some embodiments, the eye examination apparatus 200 is equipped with at least one condenser lens 154 for ophthalmoscopy, similar to that described above with respect to fig. 1 i.

In some embodiments, ocular inspection device 200 is equipped with the components required for an interferometer, such as low coherence light source 153a and mirror 156 for OCT, as described above with reference to fig. 1 j. In some embodiments, ocular inspection device 200 also has a lens 151 and a 2D MEMS mirror 155, as described above with reference to fig. 1 i.

In some embodiments, the ocular examination device 200 is equipped with a refractive device 188 for refractive ophthalmic examination, as described above with reference to fig. 1 k-1 n.

In some embodiments, the eye examination device 200 is equipped with at least one shield, e.g., a pair of shields, as described above with reference to fig. 1 o.

In some embodiments, the first eyelet 101 and the second eyelet 102 of the eye examination device 200 are separate holes, as shown. However, there are other embodiments in which the first eye aperture 101 and the second eye aperture 102 are part of the same aperture, i.e. one large aperture, so that a user can observe the inside of the eye examination apparatus 100 using both eyes. In some embodiments, the eye examination apparatus 200 has a middle spacer 109 separating the area for examining the left eye of the user on the left side from the area for examining the right eye of the user on the right side.

Referring to fig. 2c through 2f, a perspective view of an eye examination device 200 equipped with headbands 130 and 131 is shown. In some embodiments, headbands 130 and 131 include an upper headband 130 and a lower headband 131 so that eye examination device 200 may be worn as a mask. In some embodiments, the eye examination apparatus 200 has a nose pad 175 for precisely positioning the mask. In some embodiments, the eye examination apparatus 200 is designed in the form of a head-mounted mask for use in professional institutions and clinics, such as carestations, emergency rooms, and ophthalmic, neurologic, or optometric offices. Other embodiments are also possible.

In some embodiments, the eye examination apparatus 200 is provided with a processing unit for controlling the first sensor module, the second sensor module and the at least one display. In some embodiments, the processing unit is configured to process the ophthalmic image captured by the high resolution camera 125 and transmit it to a clinician for further analysis and review. In some embodiments, the processing unit is located within the processing unit housing 129 in the upper portion of the eye examination device 200. Other embodiments are also possible. In some embodiments, the processing unit is a microcontroller unit (MCU), but other processors, such as a Central Processing Unit (CPU), a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), and an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), may be used.

In some embodiments, the first eye aperture 101 and the second eye aperture 102 of the eye examination apparatus 200 are provided with adjustable lenses 132. The adjustable lens 132 allows the user to view the display screens 119 and 120 by line of sight or by 90 degree reflection from the semi-transparent mirror 106, depending on the embodiment of the eye examination apparatus 200. The adjustable lens 132 also facilitates capturing images of the user's eyes using the high resolution camera/scanner 125. Other embodiments are also possible.

In some embodiments, the eye examination device 200 is provided with at least one external sensor 128 for sensing the environment external to the eye examination device 200, and the processing unit controls the at least one display in accordance with the at least one external sensor 128. In some embodiments, the at least one external sensor 128 includes a pair of external cameras 128 for capturing an environment external to the ocular examination device 200, and the processing unit generates an image of the at least one display using the pair of external cameras 128. This may enable augmented reality functionality.

The eye examination apparatus 200 shown in fig. 2c to 2f is to fix the eye examination apparatus 200 to the head of the user through the head bands 130 and 131. In another embodiment, the eye examination apparatus 200 is worn by a user in the form of a helmet. An example will be given below for description. Note that other means of fixation are possible and within the scope of this document.

Referring to fig. 2g to 2l, perspective views of an eye examination apparatus 200 employing a helmet 134 are shown. In some embodiments, the helmet 134 is also equipped with headphones 133. In some embodiments, the eye examination apparatus 200 is equipped with a nose pad 175 for precisely locating the position of the helmet. In some embodiments, the eye examination apparatus 200 is designed in the form of a head-mounted helmet, which may be used in professional institutions and clinics, such as carestations, emergency rooms, and ophthalmic, neurologic, or optometric offices. Other embodiments are also possible.

Referring to fig. 3a through 3c, there is shown a perspective view of another eye examination apparatus 300 that may be used in a professional setting. Unlike the eye examination apparatus 200 described with reference to fig. 2a to 2l, the eye examination apparatus 300 of fig. 3a to 3c does not have an eye aperture for the user to see the area with the display/camera, but is provided with a mask having a transparent display 136 and a camera assembly 141. However, the principle of operation of the eye examination apparatus 300 in fig. 3a to 3c is similar to the eye examination apparatus 200 in fig. 2a to 2l described above.

