JP2013169233A - Ophthalmologic inspection apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To achieve an ophthalmologic inspection apparatus enabling wide-range imaging while reducing the burden required to a subject as much as possible by reducing a time required for imaging.SOLUTION: This apparatus has: an inspection optical system including an illumination optical system for illuminating the anterior part of an eye 2 to be inspected from the diagonally forward right and an imaging optical system for receiving the reflection light; an optical system moving mechanism 95 for allowing the inspection optical system to rotationally move on the basis of designated inspection conditions; and a position designating section 109 for accepting designation of the position of the part to be inspected of the eye 2. If the inspection conditions show panoramic imaging including the part to be inspected, the imaging optical system first performs first imaging in a state where the inspection optical system is moved to a first imaging position by the optical system moving mechanism 95 on the basis of designated positional information of the part to be inspected, and then, subsequently performs second imaging in a state where the inspection optical system is rotationally moved by a predetermined angle for panoramic imaging from the previous imaging position. Thus, a region including the part to be inspected is imaged.

Description

  The present invention relates to an ophthalmic examination apparatus. More specifically, the present invention relates to an ophthalmic examination apparatus used for anterior eye examination.

  As an example of an ophthalmic examination apparatus, conventionally, an apparatus for observing and photographing corneal cells has been developed. This apparatus employs a photographing method generally called a specular method. More specifically, the subject is irradiated with slit light obliquely from the front of the cornea, and the reflected light from the cornea is received from an oblique direction symmetric with respect to the optical axis in the front direction. Is separated and discriminated, and an endothelium cell photograph is obtained from the corneal endothelium reflected light.

  According to such a specular imaging principle, it is required that the corneal epithelial reflected light and the corneal endothelium reflected light are separable, that is, the reflected light is separated with a certain distance. The width of each reflected light depends on the width of the slit. Therefore, in order to separate both reflected lights, it is necessary to narrow the slit width, which means that the range of corneal cells irradiated with light is narrowed. In other words, in the specular method, there is a limit to the range of the area that can be photographed by one photographing action.

  In response to such problems, imaging apparatuses capable of observing and imaging corneal endothelial cells in a wide range have been developed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP-A-6-205743

  The imaging device disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a plurality of fixation lamps that are targets for which the subject is directed to the line of sight. According to this document 1, the process of taking a new image in a state where the direction of the subject's line of sight is changed by changing the fixation lamp that is turned on after the completion of one image is repeated. A plurality of images obtained in this way are combined to create a panoramic image. Thereby, the imaging range can be expanded.

  However, according to this method, it takes a very long time to complete a series of photographing processes, and in addition, there is a possibility that the subject may suffer a great deal of pain. This reason will be described below.

  The procedure for photographing with the above apparatus is as follows. First, the imaging process is performed after the apparatus is aligned in a state where the subject is fixed with one fixation lamp. Next, another fixation lamp is turned on, the subject's line of sight is directed toward the other fixation lamp, and after the apparatus is aligned, a photographing process is performed again. Such a process is repeated a plurality of times. That is, since it is necessary to repeat a series of steps of determining the viewing direction of the subject, alignment, and imaging a plurality of times, it takes a lot of time to complete the series of imaging processes.

  In addition, each time shooting is performed at each location, the subject must continue to look at the fixed fixation lamp, which is very labor intensive. The subject continues to look at one fixation lamp A until one image is completed, continues to look at another fixation light B until the next image is completed, and then another image until the next image is completed. You must keep watching the light C. The operation of continuing to look at the fixation lamp is not a daily operation for the subject, but it is desirable to finish the operation in as short a time as possible. From this point of view, in the imaging method of the apparatus in which the above operation is repeatedly required, the labor given to the subject before the series of imaging is completed becomes large.

  Further, Patent Document 1 also discloses a method of performing imaging a plurality of times while changing the slit position as a method of expanding the imaging range. However, it is practically difficult to widen the shooting range by this method. The reason will be described below.

  As described above, the specular method (specular reflection method) used for corneal endothelium imaging is a method in which slit light having a narrow angle is irradiated toward the cornea and the specular reflection light is set on the corneal endothelium surface at the imaging position. The image is taken from an oblique direction symmetrical to the line. However, the cornea has a substantially spherical shape, and if the position changes even a little, the specular reflected light does not enter the photographing lens correctly. In this case, the image becomes dark and aberrations occur. Further, since the photographing lens observes the corneal endothelium surface from an oblique direction, the focusing range becomes narrow. It should be noted that the focus is shifted as it goes out of focus.

  Furthermore, it is necessary to distinguish the reflected light from the front and back of the thin cornea (about 0.5 mm) and separate the necessary endothelial reflected light from the epithelial reflection about 100 times brighter. The fog caused by epithelial reflected light increases as the focal point is deviated.

  In other words, there is a limit on the photographing principle that a good image can be photographed only in a very narrow range near the photographing point where precise alignment and focusing are performed.

  The first embodiment of Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration in which a slit plate having three elongated rectangular slits is provided. In this embodiment, by moving the slit plate, the slit position in the plane orthogonal to the optical axis is changed, thereby changing the photographing position. In this embodiment, an optical member for correcting the optical path length according to the change of the photographing slit is provided.

  However, according to this method, a good image can be obtained only at the center of the position where the alignment has been performed, and it is difficult to obtain a good image when photographing on both sides. Further, since it is necessary to perform operations such as slit switching and optical path length correction at the time of photographing, the structure becomes complicated and adjustment for performing good photographing is extremely difficult.

  In the second embodiment of Patent Document 1, a configuration in which a slit plate different from the first embodiment is provided is disclosed. According to the same document, there is a description that this configuration makes it possible to photograph three different positions at a time.

  However, this embodiment also has the same problem as the first embodiment. In addition to this, according to the embodiment, since it is necessary to use different wavelengths so that light from the three photographing positions does not interfere with each other, the structure is further complicated. In addition, since there is a difference in the wavelength of light used, a difference also occurs in the endothelium image, and it becomes extremely difficult to obtain a good image due to aberration.

  An object of the present invention is to realize an ophthalmic examination apparatus that enables photographing in a wide range while shortening the time required for photographing and reducing labor required for a subject as much as possible.

The present invention made to achieve the above object is an ophthalmic examination apparatus for examining the subject's eye.
An inspection optical system including: an illumination optical system that illuminates the anterior eye portion of the eye to be examined from an oblique front with illumination light; and an imaging optical system that receives the reflected light reflected by the anterior eye portion of the eye to be examined; ,
An optical system moving mechanism for rotating the inspection optical system based on specified inspection conditions;
A position specifying unit that receives specification of the position of the test site of the test eye,
When the inspection condition is panoramic imaging including the test region, the imaging optical system first uses the inspection optical by the optical system moving mechanism based on the position information of the test site specified by the position specifying unit. After performing the first photographing in a state where the system is moved to the first photographing position, the optical system moving mechanism rotates the inspection optical system from the previous photographing position by a predetermined panoramic photographing rotation angle. The second imaging is continuously performed at the imaging position, thereby imaging the area including the region to be examined.

  According to the above configuration, after the inspection optical system captures an image at the first image capturing position (first image capturing), the image is captured at the second image capturing position (second image capturing) after being rotated by a predetermined panoramic image capturing rotation angle. . And by these imaging | photography, the imaging | photography of the area | region containing a test site | part is performed. That is, since the inspection optical system automatically rotates and moves by an angle specified in advance, it is not necessary for the subject to change the viewing direction as in the conventional case. For this reason, the burden on the subject is greatly reduced.

  In addition, because it is a method of photographing the peripheral region of the region to be examined by rotating the examination optical system with an optical system moving mechanism, compared with the conventional method that changes the viewing direction of the subject by changing the fixation light that is turned on A wide area including the region to be examined can be set as the imaging range.

  When the optical system moving mechanism rotates the inspection optical system, since it is a mechanical rotational movement, a fine rotation angle such as 2 ° can be specified. On the other hand, in the case of the conventional method of changing the visual direction of the subject by changing the fixation light to be lit, it is extremely difficult to change the visual direction in such a fine angle unit of 2 °. This is because in order to change the lighting fixation lamp in order to shift the viewing direction by 2 °, the fixation lamp in the immediate vicinity of the fixation lamp that was lit immediately before is turned on. At this time, the subject may not notice that the fixation light that has been turned on has changed, and in this case, the subject may still not change the viewing direction.

  Furthermore, according to this configuration, since it is not necessary for the subject to change the direction of the line of sight, a series of imaging processes can be performed continuously. For example, when the panoramic shooting rotation angle is 2 ° as in the above example, the time required for the optical system moving mechanism to rotate the inspection optical system by 2 ° is very short. In other words, from the viewpoint of the subject, a plurality of imaging operations are completed while facing the present apparatus in order to perform imaging of the test site once. This is greatly different from the conventional method in which the viewing direction is changed for each shooting and the subject is made aware that shooting is performed a plurality of times.

  As described above, in the conventional method, when one shooting is completed, the user is told to change the viewing direction, and then the shooting is performed again. This series of instructions and operations is repeated. During this time, the subject does not know when the series of imaging processes will be completed, and may become anxious. However, according to this configuration, the operator is not instructed to change the viewing direction in order to change the shooting position, and a series of shooting processes are continuously performed in a short time. The feeling can be greatly reduced.

  In the above configuration, either the first imaging position or the second imaging position may be set as the imaging position of the region to be examined. In other words, after the first imaging is performed at the imaging position of the region to be examined, the second optical imaging may be performed by rotating the inspection optical system by the panoramic imaging rotation angle. On the contrary, after the first imaging is performed at the imaging position in the vicinity of the test site, the test optical system is set to the imaging position of the test site by rotating the inspection optical system by the panoramic imaging rotation angle. May be performed. In either case, it is possible to capture a wide area (panoramic imaging) including the region to be examined.

  Here, the photographing optical system may be configured to repeatedly execute the second photographing a plurality of times.

  That is, after the first photographing is completed, a series of operations in which the optical system moving mechanism rotates the inspection optical system by a predetermined panoramic photographing rotation angle from the immediately preceding photographing position and the photographing optical system performs photographing. Repeated multiple times. Thereby, the imaging | photography possible area | region including a to-be-tested site | part can be expanded.

  Here, the second imaging that is repeatedly executed does not necessarily have to be performed in a state in which the second imaging is rotated in the same direction by the same angle from the immediately preceding imaging position. For example, the following imaging modes are possible. That is, the first second imaging is performed in a state in which the first imaging is rotated in the X direction after the first imaging. Next, the second second imaging is performed in a state where the second imaging is rotated in the X direction from the immediately preceding position. Next, the second second imaging is performed at a position rotated in the Y direction from the first imaging position by being rotationally moved in the X and Y directions from the immediately preceding position. Next, the fourth second imaging is performed in a state in which the second imaging is rotated in the Y direction from the immediately preceding position. When such imaging is performed, it is possible to image an area having a spread in the X direction and the Y direction with the test site as the center. In this case, the panorama shooting rotation angle (θx) when rotating in the X direction and the panorama shooting rotation angle (θy) when rotating in the Y direction may be set at different angles. Absent.

  When such panoramic shooting is performed, information regarding the angle to be rotated in each second shooting is given as a rotation angle for panoramic shooting.

  As described above, when the second imaging is performed a plurality of times, the first imaging position or any one of the second imaging positions may be set as the imaging position of the examination site.

  Note that when the optical system moving mechanism moves the inspection optical system to the first imaging position, the crossing angle between the illumination optical axis of the illumination optical system and the imaging optical axis of the imaging optical system is bisected. The inspection optical system may be rotated so that the optical reference axis that is the axis coincides with the normal direction of the imaging target part of the first imaging.

More specifically, the ophthalmic examination apparatus according to the present invention is
Based on the anterior ocular segment observation optical system for observing the anterior ocular segment of the eye to be inspected, which is included in the inspection optical system, and the position information of the test site specified by the position specifying unit, A rotation angle calculation unit that calculates a rotation angle to be moved to the first photographing position and outputs information on the rotation angle to the optical system moving mechanism;
The rotation angle calculation unit is satisfied when the observation optical axis of the anterior ocular segment observation optical system that coincides with the optical reference axis coincides with the normal direction of the imaging target region of the first imaging in the first imaging. The angle between the visual axis of the eye to be examined and the optical axis of the anterior ocular segment observation optical system is calculated as a rotation angle.

  In such a configuration, the rotation angle calculation unit moves the optical system information regarding the rotation angle for panoramic shooting that is predetermined according to the panoramic shooting mode specified as the inspection condition in the second shooting. It is good also as a structure output to a mechanism.

  Here, the panoramic imaging mode may be, for example, one of an imaging mode that extends only in the X direction, an imaging mode that extends only in the Y direction, or an imaging mode that extends in the X and Y directions. .

In addition to the above features, the ophthalmic examination apparatus according to the present invention includes:
The eye to be examined observed based on information obtained from an anterior ocular segment image of the eye to be examined observed by the anterior ocular segment observing optical system in a state where the inspection optical system is present at the first imaging position And an observation relative angle calculator that calculates an observation relative angle that is an angle between the eye axis of the anterior eye and the optical axis of the anterior ocular segment observation optical system under the inspection conditions.

  According to the above configuration, the observation relative angle, which is the angle formed by the eye axis of the eye to be examined and the optical axis of the anterior ocular segment observation optical system at the time of observation in a state where the inspection optical system is present at the first imaging position, is set. It can be calculated by the observation relative angle calculation unit. For this reason, it becomes possible to compare the observation relative angle with the angle that should be originally formed between the eye axis and the optical axis in a state where the inspection optical system exists at the first imaging position, and based on the comparison result. Thus, it becomes possible for the apparatus to determine whether or not the subject has correctly fixed the viewing direction during observation.

  At this time, the observation relative angle calculation unit may calculate the observation relative angle based on a relative position of a Purkinje image displayed on the anterior eye image.

  More specifically, as an example, the observation relative angle calculation unit reads the center position of the pupil from the anterior eye image, and the observation relative angle is based on the relative position relationship between the center position of the pupil and the Purkinje image. It can be configured to calculate the corner.

In addition to the above features, the ophthalmic examination apparatus according to the present invention includes:
A visual direction change detection unit that detects the presence or absence of a change in the visual direction of the eye to be inspected until the inspection optical system is moved from a predetermined reference position to the first imaging position;
The observation relative angle calculation unit calculates the observation relative angle at the reference position as a reference observation relative angle, and moves the observation relative angle when the inspection optical system exists at the first imaging position. Calculated as the post observation relative angle,
The visual direction change detection unit observes the eye axis of the eye to be examined and the anterior segment based on the reference observation relative angle and the rotation angle in a state where the inspection optical system exists at the first imaging position. The theoretical angle formed by the optical axis of the optical system is calculated as a theoretical relative angle, and the presence / absence of a change in the viewing direction of the eye to be examined is detected based on a comparison result between the observed relative angle after movement and the theoretical relative angle. This is another feature.