In some embodiments, eye examination device 300 is implemented with helmet 135. In some embodiments, helmet 135 is also equipped with headphones 133. In some embodiments, the eye examination apparatus 300 is designed in the form of a head-mounted helmet, which may be used in professional institutions and research laboratories, and for pilots, top-level athletes, and the like. Other embodiments are also possible.

Each camera assembly 141 includes a camera. In some implementations, each camera assembly 141 includes a mirror or prism positioned such that the camera can acquire ophthalmic images via reflection by the mirror or prism. In some implementations, the camera assembly 141 is retractable. In the illustrated example, the camera assembly 141 is in a deployed position, which enables the camera assembly 141 to acquire ophthalmic images. However, when not in use, the camera assembly 141 may be retracted into the eye examination apparatus 300.

In some implementations, the image displayed on the transparent display 136 is overlaid on a view of the environment that can be seen through the mask, thereby enabling augmented reality. In some embodiments, the mask and transparent display 136 are also retractable. In the example shown, the transparent display 136 is in an extended position, which enables the camera assembly 141 to acquire ophthalmic images. However, when not in use, the camera assembly 141 may be retracted into the eye examination apparatus 300.

In some embodiments, the eye examination device 300 has a processing unit for the transparent display 136 and the camera assembly 141. In some embodiments, the processing unit is configured to process the ophthalmic images captured by the camera assembly 141 and send them to a clinician for further analysis and review. In some embodiments, the processing unit is disposed within a processor unit housing 137 on an upper portion of the ocular examination device 300. Other implementations are possible. In some embodiments, the processing unit is an MCU, but other processors such as CPUs, FPGAs, and ASICs are also possible.

In some embodiments, the eye examination device 300 has motion and/or position sensors, and the processing unit controls the transparent display 136 based on the motion and/or position sensors.

In some embodiments, the ocular inspection device 300 is equipped with a refractive device 188 for refractive eye inspection, as similarly described above with reference to fig. 1 k-1 n.

In some embodiments, the ocular examination device 300 is equipped with at least one shield, e.g., a pair of shields, as similarly described above with reference to fig. 1 o.

Example application

The eye examination apparatus 100, 200 and 300 described has various applications, as described below. While many of the applications below are described in connection with "smartphone embodiments" (i.e., the eye examination device 100 shown and described with reference to fig. 1 a-1 p), it should be understood that they may be equally applicable to "professional embodiments" (i.e., the eye examination device 200 shown and described with reference to fig. 2 a-2 l and/or the eye examination device 300 shown and described with reference to fig. 3 a-3 c). Other applications are also possible.

Vision testing: a specially designed mobile application may enable the eye examination device and the primary and secondary DCS to accurately define the visual acuity of the user using one of the perfect, reliable and currently used eye test systems, namely the HOTV. The application may provide instructions to the patient by verbal and/or written instructions and, upon confirmation by the user, prompt the user to place the primary and optionally secondary DCS (smart phone) into the corresponding card slot of the eye examination device 100. Default testing begins with testing the right eye unless the right eye is nonfunctional or the other eyes are selected by the user or inspector (optometrist/doctor). At the center of the display screen, a randomly selected H, O, T or V letter can be displayed, which corresponds in size to the 20/50 letter on the Snellen chart, and a reference letter of a predetermined size is displayed on four sides. Then, if the user recognizes the letter, the user may be prompted to respond and provide feedback in the form of eye or head movement toward the correct reference letter, an acoustic response, or touch screen input. After three consecutive correct answers, the letter size may be reduced and the test repeated. Alternatively, the size of the letters may be increased after two consecutive wrong answers in the first set of presentations. The size of the target letter may be reduced when the user recognizes the letters and correctly positions them on the screen. This process may continue until the user fails to provide three correct answers. The last letter size that a user can reliably identify may be considered their visual acuity. The cameras of the primary DCS and the secondary DCS track the eyes during vision testing to ensure that the user looks at the target.

View field: the application, eye examination apparatus, and primary and secondary DCS may also be used to perform automatic field testing, i.e., automatic field analysis. The patient or inspector can determine the density and span of peripheral fields of view to be tested. They may choose to test a narrow range of fields of view (i.e., near the center of vision) with a high density of test targets, or a larger range of fields of view with a variable density of test targets. Using statistical models, the brightness and position of the target light can be determined randomly and testing becomes progressively more difficult/complex until a defined brightness/contrast threshold is reached at any of the tested peripheral target points. This analysis allows diagnosis of various neurological diseases based on unique patterns of vision loss, such as the lower nasal visual field loss in glaucoma. Capturing and studying patterns of vision loss can help artificial intelligence and inspectors/doctors to improve the speed and accuracy of diagnosis. The results obtained can be conveniently stored in a secure system for further analysis and tracking.