  According to the above configuration, the observation relative angle calculation unit obtains the observation relative angle at the reference position, that is, the angle formed by the eye axis at the reference position and the optical axis of the anterior ocular segment observation optical system as the reference observation relative angle. Therefore, based on the rotation angle calculated by the rotation angle calculation unit and the reference observation relative angle, the eye to be examined that should be satisfied at the time of the first imaging when performing panoramic imaging of the region including the designated region to be examined. It is possible to theoretically calculate the angle (theoretical relative angle) between the eye axis of the eye and the optical axis of the anterior ocular segment observation optical system. The observation relative angle calculation unit is configured to calculate the observation relative angle (post-movement observation relative angle) even after movement. Therefore, by comparing the observation relative angle after the movement with the theoretical relative angle, the direction of the visual axis of the eye to be inspected (until the inspection optical system completes the movement from the reference position to the first imaging position ( It is possible to detect whether the viewing direction has changed.

  Here, the observation relative angle calculation unit calculates the reference observation relative angle in a state in which the optical axis of the anterior ocular segment observation optical system is in the same direction as the visual axis of the eye to be examined at the reference position. can do.

  Particularly in this case, the observation relative angle calculation unit can calculate the deviation angle between the eye axis and the visual axis of the eye to be examined as the reference observation relative angle.

  An anterior ocular segment observation optical system is placed in front of the eye to be examined, and the optical system is designated to be viewed straight, i.e., the direction of the visual axis of the eye to be examined is matched with the direction of the optical axis of the anterior ocular segment observation optical system. Even if it is a case, it is derived from the deviation between the existing visual axis and the eye axis, the occurrence of convergence (binocular vision state), the presence of strabismus, or the fact that the pupil is not a strict circle. It is assumed that the axis is not parallel to the optical axis of the optical system and has a certain angle. This angle appears as a different aspect for each eye to be examined. For this reason, according to the said structure, the presence or absence of the change of the visual direction of a to-be-tested eye can be determined in consideration of the characteristic for every to-be-tested eye.

  Further, the observation relative angle calculation unit calculates the observation relative angle under a state in which the inspection optical system is rotated by the panoramic imaging rotation angle from the immediately preceding imaging position as an observation relative angle after panoramic movement, A visual direction change detection unit, based on the reference observation relative angle, the rotation angle, and the panoramic imaging rotation angle; The theoretical angle formed by the optical axis of the anterior ocular segment observation optical system is calculated as the panoramic theoretical relative angle, and the visual angle of the eye to be examined is based on the comparison result of the panoramic observation relative angle and the panoramic theoretical relative angle. It is also suitable to detect the presence or absence of a change in direction.

  With this configuration, in the second imaging, the direction (visual direction) of the visual axis of the eye to be inspected until the inspection optical system completes the rotational movement of the panoramic imaging rotation angle from the immediately preceding imaging position. It is possible to detect whether or not there has been a change.

In addition to the above features, the ophthalmic examination apparatus according to the present invention includes:
A correction condition setting unit that calculates a correction displacement angle of the inspection optical system and gives it to the optical system moving mechanism,
The visual direction change detection unit gives a correction instruction to the correction condition setting unit when the post-movement observation relative angle is more than a predetermined value from the theoretical relative angle,
Another feature is that the correction condition setting unit calculates the correction displacement angle necessary to make the post-movement observation relative angle equal to the theoretical relative angle.

  If there is a change in the viewing direction of the subject's eye during the movement of the inspection optical system, the image of the subject's eye displayed by the inspection optical system moved from the reference position to the first imaging position is the original inspection position. It will be in a different position. However, according to the above configuration, when a change in the viewing direction is detected, the correction displacement angle for automatically canceling the change is calculated by the correction condition setting unit. By rotating the system, it is possible to automatically correct so that the imaging target region of the first imaging is correctly set as the imaging target. Thereby, the imaging | photography precision at the time of performing panoramic imaging including a to-be-tested site | part can further be improved.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to expand the imageable region without having the subject change the viewing direction. At the same time, the time required for shooting is shortened.

1 is a schematic side view of an embodiment of an ophthalmic examination apparatus according to the present invention. It is a typical front view of one embodiment of the ophthalmic examination device. It is a side view which shows typically the θy rotation movement of the main-body part of the said ophthalmic examination apparatus. It is a top view which shows typically the θx rotation movement of the said main-body part. It is an optical path diagram for demonstrating the optical system incorporated in the said main-body part. It is the typical front view and sectional drawing of a to-be-examined eye. It is a block diagram which shows notionally the structure of the control system of the said main-body part. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the process at the time of test | inspecting a to-be-tested site | part using the said ophthalmic test | inspection apparatus. It is a conceptual diagram for demonstrating the change of the Purkinje image by the rotational movement of a main-body part. It is a schematic diagram of the panoramic image image | photographed with the said ophthalmic examination apparatus. It is a conceptual block diagram which shows the structure of the control system of the main-body part with which the ophthalmic examination apparatus of 2nd Embodiment is provided. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of a process at the time of test | inspecting a test site | part using the ophthalmic test | inspection apparatus of 2nd Embodiment. It is a conceptual diagram for demonstrating the observation relative angle at the time of completion | finish of reference | standard alignment. It is an optical path diagram for demonstrating another embodiment of the optical system incorporated in the said main-body part.

  An embodiment of an ophthalmic examination apparatus according to the present invention (hereinafter referred to as “this apparatus” as appropriate) will be described with reference to the drawings. The following drawings are schematically shown.

[First Embodiment]
A first embodiment of the apparatus will be described.

[Appearance configuration]
1 and 2 are schematic views showing the appearance of an embodiment of the present apparatus. FIG. 1 is a view when viewed from the side, and FIG. 2 is a view when viewed from the front.

  The apparatus 1 includes a main body unit 5 mounted on an XYZ frame (also referred to as a triaxial frame) 3, and an optical system member for observation and photographing is accommodated in the main body unit 5. In the present embodiment, description will be made assuming that the apparatus 1 is an apparatus for photographing corneal endothelial cells.

  The main body 5 is mounted on the XYZ frame 3 while being supported by the support frame 7. The XYZ frame 3 has a base 11, and an X table 13 that can slide in the X-axis direction is formed on the base 11. A Z table 15 slidable in the Z-axis direction is formed on the X table 13, and a Y table 17 slidable in the Y-axis direction is further formed on the Z table 15. The arrangement method of each table is not limited to the form shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 1, in this embodiment, the left and right direction as viewed from the subject is defined as “X axis direction”, the vertical direction (vertical direction) as “Y axis direction”, and the front and rear direction as “Z axis direction”. To do. In other words, the X table 13 can slide in the left-right direction, the Z table 15 can slide in the front-rear direction, and the Y table 17 can move up and down in the vertical direction. As the moving mechanism in each axial direction, a known mechanism such as a feed screw method can be adopted.

  Regarding the Z-axis direction, the subject side as viewed from the apparatus 1 is described as “front”, and the opposite side as “rear”.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the present apparatus 1 is used in a state where the subject 10 fixes the face of the subject 10 by placing the forehead on the forehead support 33 and placing the chin on the chin rest 35. Is done. An optical system (examination optical system) described later is provided in the main body 5, and emitted light from a light emitting element included in this optical system is irradiated to the eye 2 to be examined through the illumination lens 43. Then, this light is reflected by the anterior eye part of the eye 2 to be examined, and the reflected light is taken into the optical system in the main body part 5 through the photographing lens 41, and processing described later is performed. In FIG. 1, the optical axis of the photographing optical system including the photographing lens 41 is denoted by reference numeral 51, and the optical axis of the illumination optical system including the illumination lens 43 is denoted by reference numeral 53.

  Further, although not shown in FIG. 1, an anterior ocular segment imaging lens for imaging the anterior ocular segment 2 is provided in the main body 5, and radiated light is transmitted to the eye 2 through this lens. Irradiated. The anterior segment imaging lens will be described later with reference to FIG.

  In the present embodiment, the support frame 7 has a U-shaped frame structure, and supports the main body 5 so as to be rotatable around the X axis. More specifically, the device 1 is capable of revolving around the reference point 31 set in front of the support frame 7 (the subject 10 side). The reference point 31 is set on an optical reference axis of an inspection optical system, which will be described later, and the Z axis is also set so as to pass through the reference point 31.

  An arcuate guide groove 9 centering on the reference point 31 is formed on the side surface of the support frame 7. Further, a plurality of guide members 19 projecting outward from the main body 5 are provided, and the guide members 19 can move while contacting the edge of the guide groove 9. The main body 5 is formed with an arc-shaped rack 21 centered on the reference point 31. The support frame 7 is provided with a Y rotation drive unit 23, and a pinion gear 25 that is rotationally driven by the Y rotation drive unit 23 is engaged with the rack 21. By rotating and driving the pinion gear 25 under the control of the Y rotation driving unit 23, the main body 5 can be rotated around the X axis passing through the reference point 31 in the left-right direction. Thereby, the main-body part 5 can be shaken to a Y-axis direction (vertical direction) ((theta) y rotational movement).

  FIG. 3 is a side view schematically showing rotational movement (θy rotational movement) in the Y-axis direction around the X-axis in the main body 5. In order to distinguish the position of the main-body part 5, the different code | symbol is attached | subjected according to the position (5a, 5b, 5c). A main body 5a indicated by a thick solid line represents a state where the main body 5a is located at the same height as the eye 2 to be examined. In addition, the main body 5b indicated by a thin two-dot chain line represents a state in which the main body 5b has moved to a position higher than the main body 5a. Similarly, the main body 5c indicated by a thin two-dot chain line is higher than the main body 5a. Represents a state of moving to a lower position.

  Returning to FIG. 1 again, the support frame 7 is further configured to be rotatable around the Y axis passing through the reference point 31. Specifically, an X rotation driving unit 27 is provided on the extension plate unit 18 connected to the Y table 17 and extending forward. The front portion of the support frame 7 is connected to the rotation shaft portion 28 of the X rotation drive unit 27. When the main body 5 moves and is in a shooting state, the rotary shaft 28 is shared with the Y axis that passes through the reference point 31. With this configuration, the main body 5 can be rotated around the Y axis passing through the reference point 31 in the vertical (vertical) direction. More specifically, the main body 5 can be swung to the left and right (X-axis direction) on the horizontal plane with the Z axis toward the reference point 31 as the center (θx rotational movement).

  FIG. 4 is a plan view schematically showing rotational movement (θx rotational movement) in the X-axis direction around the Y-axis in the main body 5. Similarly to FIG. 3, in order to distinguish the position of the main body 5, different symbols are attached according to the position (5d, 5e, 5f). In FIG. 4, in order to clarify the positional relationship, the base 11, the X table 13, and the Z table 15 having regions hidden by the subject 10 and the main body 5 when viewed from above are also intentional. It is shown in the figure.

  In FIG. 4, a main body 5d indicated by a thick solid line represents a state where the direction toward the eye 2 and the Z axis coincide. In addition, the main body 5e indicated by a thin two-dot chain line represents a state where the main body 5e is swung to the left as viewed from the subject 10 with respect to the main body 5d. The part 5f represents a state in which the body part 5f is swung to the right when viewed from the subject 10 with reference to the main body part 5d.

  As described above, the rotational drive of the main body 5 in the Y-axis direction around the X-axis is automatically performed by the Y-rotation drive unit 23, and the rotational drive in the X-axis direction around the Y-axis is performed as the X-rotation drive. This is automatically performed by the unit 27.

[Configuration of optical system]
Next, the optical system (inspection optical system) built in the main body 5 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 is an optical path diagram of an optical system built in the main body 5. Note that the configuration in FIG. 5 is merely an embodiment, and is not limited to this configuration. For example, as will be described later, each optical system in the main body 5 is provided with mirrors 69, 71, and 72. These mirrors are arranged to make the configuration of the main body 5 as compact as possible. The provision of these mirrors is not necessarily an essential requirement.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the apparatus 1 of the present embodiment includes a photographing optical system 52, an illumination optical system 54, an anterior ocular segment observation optical system 56, and an alignment index projection optical system 58 in the main body 5.

  According to FIG. 5, the optical axis 53 of the illumination optical system (hereinafter abbreviated as “illumination optical axis 53”) and the optical axis 51 of the imaging optical system (hereinafter abbreviated as “imaging optical axis 51”) intersect. This intersection point corresponds to the focal point 40 of the photographing optical system 52. The “focus” will be described later. Further, each optical system is arranged such that the optical axis 55 (hereinafter abbreviated as “observation optical axis 55”) of the anterior ocular segment observation optical system is a position that bisects the angle formed by the illumination optical axis 53 and the photographing optical axis 51. The observation optical axis 55 corresponds to the optical reference axis 50 of the optical system in the main body 5.

  The photographing optical system 52 is an optical system that receives light reflected from the corneal surface 4 of the anterior segment 2 of the light emitted from the illumination optical system 54. More specifically, when the intersection of the illumination optical axis 53 and the imaging optical axis 51, that is, the focal point 40 coincides with the cornea surface 4 of the eye 2 to be examined, the light reflected by the cornea surface 4 is the imaging optical system 52. The light is received by the imaging device 62 through the optical path. Therefore, in the present apparatus 1, the focal point 40 is made to coincide with the test site of the eye 2 to be detected by moving the XYZ mount 3 in the Z direction so that the imaging device 62 receives the reflected light from the cornea surface 4. This operation is called “focus”.

  The focal point 40 and the reference point 31 are both set to be located on the optical reference axis 50, and the reference point 31 is located ahead of the focal point 40 in the Z-axis direction. The distance between the reference point 31 and the focal point 40 corresponds to a general corneal curvature radius R (see FIG. 6B). FIG. 6 is a diagram schematically showing the eye to be examined, where (a) corresponds to a front view and (b) corresponds to a cross-sectional view (cross section taken along line A1-A2).

  When the focal point 40 is aligned with the cornea surface 4 of the eye 2 to be examined, that is, when “focusing” is performed, the reference point 31 in the present apparatus 1 matches the position of the center of curvature 20 of the cornea of the eye 2 to be examined. (See FIG. 6B). Therefore, when the main body 5 (that is, the optical system) is rotated about the reference point 31 around the X axis or the Y axis with the reference point 31 aligned with the center of curvature 20, the in-focus point is obtained. 40 moves in an arc along the cornea surface 4 of the eye 2 to be examined.

  Returning to FIG. 5 again, the anterior ocular segment observation optical system 56 is an optical system having an imaging device 61 (here, a television camera) for observing the anterior ocular segment of the eye 2 to be examined. The anterior ocular segment observation optical system 56 detects the corneal apex position of the anterior ocular segment when the imaging device 61 receives a bright spot (Purkinje image) that is a reflection image of the alignment index light on the cornea surface 4 of the eye 2 to be examined. It is configured to be able to.

  The alignment index projection optical system 58 is an optical system that irradiates the eye 2 with alignment index light along the observation optical axis 55 of the anterior ocular segment observation optical system 56. Here, the alignment index light refers to light used for aligning the observation optical axis 55 (which is also the optical reference axis 50) with the corneal apex of the eye 2 to be examined.

  Details of the configuration of each optical system will be described below.

  The illumination optical system 54 has a high-intensity LED element 63 as a light source for corneal illumination, and light emitted from the high-intensity LED element 63 passes through the condenser lens 65 and irradiates the slit 67 from behind. The slit light is reflected by the mirror 69 and then imaged on the cornea surface 4 of the eye 2 to be examined by the illumination lens 43.

  The imaging optical system 52 in the present embodiment includes an imaging device 62 (here, a television camera) for imaging corneal endothelial cells. As shown in FIG. 5, in this embodiment, the imaging device 62 that receives an image obtained by the photographing optical system 52 is separate from the imaging device 61 that receives an image obtained by the anterior ocular segment observation optical system 56. An imaging device.