Color vision: the eye examination apparatus may be used to perform a standard colour vision loss test. The patient is presented with numbers of different colors and feedback from the patient is collected and analyzed to detect different types of achromatopsia.

Amsler grid: the amsler grid test is a screening test for detecting signs of disease that damage the retina or optic nerve. Some examples of these conditions include age-related macular degeneration, retinal detachment, and optic neuritis, all of which may lead to permanent blindness if left untreated. Early detection and intervention is critical to the successful treatment of these diseases, underscores the importance of screening tests in the detection and management of these potentially disabling diseases. A grid of black lines spanning 20-30 degrees of the central field of view is displayed to each eye and the patient is asked to report any defects or deformations in the grid lines. The presence of defects encourages doctors to conduct a more thorough examination to diagnose and treat the above-mentioned conditions early.

Eye movement tracking: the cameras and applications of both the primary DCS and the secondary DCS are equipped with eye tracking functions. This is particularly useful for detecting and analyzing conditions affecting eye movement, such as concussions, multiple sclerosis, traumatic brain injury, and neurodegenerative brain diseases (e.g., alzheimer's disease, parkinson's disease, frontotemporal dementia). Using the eye tracking function, the eye examination apparatus may examine the eye movements of the patient while performing tasks such as self-scheduled glances or smooth tracking to further analyze the course of the disease and evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment.

As smartphones and mobile technology advance, display resolution and camera resolution continue to increase, which may improve vision testing and other eye measurements of eye examination devices.

Various other applications of the eye examination apparatus include the observation and analysis of:

afferent and efferent visual functions;

static eye feature: eyelid, eyelid fissure, iris, pupil shape and size, pupil color and sclera.

Dynamic characteristics of the eye: blink, open and close eyes, changes in pupil direction to light and near/far vision, regularity of pupil response, and various eye movements,

test for Dry eye syndrome (or equivalent ocular abnormalities, e.g., computer ocular syndrome, etc.)

Testing the refraction of the eye to determine the prescription of the glasses;

optic nerve, retina and vascular features; and

Refractive measurements made for other purposes.

In addition, the eye examination apparatus may be used to perform various conventional ophthalmic examinations to diagnose and evaluate severe eye diseases are frequently seen, some of which are briefly explained below.

Inlet vision system (AVS)

AVS is related to all visual and brain functions responsible for capturing images from the environment and analyzing them to create visual perceptions. AVS is measured by different visual attributes including visual acuity, visual field, color vision, stereoscopic vision, depth perception, pupil size/shape in response to light and/or distance, and peripheral vision integrity, such as the Amsler grid test.

Vision: vision testing is a measure of the sharpness of vision at the center of the eye (and occasionally also peripheral vision). The visual acuity is compared with the average vision of a normal population and is referred to as vision. Different methods are used at different distances to test vision, such as E-shaped charts, stylized letters, landolts, pediatric or illiterate symbols. In Europe and North America, standard measurements reporting normal vision are 6/6 or 20/20, respectively. 20/20 or 6/6 vision means that an observer can clearly see an object (representing a molecule) at a distance of 20 feet (or 6 meters), as a person with average normal vision (representing a denominator). However, if a person's vision is degraded, e.g., 6/12 or 20/40, this means that the person can see the target clearly at 6 meters (20 feet), while a person with ordinary vision can see the same size object at 12 meters (40 feet).

Traditionally, through the E-chart vision test, the letter that needs to be clearly seen to represent 20/20 vision is sized to be 5 minutes of arc (1 minute of arc is 1/60 degree of viewing angle). The letter E has a sequence of 3 bright and dark lines, which need to be distinguished before the viewer can clearly identify the letter and its direction. Recently, the HOTV method of vision testing has become a standard test. The HOTV system contains letters (H, O, T and V), which involves distinguishing 3 repetitions of light and bright pixels before distinguishing letters. Thus, a vision with a sharpness of the identification image at 1.6 minutes of arc (letters representing a 20/20 vision) can identify the HOVT letters. Thus, since 2012, most commercial cell phones (over 70 cell phone models see cell phone charts) can provide performance near or above 37.5PPD (1.6 arc minutes at eye examination device resolution) and can be used for the HOTV system to test 20/20 vision.