  The slit light from the illumination optical system 54 reflected on the cornea surface 4 of the eye 2 to be examined is transmitted through the photographing lens 41 and reflected by the mirror 71, and then imaged at the position of the slit 73. Then, the imaged light passes through the relay lens 75, is reflected by the mirror 72, and is received by the imaging device 62.

  The alignment index projection optical system 58 includes an LED 81 as a light source for alignment index light. Near-infrared light from the LED 81 is changed in direction by a mirror 87, converted into parallel light by a condenser lens 89, and irradiated to the anterior eye portion of the eye 2 to be examined from the front by a half mirror 91. A Purkinje image, which is a reflection image of the alignment index light on the cornea surface 4 of the eye 2 to be examined, is transmitted to the imaging device 61 through the half mirror 91, the visible light cut filter 92, and the anterior eye photographing lens 93.

  This imaging device 61 is provided for the eye 2 to be inspected illuminated by illumination from an anterior-segment illumination infrared LED 82 that is fixedly arranged at the front (on the subject 10 side) of the imaging optical system 52 and the illumination optical system 54. An anterior segment image is also taken. An image photographed by the imaging device 61 is subjected to a predetermined display process, and then sent to the monitor 110 (see FIG. 7, which will be described later). On the monitor 110, the anterior ocular segment image captured by the anterior ocular segment observation optical system 56 is displayed together with the Purkinje image that is a reflection image of the radiated light from the LED 81. The XYZ mount 3 is moved in the XY directions so that the Purkinje image reaches a predetermined position (a position corresponding to the optical reference axis 50) on the display screen of the imaging device 61, whereby the optical reference axis 50 is moved to the cornea. Match the vertices. This operation is called “alignment operation”. This alignment operation may be automatically performed on the imaging device 61 so that the Purkinje image appears at the center position.

  The fixation target projection optical system 59 is a reference fixation lamp 83 that emits index light for fixing the subject 10 to the subject eye 2, and alignment index projection of the index light from the reference fixation lamp 83. A cold mirror 85 (visible light reflecting / infrared light transmitting mirror) is provided to follow the optical path of the optical system 58. The index light reflected by the cold mirror 85 is changed in optical path by the mirror 87, converted into parallel light by the condenser lens 89, and projected onto the eye 2 to be examined. Therefore, the subject 10 who is fixing the reference fixation lamp 83 will see from a distance. The reference fixation lamp 83 is used for causing the apparatus 1 to recognize the state of the subject's eye 2 at a “reference position” described later.

  As described above, the main body unit 5 including the photographing optical system 52, the illumination optical system 54, the anterior ocular segment observation optical system 56, the alignment index projection optical system 58, and the fixation target projection optical system 59 is in the XYZ axial directions. It is possible to move straight. Further, the main body 5 is capable of rotational movement in the Y-axis direction around the X axis (θy rotation) around the reference point 31 and rotational movement in the X-axis direction around the Y axis (θx rotation). In other words, the optical reference axis 50 can be linearly moved in the up / down / left / right front / rear direction (XYZ direction), and can be tilted in the up / down direction and the left / right direction around the reference point 31. By combining these operations, the optical reference axis 50 can be made to coincide with the normal line at an arbitrary point on the cornea surface 4 of the eye 2 to be examined. This means that imaging of corneal endothelial cells at an arbitrary site becomes possible.

  In the initial stage, the main body 5 may be set so that the optical reference axis 50 is in a horizontal state.

  As shown in FIG. 5, in the present embodiment, the photographing optical axis 51 and the illumination optical axis 53 are arranged in the same vertical plane. At this time, the photographing optical system 52 and the illumination optical system 54 are arranged vertically (in the vertical direction), and the optical reference axis 50 is located in the same vertical plane as the optical axes 51 and 53. The photographing optical system 52 is disposed above the illumination optical system 54, and both the optical axes 51 and 53 are disposed substantially at the center in the width direction (X-axis direction) of the main body 5. In addition, the anterior ocular segment observation optical system 56 and the alignment index projection optical system 58 are also arranged in substantially the same vertical plane as the optical axes 51 and 53.

  By arranging the optical system in this way, the horizontal width (width in the X-axis direction) of the main body 5 can be reduced, and a compact structure can be realized. Further, during the rotation of the main body 5, interference with the support of the forehead support 33, the chin rest 35, or the head of the subject 10 can be avoided, and a large θx rotation angle can be secured. However, such an arrangement of the optical system is merely an example, and is not necessarily limited to this configuration.

[Configuration and operation of control system]
Next, the configuration and operation of a control system for controlling the main body 5 will be described. FIG. 7 is a block diagram conceptually showing the structure of the control system. FIG. 7 also shows the optical system shown in FIG. 5 in order to clarify the operation contents of the control system.

  The control system 100 includes a captured image reading unit 101, an anterior eye image reading unit 103, a display processing unit 105, a position specifying unit 109, a rotation angle calculation unit 111, and an initial position setting unit 119. Further, although not shown, a memory for storing necessary information and a CPU for controlling the whole are provided.

  The optical system moving mechanism 95 shown in FIG. 7 points to a mechanism group for moving the direction and position of the optical system by moving the main body unit 5, and the XYZ frame 3 (X table 13, Y table 17, Z table 15), Y rotation drive unit 23, and X rotation drive unit 27.

  The photographed image reading unit 101 performs a reading process of an image obtained by the photographing optical system 52, that is, an image obtained by the imaging device 62 for photographing a corneal endothelial cell of the eye 2 to be examined in the present embodiment. On the other hand, the anterior segment image readout unit 103 performs a readout process of the image obtained by the anterior segment observation optical system 56, that is, the image obtained by the imaging device 61 for capturing the anterior segment image of the eye 2 to be examined. Do.

  Hereinafter, an image obtained by the imaging device 61 is referred to as an “anterior eye image”, and an image obtained by the imaging device 62 is referred to as a “captured image”.

  The images obtained by the image reading units 101 and 103 are subjected to a predetermined display process in the display processing unit 105 and then sent to the monitor 110. Specifically, after the alignment operation is completed, the anterior segment image reading unit 103 reads the anterior segment image of the eye to be examined together with the Purkinje image. Further, after focusing, the photographed image readout unit 101 reads a photographed image of corneal endothelial cells at the site to be examined. In the present embodiment, a high-intensity LED 63 is used as the light source of the illumination optical system 54. While the radiated light from the high-intensity LED 63 receives the light reflected by the cornea surface 4, the imaging device 62 captures a captured image and sends the information to the monitor 110 via the captured image reading unit 101. It is done.

  The monitor 110 may be configured to display the captured image and the anterior segment image while switching them, or may be configured to display both of them side by side.

  In the following description, the operation of the control system 100 will be described together with a flow when the apparatus 1 is actually used. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing when the device 1 is inspected using the apparatus 1.

<Step S1>
The operator first turns on the power by operating a power (not shown) switch attached to the apparatus 1.

<Step S2>
When the control system 100 detects that the power is ON, the control program is activated and executes control for moving the main body 5 to the initial position. Specifically, the initial position setting unit 119 gives information on the initial position recorded therein to the optical system moving mechanism 95, the optical system moving mechanism 95 moves the main body unit 5 in the XYZ directions, and if necessary. Then, θx rotation and θy rotation are performed to set the main body 5 to the initial position.

  Here, as an example of the initial position, the main body 5 is positioned approximately in front of the subject 10 in a state where the subject 10 places his / her chin on the chin rest 35 and hits the forehead portion 33. At the same time, the position (the rear position) that is farthest in the Z direction when viewed from the subject can be obtained. The “initial position” here is a concept different from a “reference position” described later.

<Step S3>
The subject 10 is instructed to place his / her chin on the chin rest 35 of the apparatus 1 and to apply the forehead to the forehead support 33. Since the eye height differs depending on the subject 10, the optical system of the main body 5 is not necessarily capturing the eye 2 at this time. Even if it is captured, since the alignment operation is not performed, the anterior segment of the eye 2 to be examined is not clearly captured by the imaging device 61.

<Step S4>
While looking at the monitor 110, the operator adjusts the height (Y-axis direction) of the chin rest 35 and the face position in the lateral direction (X-axis direction), and the anterior eye portion of the eye 2 to be examined is displayed on the monitor 110. As described above, the positional relationship between the face of the subject 10 and the main body 5 is manually adjusted (pre-setting). However, even in this step, the alignment operation is not performed to the last, so the anterior segment image is only displayed on the monitor 110, and the Purkinje image cannot be confirmed or is unclear.

<Step S5>
In step S4, after the anterior ocular segment of the eye 2 to be examined is displayed on the monitor 110, an imaging preparation step for the eye 2 to be examined is entered. As an example, the LED 81 is turned on, and the subject 10 is instructed to fixate the LED 81. As described with reference to FIG. 5, since the emitted light from the LED 81 is applied to the eye 2 as parallel light in the same direction as the optical reference axis 50, the subject 10 only needs to keep looking at the front. . Thereby, the visual direction of the subject 10 is fixed to some extent.

<Step S6>
The operator presses an imaging preparation button (not shown) attached to the apparatus 1 in a state where the LED 81 is fixed to the subject 10. Thereby, the main-body part 5 of this apparatus 1 is aligned automatically. That is, the optical system moving mechanism 95 (XYZ mount 3) moves the main body unit 5 in the XYZ directions so that the Purkinje image is displayed at substantially the center of the anterior segment image of the eye 2 to be examined.

  More specifically, first, the main body 5 is advanced in the Z direction, that is, close to the subject 10 side, until the Purkinje image is detected on the monitor 110. After the Purkinje image is detected, the main body 5 is moved in the X and Y directions so that the Purkinje image is closest to the center position on the anterior eye image.

  As described above, the alignment operation is to set the Purkinje image at a predetermined position on the anterior segment image. In the present embodiment, the predetermined position is the “center position”, but the predetermined position can be set as appropriate, and does not necessarily have to be set at the center position on the anterior eye image.

  In the alignment operation performed in this step, the main body portion 5 is disposed in front of the subject 10, the optical reference axis 50 is directed in the horizontal direction (Z direction), and the subject 10 is fixed on the front. Is to be done. Hereinafter, the alignment performed under such conditions is referred to as “reference alignment”. The position of the main body 5 after this reference alignment is executed is referred to as a “reference position”.

  In the present embodiment, description will be made assuming that the panoramic shooting mode is instructed. As an example, in this step, it is possible to specify that shooting is performed in a panorama and then a shooting preparation instruction is performed. In this case, if the panoramic shooting mode is not designated, an instruction to shoot only one shooting location in the normal shooting mode is issued.

<Step S8>
Next, the operator operates the input interface 102 and designates an arbitrary test site. Specifically, while looking at the anterior segment image of the eye 2 to be examined displayed on the monitor 110, a pointer is placed at a location corresponding to the site to be examined and the mouse is clicked or a keyboard, a touch panel, or the like is operated. To confirm the position. FIG. 6A shows a case where a portion 77 moved upward (in the Y-axis direction) from the pupil center 76 is used as a test site.

<Step S9>
Based on the information related to the test site specified by the operator, the rotation angle calculation unit 111 determines the normal direction in the test site. Then, when the normal direction matches the optical reference axis 50, the angle that the subject's viewing direction and the optical reference axis 50 should make is calculated. That is, it is calculated how much the optical reference axis 50 needs to be displaced with reference to the optical reference axis 50 at the reference position. This angle corresponds to the rotation angle of the main body 5.

  More specifically, the position specifying unit 109 recognizes information related to the coordinates of the test site 77 specified by the input interface 102 and outputs the information to the rotation angle calculation unit 111. The rotation angle calculation unit 111 calculates the amount of displacement in the X- and Y-axis directions of the region to be examined 77 with reference to a predetermined position (the center position in the present embodiment) on the anterior segment image. Then, based on this displacement amount and the radius of curvature R of the cornea, a calculation is performed to determine the normal direction 70 at the test site 77.

  FIG. 6B is a cross-sectional view of the front view of FIG. 6A taken along line A1-A2 parallel to the Y-axis direction. According to FIG. 6 (b), the direction of the normal 70 under the test site 77 in FIG. 6 (a) passes through the center of curvature 20 of the test eye and is in the horizontal state (parallel to the Z axis). This is a direction that forms an angle θy2 vertically upward with respect to the shaft 50. However, θy2 = arcsin (D / R). In FIG. 6B, the corneal contact surface 77 s at the test site 77 is also shown for understanding the direction of the normal 70. Naturally, the normal line 70 at the test site 77 is orthogonal to the corneal contact surface 77 s at the test site 77. In FIG. 6A, the position displaced only in the Y direction as viewed from the center of the pupil is used as the test site. However, when the position is also displaced in the X direction, the angle θx2 in the horizontal direction is also calculated.

  The rotation angle calculation unit 111 may read information on the radius of curvature R of the cornea from the memory and calculate the direction of the normal 70 at the test site 77. Information about the calculated angle is recorded in the memory.

<Step S10>
The rotation angle calculation unit 111 outputs the angle calculated in step S10 to the optical system moving mechanism 95 as information on the rotation angle. The optical system moving mechanism 95 rotates and moves the main body 5 (that is, the optical system) about the reference point 31 by a given rotation angle (θx2, θy2) (θx rotation, θy rotation).

  By this operation, the direction of the optical reference axis 50 and the normal line 70 of the optical system coincides with each other after the rotational movement, and the anterior eye image captured by the imaging device 61 is displayed on the monitor 110, which is designated in step S8. A Purkinje image of the subject eye 2 appears at the position of the subject region 77 (for example, see FIG. 6). This reason will be described below.

  Due to the rotational movement in step S10, the optical reference axis 50 is oriented parallel to the normal 70 at the site to be examined 77, so the alignment index light, which is parallel light, is directed toward the same direction as the normal 70. 2 is irradiated. Accordingly, the Purkinje image, which is a reflection image of the alignment index light on the surface of the eye 2 to be examined (corneal surface), is sent again from the optical reference axis 50 to the imaging device 61. That is, the anterior ocular segment image displayed on the monitor 110 is an image of the subject eye 2 viewed from the direction of the normal 70 (the direction of the optical reference axis 50 at this time).

  A case where another location is set as the test site will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 9 shows the case where the visual axis 96 and the eye axis 97 are oriented in the same direction for the sake of simplification. However, even if a deviation angle exists between them, the same reasoning is shown. Can be explained. Here, the visual axis 96 indicates the viewing direction of the subject, and the eye axis 97 is an axis connecting the front pole and the rear pole of the eyeball. The position of the pupil center is defined by the eye axis 97.

  FIG. 9A corresponds to a plan view and an anterior ocular segment image of the eye 2 to be examined before the main body 5 is rotated, that is, when the main body 5 is present at the reference position. FIG. 9B is a plan view of the eye 2 to be examined and the anterior eye portion after the main body 5 is rotated so that the position 77a designated in FIG. 9A is the apex of the cornea. Corresponds to the image.

  FIG. 9 shows a case where a position 77a moved by X2 in the X-axis direction from the center position of the anterior segment image is specified as the test site (FIG. 9A). At this time, the rotation angle (θx2) is calculated in step S9, and the main body 5 is rotated by this θx2 in step S10. As a result, the Purkinje image 80 generated at the location of the test site 77a appears on the anterior eye image 60 (FIG. 9B). At this time, it can be determined that the test site 77a coincides with the apex of the cornea.