Visual field and peripheral vision: peripheral vision is an essential part of vision, which provides perception of the environment, preventing accidents, collisions with objects approaching from the corners of the field of view, etc.

Visual field examination can be performed by a physician in an ophthalmic examination, such as a counter visual field test, but the method is neither sensitive nor specific. Another option is to automatically perform the vision test in the doctor's office by a doctor or optometrist, with the inspected person sitting in front of the machine looking at the center of the vision; depending on the model of the vision testing machine, visual stimuli are either manually moved or flash, or are performed by the machine in different areas of the field of view; the visual stimulus is typically a spot. The patient responds to the light seen by notifying the inspector or clicking a button. Advanced automatic vision testing uses statistical models to improve reliability and shorten testing time. The virtual field of view test can now be performed using the ophthalmic examination apparatus.

Color vision: color vision is defined as the ability of the vision system to distinguish between light of different wavelengths within the visible spectrum, regardless of its intensity 1. Humans are able to see color because of the presence of cone retinal photoreceptors. Their peak sensitivity varies in three ranges of short wavelength (535 nm), medium wavelength (565 nm) and long wavelength (440 nm). Thus, they are called S, M and L-photoreceptor 2. Achromatopsia is a disease in which color is not properly perceived. It may occur due to loss of cones (trichromatism), changes in spectral sensitivity of cones (trichromatism), or damage to the optic nerve or visual cortex, which may occur genetically, and also due to damage to retinal, optic nerve or cortical cells by disease or toxins 3.

Stereoscopic vision, depth perception and stereoscopic display: a stereoscopic display, also called 3D display or Head Mounted Display (HMD), comprises a visual display, such as an LCD or LED display 4, operating on the principle of stereoscopic vision, in front of each eye. It operates by displaying slightly different 2D perspective views of the same object to each eye. The slight deviation of the object between the images is exactly equal to the natural perspective of binocular vision. Such deviations may create an illusion 5 of a 3D environment and contribute to the visual perception of depth.

1 DeValois K,Webster M, color vision. Academic department 2011;6 (4): 3073.

2 DeValois K,Webster M, color vision. Academic department 2011;6 (4): 3073.

3 DeValois K,Webster M, color vision. Academic department 2011;6 (4): 3073.

crosstalk in 4 Woods AJ stereoscopic displays: overview. Electronic imaging magazines. 2012, 12 months and 5 days; 21 (4): 040902.

crosstalk in 5 Woods AJ stereoscopic displays: overview. Electronic imaging magazines. 2012, 12 months and 5 days; 21 (4): 040902.

pupil response: the pupil's response to near/far objects and light is contraction and relaxation. These are known as near/pupil responses. In close range response, the pupil constricts because the human lens naturally distorts the light rays near its periphery. The pupil naturally constricts in near vision to avoid this distortion and enhance visual clarity ⁶ . The pupil's response to strong light is a constriction to reduce the amount of light entering the eye.

Efferent visual system

Efferent Visual System (EVS) functions involve all visual and brain functions related to eye movement, reflex and alignment. EVS evaluation includes measuring eye alignment/misalignment, saccadic/tracking eye movement and eye movement components. These components include glance amplitude, accuracy, maximum speed, and the number of glances based on memory and reflex (i.e., visual target) glances at self-paced. Furthermore, EVS measurements include abnormal eye movements, such as nystagmus/oscillations/eye invasion at neutral or different gaze locations, as well as ocular reflexes, such as Vestibular Ocular Reflexes (VOR) and suppression (VOI).

Eye movement is tracked: smooth tracking eye movements are slower than saccades and become a moving object focused on the center of vision, i.e. when the image falls in the fovea ⁷ . This field of motion is under voluntary control. However, without the object, only highly trained persons can perform smooth eye movements, most people only perform saccades ⁸ . Smooth tracking is controlled by brain height (frontal lobe eye area in frontal lobe).

Glance: glance refers to the synchronous and rapid movement of the eye between two points ⁹ . In contrast to VOR reactions controlled by relatively direct pathways, glancing reactions are driven by complex and multi-synaptic pathways derived from the frontal field of view (FEF) cerebellum or upper hills ¹⁰ 。

Self-paced saccade (SPS) refers to random eye jump between two fixed targets. The front belt skin is responsible for maintaining the motivation to perform the task. FEF, prefrontal cortex (dorsal aspect) and upper mesencephalon form pathways governing self-paced glances ^11,12 . More precisely, to produce a horizontal glance initiation, a signal from the FEF is sent to the paramidline reticular structure in the brain bridge to activate the cranial nerve 6 nuclei. In addition, the signal will continue from the medial longitudinal bundle (MLF) to the midbrain to activate the cranial nerve 3 nucleus. These two craniocerebral nuclei are essentially responsible for horizontal eye movement. The vertical glance is generated by an initiation signal from the FEF, which is transmitted to the rostral mesenchyme nucleus of MLF, 3 rd and 4 th cranial nerves ^13,14 Which in turn generates and controls vertical eye movement.

Studies on patients with mild craniocerebral injury (mTBI) have revealed lesions that are level with several features of SPS, such as total number of glances and glance interval ¹⁵ . mTBI patients underwent fewer SPS with significantly increased glancing intervals, suggesting impaired prefrontal function ^16,17 . In addition to the parameters mentioned above, other parameters such as glance speed to accuracy ratio (S/A ratio) and glance gain are common metrics for assessing horizontal glance performance ^18,19 . Studies have also shown that the efficiency, amplitude, peak, acceleration and positional errors of the vertical rapid eye movement are compromised following mild craniocerebral injury ²⁰ 。

Reflexive (visual target) glances: reflexive glances are defined relative to voluntary glances. While the latter involves voluntarily controlled cognitive processes, reflex saccades occur in the appearance of a new off-center gaze point of the target ²¹ 。

Memory-based glance: memory-directed panning is defined as panning of a target location for a short impression. This includes remembering the location of the briefly visible target. Defects in basal ganglia or frontal lobes of the treatment working memory lead to memory-directed glance dysfunction ²² 。

Glance speed: the most commonly measured speed parameter is the peak glance speed. It is defined as the maximum speed of the eye during saccades. Typical peak speeds for normal human glances range from 30 to 700 degrees/second with amplitudes between 0.5 and 40 degrees ²³ . The change in peak glance speed may be a viable indicator of psychophysiological arousal (sympathetic nervous system activation), psychoactive load, or predictive follow-up gaze point value ^24,25,26 。

Time to peak speed: as previously mentioned, the glance peak velocity is defined as the maximum velocity reached during glance. The time taken from the start of a glance to reach the speed peak is called the time to reach the peak speed.

Glance accuracy, latency and amplitude: glance accuracy refers to the accuracy with which glances fix a target in the fovea center. The average eye error and the average eye change rate are two parameters for measuring the accuracy and precision of eye jump respectively ²⁷ . Studies have shown that even small glances (between 14 and 20 degrees) are sufficient to accurately focus the stimulus on the fovea ²⁸ . Studies have demonstrated changes in glance accuracy following mild traumatic brain injury ²⁹ . This suggests the potential of these parameters for diagnosis and follow-up of patients with mTBI.

Glance gain: the glance gain is calculated from glance amplitude and is a parameter for measuring glance accuracy. The parameter defines whether the sweep is a low measurement or a super measurement and is calculated by dividing the actual sweep amplitude by the desired sweep amplitude ³⁰ 。

Position error: is a parameter measuring the accuracy of saccadic movements. It is closely related to glance gain. The average absolute position error measures the difference between the desired and actual eye positions. However, the magnitude of the glance may clarify the direction by showing whether there is a low or high adjustment error. These parameters are an effective means of measuring the effect of traumatic brain injury on rapid eye movement ³¹ . "average absolute position error of final eyeball position [ pereflexive= | (EPfin-SP)/sp|×100)]A gain of the primary saccade (gp=epprim/SP) and a gain of the final eye position (gf=epfin/SP), where EPprim is the eye position of the initial saccade, EPfin is the final eye position, and SP is the stimulus position. " ³²

Glance disturbance: glance disturbance is defined as a glance interrupting gaze. They occur irregularly and are classified into different categories depending on whether they are separated into short gaze intervals. Some examples of glances with gaze intervals include square wave tremors, macroscopic fast eye movement oscillations, and macroscopic square wave tremors. At those successive sweepsNone of the gaze intervals in the eye include visual muscular tremors, voluntary eye tremors and eye tremors ³³ . While glance disturbances may be found in normal individuals, they may also be indicative of potential diseases/dysfunctions of the brain stem, cerebellum, upper hilles, basal ganglia, or cerebellum.

Vestibulo-ocular reflex and inhibition: vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) is a three-dimensional reflex controlled by the inner ear vestibular system involving cranial nerves III, IV, VI, VIII and their corresponding nuclei, and central longitudinal bundle (MLF) to maintain visual stability during head movement. VOR stabilizes gaze by moving the eyeballs in a direction opposite to head movement. Defects in the vestibular system, the associated nucleus, or the connection between them may lead to vestibulo-bulbar reflex dysfunction ³⁴ . Conversely, vestibulo-ocular suppression (VOI) demonstrates the ability of the vestibular system to suppress the vestibulo-ocular reflex by rotating the whole body and maintaining the eye steady fixation target as the head follows the moving object.