<Step S11>
Focusing is performed while maintaining the optical reference axis 50 in a direction parallel to the normal line 70 at the test site 77, and alignment is performed so that the focus 40 matches the test site 77. At this time, as an example, the main body 5 is slightly moved in the Z-axis direction so that the in-focus point 40 is brought closer to the test site 77, and then the main body is configured to match the optical reference axis 50 with the direction of the normal 70. The control of moving 5 in the X-axis direction or the Y-axis direction can be repeatedly performed.

<Step S12>
When focusing is completed, a photographed image (here, a corneal endothelial cell image) obtained by the photographing optical system 52 is photographed. This image is sent to the monitor 110 via the imaging device 62. The shooting in step S12 corresponds to “first shooting”.

<Steps S20 to S23>
As described above, in this embodiment, the panoramic shooting mode is designated. Therefore, the rotation angle calculation unit 111 reads out information related to the panorama shooting rotation angle recorded in advance and outputs the information to the optical system moving mechanism 95. The optical system moving mechanism 95 rotates and moves the main body 5 (that is, the optical system) around the reference point 31 by a given rotation angle.

  Here, the rotation angle calculation unit 111 may read out information related to the rotation angle for panoramic shooting from the memory and output the information to the optical system moving mechanism 95.

  As panoramic photography, both X-direction panorama that performs only θx rotation and Y-direction panorama that performs only θy rotation can be photographed. That is, the following three modes are possible as the panoramic shooting mode. That is, after performing only X-direction panorama shooting, an X panorama shooting mode in which image processing is performed to generate one panorama image, a Y panorama shooting mode in which similar processing is performed in the Y direction, and an X direction panorama and a Y direction are performed. This is an XY panorama shooting mode in which both panoramas are shot and then image processing is performed to generate one panorama image.

  A configuration may be adopted in which the operator can select which panorama shooting mode is to be executed from among these X panorama shooting, Y panorama shooting, or XY panorama shooting. In this case, as an example, a configuration in which the shooting mode can be designated at the timing of step S6 when the operator presses the shooting preparation button can be adopted. In the present embodiment, description will be made assuming that the Y panorama shooting mode is selected.

  Here, since the Y panorama shooting mode is selected, information about θy corresponding to the number of shooting processes is sequentially given to the rotation angle calculation unit 111 as information about the rotation angle for panorama shooting. As an example, imaging is performed at a position that is swung by 2 ° in the Y direction from the test site 77. In the X panorama shooting mode, information on θx is given, and in the XY panorama shooting mode, information on θx, θy is given. In the case of the configuration of the present embodiment, θx can be larger than θy, for example, 3.5 °.

  The optical system moving mechanism 95 rotates and moves the main body 5 around the reference point 31 by a given rotation angle (θy2), as in step S10. And like step S11 and S12, imaging | photography is performed after focusing (step S21, S22). The shooting in step S22 corresponds to “second shooting”.

  Thereafter, if the shooting required for panoramic shooting is not completed (No in step S23), steps S20 to S22 are repeated based on the panorama shooting rotation angle read next. If all necessary photographing has been completed (Yes in step S23), the process proceeds to a predetermined end process.

  This termination processing includes processing of the obtained image. In the present embodiment, a total of three images are obtained, that is, a photographed image at the test site 77 and a shot image at a location where the main body 5 is swung by 2 ° and 4 ° in the Y direction from the imaging position of the test site 77. The display processing unit 105 reads these three images from the captured image reading unit 101, and generates a panoramic image by performing predetermined image processing such as composition or combination. Thereby, in addition to the area | region (namely, test site | part 77) which can be image | photographed from the position of the main-body part 5 after the movement in step S10, the imaging | photography range can be expanded in a Y direction.

  In the present embodiment, after imaging the test site specified in step S8 (first imaging), the main body 5 is rotated by the panoramic radiography rotation angle to image the vicinity of the test site. (Second shooting). However, it is not always necessary to perform imaging of the region to be examined as the first imaging. That is, any structure may be used as long as the region to be examined is imaged by either the first imaging in step S12 or the second imaging in step S22. In the latter case, when the second imaging in step S22 is performed a plurality of times, any configuration may be adopted in which imaging of the test site is performed at any one time.

  A schematic diagram of panoramic image data photographed by the apparatus 1 is shown in FIG. (A) is the photographic image data by the Y panorama described above. (B) is based on X panorama, and (c) and (d) are based on XY panorama. A rectangular photographed image is formed in a continuous form. As an example, the size of each captured image is about 0.25 mm in length × about 0.4 mm in width. In each figure, the shaded image portion A1 indicates a captured image of the region to be examined. The device 1 can obtain a wide-area captured image including the region to be examined. In addition, although this figure has shown the state image | photographed so that imaging | photography image A1 of a to-be-tested part may be located in the center of a panoramic image, it is not restricted to such an aspect. Further, the number of shot images constituting the panoramic image and the combination method are not limited to those illustrated in FIG.

[Second Embodiment]
A second embodiment of the apparatus will be described. In this embodiment, the appearance and the configuration of the optical system are the same as those of the first embodiment, and the configuration and operation of the control system are different. Below, it demonstrates centering on a different location from 1st Embodiment. In the following drawings, the same constituent elements as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the same processing steps are denoted by the same step numbers, thereby simplifying or omitting the description.

  In the present embodiment, in addition to the configuration of the first embodiment, a function for increasing photographing accuracy is added to the control system.

[Configuration and operation of control system]
FIG. 11 is a block diagram conceptually showing the configuration of the control system in the present embodiment.

    In addition to the first embodiment, the control system 100 of this embodiment includes an observation relative angle calculation unit 113, a viewing direction change detection unit 114, a warning output unit 115, and a correction condition setting unit 117. Note that the warning output unit 115 and the correction condition setting unit 117 may include only one of them.

  Hereinafter, the operation of the control system 100 of the present embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

<Steps S1 to S6>
As in the first embodiment, steps S1 to S6 are executed.

<Step S7>
In the present embodiment, after the reference alignment is completed in step S6, the angle formed by the optical reference axis 50 and the eye axis of the eye 2 to be examined at this time is calculated. Hereinafter, the angle formed by the optical reference axis 50 and the eye axis is referred to as “observation relative angle”. If this word is used, in this step S7, the observation relative angle when the reference alignment is completed is calculated. The details will be described.

  FIG. 13 is a conceptual diagram for explaining the observation relative angle when the reference alignment is completed. When the reference alignment is completed, the eye 2 to be examined has a line of sight in the direction of the main body 5 located in front. That is, the direction of the visual axis 96 is the Z-axis direction, and this direction coincides with the direction of the optical reference axis 50. However, the axis (eye axis) connecting the front pole and the rear pole of the eyeball does not necessarily coincide with the direction of the visual axis. The position of the pupil center is defined by the eye axis 97. On the other hand, the position of the Purkinje image is defined by the optical reference axis 50. As a result, even when the reference alignment is completed, the position of the pupil center and the Purkinje image on the anterior segment image is shifted.

  FIG. 13A illustrates a case where the directions of the eye axis and the visual axis are swung in the X-axis direction by a predetermined angle θx1. On the other hand, (b) illustrates the case where the eye axis and the visual axis are both in the same direction (Z-axis direction) for comparison. In both figures, it is assumed that the direction of the visual axis 96 of the eye 2 to be examined is the Z-axis direction. Note that FIG. 13A illustrates a case where the eye axis 97 is extremely displaced from the visual axis 96 for the sake of understanding. On the other hand, the eye axis 97 rarely faces the same direction as the visual axis 96 as shown in FIG. The normal eye 2 to be examined with the visual axis 96 oriented in the Z-axis direction generally shows a state between FIGS. 13 (a) and 13 (b).