Dynamic vision clarity: maintaining visual acuity (dynamic visual acuity) during head movement is the result of interactions between the vestibule, vision movement, and the visual system ³⁵ . Typically, vision is somewhat impaired during exercise. A decrease in vision beyond normal range during movement (nystagmus) indicates an uncompensated impairment of the pathway responsible for vestibulo-nystagmus reflex ³⁶ . Recent studies have established a relationship between dynamic vision clarity parameter recovery and post-concussion syndrome improvement ³⁷ 。

Nystagmus (eye shake): nystagmus is defined as involuntary eye movement in a horizontal, vertical or rotational form. Nystagmus can be divided into two different types according to the movement speed ³⁸ . Pendular nystagmus (oscillatory eye shock) is a type that exhibits slow sinusoidal wave-like oscillations in both phases, whereas Jerk nystagmus (sudden eye shock) is characterized by slow drift and fast corrective sweep ³⁹ 。

Appropriate descriptions of defects and pathologies that cause diagnosis of eye shake are helpful for diagnosis. The first step in finding the cause of the eye shake is to determine the effect of removing the gaze point on the severity of the eye shake. For example, the severity of the eye shake is increased after removal of the gaze point, indicating that its origin is peripheral ⁴⁰ . Peripheral ocular vibration caused by peripheral vestibular pathology is often manifested as sudden ocular vibration, whose direction is opposite to the lesion side. In contrast, congenital eye-shake is generally horizontally oriented and aggravates when gazing and anxiety ⁴¹ . Furthermore, the presence of pure torsion or vertical sudden eye shock when the eye is in a near-centered position is primarily indicative of a central lesion involving vestibular pathways ⁴² 。

Structure of vision system

These measurements include: (1) the thickness and shape of the optic nerve, (2) the thickness and shape of the retinal/macular layer, and (3) the vascular structure and the active function of the blood vessels and the response to different manipulations, such as valsalva or rapid respiration, or visual stimuli, such as still and moving images. Fundus coherence tomography will be placed on a display screen and equipped with a camera capable of displaying the optic nerve, retina and its vascular microstructure.

Virtual Reality (VR)

A platform by which a computer-generated 3D rendering environment is presented to a viewer using one or more stereoscopic displays combined with a plethora of novel technologies, such as head and eye tracking sensors, software frameworks, development tools, and input devices packaged in a head-mounted setting designed to create an illusion of reality. Input devices enable a user to interact with a virtual environment ⁴³ 。

Eye tracking

Eye tracking is a method of objectively assessing eye function. Eye tracking systems and software are intended to measure different aspects of eye movement, including eye movement, position, delay, frequency, etc ⁴⁴ . Eye tracking may also measure the pattern of eye movement between gaze points, including saccade amplitude (in degrees), speed, and number of saccades ^45,46 . The position measurement calculates the cartesian coordinates of the gaze point and the delay measurement quantifies the duration of the glance and gaze (defined as stay at a certain spatial position for more than 99 ms). Furthermore, the number of glances, gazes and blinks is one of the most commonly studied frequency measures ⁴⁷ 。

A typical eye tracking arrangement includes an infrared or semi-infrared light source, a camera, and a software that processes the images and tracks eye movement primarily through pupil tracking ⁴⁸ . More complex tracking systems also include light emitters for producing light reflections from the surface of the eye. Using the position of the reflection point relative to the pupil for calculating an eye position vector and gaze point ⁴⁹ 。

Ophthalmic inspection apparatus can help diagnose and monitor rehabilitation diseases

Another disease in which an ocular examination device can help diagnose and monitor rehabilitation is mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Proper eye movement depends on the functional integrity of the brain and its neural pathways. In addition, attention, response suppression, memory, motion planning, and information processing speed play an important role in controlling eye movement. Studies have established a significant correlation between mTBI and EVS lesions ⁵⁰ . Interestingly, eye movement disorders are independent of neuropsychological symptoms of mTBI ⁵¹ . The meta-analysis of the study on the neuropsychological sequelae of mTBI shows that the neurocognitive determinants of post-concussion syndrome are fully recovered within 1-3 months after the impact. Furthermore, imaging entities have limited ability to detect abnormalities in patients with post-concussion syndrome ^52,53 。

Assessing EVS and AVS abnormalities by an eye examination device may help identify many eye and brain diseases, such as: a. ocular diseases such as macular degeneration, glaucoma, optic neuropathy, etc. (AVS abnormalities); b. neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease, alzheimer's disease, etc.; c. mental disorders such as schizophrenia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, etc. (AVS and EVS abnormalities); d. common eye diseases such as amblyopia.

Smart phone with support

The eye examination device 100 described herein may be used with many different smartphones. The following is a non-exclusive list of smartphones that may be used with the eye examination device 100. Other smartphones may also be compatible, which needs to be explicit.

Many modifications and variations of the present disclosure are possible in light of the above teachings. Accordingly, the present disclosure may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. An eye examination apparatus comprising:

a main body having a first eye and a second eye for a user to see the eye examination apparatus using both eyes;

a first camera coupled to the body and positioned to acquire an ophthalmic image through the first eye;

a second camera coupled to the body and positioned to acquire an ophthalmic image through the second eye; and

at least one display coupled to the body and positioned to be viewable through the first and second eyelets.

2. The eye examination apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a semi-transparent mirror or prism coupled to the body;

wherein:

at least one display is positioned in a position where the semi-transparent mirror or prism is visible through a line of sight or visible through reflection by the semi-transparent mirror or prism;

when the display is visible via a line of sight through the semi-transparent mirror or prism, the first and second cameras are positioned to acquire ophthalmic images via reflection of the semi-transparent mirror or prism; and

when the display is visible through reflection by the semi-transparent mirror or prism, the first camera and the second camera are positioned to acquire an ophthalmic image through a line of sight through the semi-transparent mirror or prism.

3. The eye examination apparatus of claim 2, wherein:

the at least one display includes a first display positioned to be viewable through the first eye and a second display positioned to be viewable through the second eye;

the first camera is positioned to acquire an ophthalmic image through the first eye via reflection of the semi-transparent mirror or prism, and the first display is viewable through the first eye via the semi-transparent mirror or prism through a line of sight; the second camera is positioned to acquire an ophthalmic image through the second eye via reflection of the semi-transparent mirror or prism, and the second display is viewable through the second eye via line of sight via the semi-transparent mirror or prism.

4. The eye examination apparatus of claim 2, wherein:

the first camera is positioned to acquire an ophthalmic image through the first eye via a line of sight through the semi-transparent mirror or prism, and the first display is visible through the first eye via reflection of the semi-transparent mirror or prism; and

The second camera is positioned to acquire an ophthalmic image through the second eye via a line of sight through the semi-transparent mirror or prism, and the second display is visible through the second eye via reflection of the semi-transparent mirror or prism.

5. The eye examination apparatus of any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the at least one display is orthogonal to the first camera and the second camera, and the semi-transparent mirror or prism is a semi-transparent mirror positioned at a 45 degree angle with respect to the at least one display screen and the first and second cameras so as to facilitate reflection.

6. The eye examination apparatus of any one of claims 2 to 5, further comprising:

the first light emitter and the at least one first condenser lens are configured to convert a divergent light beam emitted by the first light emitter into a focused light beam for image capture of fundus examination by the first camera; and

the second light emitter and the at least one second condenser lens are configured to convert the diverging light beam of the second light emitter into a focused light beam for fundus examination image capture by the second camera.

7. The eye examination apparatus of any one of claims 3 to 5, further comprising:

Means for interferometry, comprising a first low coherence light source, a second low coherence light source, and at least one mirror; and

wherein the first low coherence light source is positioned facing the at least one mirror through the semi-transparent mirror or prism such that low coherence light from the first low coherence light source can be separated by the semi-transparent mirror or prism into a first reference light wave that passes through the semi-transparent mirror or prism and a first sample light wave that is reflected from the semi-transparent mirror or prism; wherein the first reference light wave is reflected from the mirror, reflected from the semi-transparent mirror or prism, and received by the first camera; wherein the first sample light wave reflects from a first sample, passes through the semi-transparent mirror or prism, and is received by the first camera; and wherein the first camera is positioned to detect interference between the first reference light wave and the first sample light wave; and

wherein the second low coherence light source is positioned to face the at least one mirror through the semi-transparent mirror or prism such that low coherence light from the second low coherence light source can be split by the semi-transparent mirror or prism into a second reference light wave that passes through the semi-transparent mirror or prism and a second sample light wave that is reflected from the semi-transparent mirror or prism; wherein the second reference light wave is reflected from the mirror, reflected from the semi-transparent mirror or prism, and received by the second camera; wherein the second sample light wave reflects from a second sample, passes through the semi-transparent mirror or prism, and is received by the second camera; and wherein the second camera is positioned to detect interference between the second reference light wave and the second sample light wave.

8. The eye examination apparatus of claim 7, wherein the means for interferometry further comprises:

a first 2D MEMS (micro electro mechanical system) mirror for beam steering the first sample wave; and a first lens for converging the first sample wave into a converging beam at the first sample; and

a second 2D MEMS (micro electro mechanical system) mirror for beam steering the second sample wave; and a second lens for converging the second sample wave into a converging light beam at the second sample.

9. The eye examination apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising a refractive apparatus for refractive eye examination.

10. The eye examination apparatus of claim 9, wherein the optometry apparatus is selectively attachable to the eye examination apparatus.

11. The ocular examination device of any one of claims 1-10, wherein the first camera is part of a first sensor module and the second camera is part of a second sensor module.

12. The eye examination apparatus of claim 11, wherein:

the first sensor module includes a first laser emitter positioned to emit laser light through the first eye; and

The second sensor module includes a second laser emitter positioned to emit laser light through the second eye.

13. The eye examination apparatus of claim 11 or claim 12, wherein:

the first sensor module includes a first infrared projector positioned to project infrared light through the first eye and a first infrared sensor positioned to receive infrared light from the first eye; and

the second sensor module includes a second infrared projector positioned to project infrared light through the second eye and a second infrared sensor positioned to receive infrared light from the second eye.

14. The eye examination apparatus of any one of claims 11-13, further comprising:

and a processing unit for controlling the first sensor module, the second sensor module and the at least one display.

15. The eye examination apparatus of claim 14, further comprising:

at least one external sensor configured to sense an environment external to the eye examination device;

Wherein the processing unit controls the at least one display based on the at least one external sensor.

16. The eye examination apparatus of claim 15, wherein the at least one external sensor comprises a pair of external cameras configured to capture an environment external to the eye examination apparatus, and the processing unit generates an image for the at least one display using the pair of external cameras.

17. The eye examination apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 16, comprising:

an adjustable lens for use in a first eye and a second eye.

18. The eye examination apparatus of any one of claims 1-17, further comprising at least one shield.

19. The eye examination apparatus of claim 18, wherein the at least one shutter comprises a pair of shutters, each shutter having a plurality of pinholes configured to eliminate a disordered array of refracted light causing vision blur in non-neuropathic eye conditions.

20. The eye examination apparatus of any one of claims 1-19, wherein the first eyelet and the second eyelet are separate holes.

21. The eye examination apparatus in any one of claims 1-20, further comprising a headband for securing the eye examination apparatus to the user.

22. The eye examination apparatus in any one of claims 1-20, further comprising a helmet for securing the eye examination apparatus to the user.

23. An eye examination apparatus comprising:

a mask comprising a transparent display such that an image displayed on the transparent display is overlaid on a view of an environment viewable through the mask;

a first camera assembly configured to acquire an ophthalmic image of a first eye of a user;

a second camera assembly configured to acquire an ophthalmic image of a second eye of the user; and

and a processing unit for controlling the transparent display, the first camera assembly and the second camera assembly.

24. The eye examination apparatus of claim 23, wherein each camera assembly has a camera and a mirror or prism positioned such that the camera can acquire ophthalmic images via reflection of the mirror or prism.

25. The eye examination apparatus of claim 24, wherein each camera assembly is retractable.

26. The eye examination apparatus of any one of claims 23-25, further comprising:

motion and/or position sensors;

wherein the processing unit controls the transparent display based on the motion and/or position sensor.

27. The eye examination apparatus in accordance with any one of claims 23-26, further comprising a refractive apparatus for refractive eye examination, wherein the refractive apparatus is selectively attachable to the eye examination apparatus.

28. The eye examination apparatus of any one of claims 23-27, further comprising at least one shield.

29. The eye examination apparatus of claim 27, wherein the at least one shutter comprises a pair of shutters, each shutter having a plurality of pinholes configured to eliminate a disordered refracted light array that causes vision blur in non-neuropathic eye conditions.

30. An eye examination device configured to be worn by a user, comprising:

a display configured to display an image overlaid on a view of the environment;

at least one semi-transparent mirror or prism;

a first camera configured to acquire an ophthalmic image of a first eye of the user via reflection of the at least one semi-transparent mirror or prism;

A second camera configured to acquire an ophthalmic image of a second eye of the user via reflection of the at least one semi-transparent mirror or prism; and

and the processing unit is used for controlling the display, the first camera and the second camera.