  As described above, the Purkinje image 80 is emitted from the LED 81, and the alignment index light (near infrared light) that is directed in the same direction as the optical reference axis 50 by the half mirror 91 is reflected on the cornea surface 4. It is an image obtained. When the reference alignment is completed, the optical reference axis 50 and the visual axis 96 are in the same direction. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 13B, in the case of the subject eye 2 in which the eye axis 97 faces the same direction as the visual axis 96, the point on the corneal surface where the alignment index light is emitted in the Z-axis direction. That is, the corneal apex 84 exists on the eye axis 97, and as a result, the Purkinje image 80 appears at the position of the pupil center 76 on the anterior eye image 60.

  However, as described above, the eye axis 97 generally has a deviation angle with respect to the visual axis 96. In this case, the corneal apex 84 does not exist on the eye axis 97 as shown in FIG. That is, the position of the pupil center 76 defined as a point on the eye axis 97 and the position of the Purkinje image 80 defined as a point on the visual axis 96 facing the same Z-axis direction as the optical reference axis 50 are naturally. Deviation occurs. In FIG. 13A, since it is assumed that the eye axis 97 has a deviation of θx1 in the X direction with respect to the visual axis 96, the pupil center 76 is shifted from the Purkinje image 80 in the X axis direction on the anterior eye image 60. Appears at positions separated by d. In FIG. 13, reference numeral 64 denotes a rotation point, reference numeral 78 denotes a pupil, and reference numeral 74 denotes an iris. The rotation point 64 refers to a point that is fixed when the direction of the eye axis 97 is changed.

  As shown in FIG. 13A, the position of the pupil center 76 and the position of the Purkinje image 80 on the anterior eye image 60 are shifted from each other because the eye axis 96 is displaced from the visual axis 97 as described above. In addition to the reason for the above, it is derived from the occurrence of convergence (binocular vision), the presence of strabismus, or the fact that the pupil is not a strict circle.

  In other words, the degree to which the Purkinje image 80 deviates from the position of the pupil center 76 when the reference alignment is completed is specific to the subject eye 2 (right eye or left eye) of each subject 10. It is understood that this is the situation. That is, by grasping the positional relationship between the Purkinje image 80 and the pupil center 76 when the reference alignment is performed, it is possible to recognize the characteristics of the eye 2 of the subject 10.

  As described above, in this step, the observation relative angle at the completion of the reference alignment is calculated on the basis of the positional relationship between the Purkinje image 80 and the pupil center 76 obtained at the completion of the reference alignment. The feature is recognized on the device 1 side.

  Specifically, the observation relative angle calculation unit 113 reads the anterior ocular segment image obtained after the end of the reference alignment from the anterior ocular segment image reading unit 103, thereby recognizing the relative positional relationship between the Purkinje image 80 and the pupil center 76. The observation relative angle is calculated accordingly.

  For example, in the configuration of FIG. 13A, the observation relative angle is obtained as θx1 in the X-axis direction. The value of θx1 is obtained by using the curvature radius R of the cornea, the distance L between the Purkinje image 80 and the corneal apex 84, and the deviation d in the X-axis direction between the Purkinje image 80 and the cornea center 76 on the anterior eye image 60. , Θx1 = arctan [d / (R−L)]. Here, the value of “d” is read from the anterior segment image 60. Also, the values of R and L may be recorded in advance in the memory, and the observation relative angle calculation unit 113 may read out necessary information from the memory and perform arithmetic processing. As a value of L, a general value (for example, 3.8 mm) can be used, or L≈R / 2 may be used for the calculation. In general, R is R = 7.7 mm. On the other hand, in the configuration of FIG.

  The information regarding the observation relative angle calculated at the completion of the reference alignment calculated in step S7 is recorded as information unique to the eye 2 to be examined. In step S7, the anterior segment image 60 obtained when the reference alignment is completed may be recorded in the memory.

  13A illustrates the case where the eye axis 97 is swung only in the X-axis direction when the reference alignment is completed, that is, when the visual axis 96 is directed in the Z-axis direction. There may be a case where it is swung only in one direction or a case where it is swung in both directions. In the case of swinging in both directions, the observation relative angles (θx1, θy1) in both the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction are calculated.

<Steps S8 to S12>
As in the first embodiment, steps S8 to S12 are executed. By executing step S12, the imaging (first imaging) of the test site 77 is completed.

<Steps S13 to S14>
When the imaging is completed, it is verified whether or not the location where the imaging was performed matches the test site 77 designated in step S8. First, the observation relative angle calculation unit 113 calculates the observation relative angle at this point in the same manner as in step S7 (step S13). That is, the relative positional relationship of the pupil center 76 when the position of the Purkinje image 80 is used as a reference is read from the anterior eye image 60, and the observation relative angle is calculated. That is, based on the distance d2 between the pupil center 76 and the Purkinje image 80 in the X direction, the radius of curvature R of the cornea, and the distance L between the Purkinje image 80 and the apex of the cornea (77a in this case), the observation relative angle in the X direction. Is required. The observation relative angle in the Y direction can be calculated similarly. In order to distinguish the observation relative angle calculated in step S13 from the observation relative angle calculated in step S9, the former is “post-movement observation relative angle” and the latter is “reference time observation relative angle”. Call it.

  Next, the visual direction change detection unit 114 optically applies the normal 70 of the test position specified in step S8 based on the reference observation relative angle calculated in step S7 and the rotation angle calculated in step S9. When the orientations of the reference axes 50 are matched, the relative positional relationship of the pupil center 76 with respect to the position of the Purkinje image 80 that will be indicated by the eye 2 to be examined is theoretically calculated. Then, the theoretically calculated relative angle (hereinafter referred to as “theoretical relative angle”) is compared with the post-movement observation relative angle calculated in step S13 (step S14). If the difference is sufficiently small (No in step S14), it is determined in step S12 that the test site 77 has been correctly imaged.

  The reference observation relative angle calculated in step S7 corresponds to the relative angle between the optical reference axis 50 and the eye axis 97 when the reference alignment is completed. This is the relative angle between the visual axis 96 and the eye axis 97 of the eye 2 to be examined. Corresponds to the corner. Then, when the optical reference axis 50 is rotated by the rotation angle (θx2, θy2) calculated in step S9, if the direction of the visual axis 96 of the eye 2 to be examined has not changed, the optical reference axis 50 and the eye axis 97 are changed. The relative angle should correspond to the rotation angle plus the reference observation relative angle. The theoretical relative angle calculated in step S13 corresponds to the observation relative angle that should be realized if the direction of the visual axis 96 of the eye 2 to be examined is fixed in the Z-axis direction.

  Therefore, if the observation relative angle (post-movement observation relative angle) obtained in step S13 shows a value sufficiently close to the theoretical relative angle calculated in step S14, the visual direction change detection unit 114 performs step S12. Even during imaging, it can be determined that the visual axis of the eye 2 is oriented in the Z-axis direction. That is, it can be determined in the imaging step of step S12 that the region to be examined designated in step S8 has been correctly imaged.

<Step S16>
When the difference between the observation relative angle after movement and the theoretical relative angle is recognized as a value that cannot be ignored (Yes in step S14), it is determined that the test site 77 has not been imaged correctly, and the warning output unit 115 notifies that fact. Information is output to the monitor 110 or the like (step S16). By checking the monitor 110, the operator can recognize that the viewing direction of the eye 2 to be examined is shifted. In this case, for example, the main body portion 5 is once returned to the reference position, and the subject 10 is confirmed to confirm the LED 81 located in the front, and is again instructed to fix the line of sight as it is. Then, after performing rotational movement and focusing based on the rotation angle calculated in the immediately preceding step S9, photographing is performed (steps S10 to S12). Then, the observation relative angle after movement is calculated again (step S13), and it is confirmed that the difference from the theoretical relative angle is small (step S14).

  Note that a fixation lamp may be provided at a position where the subject 10 can fixate until the end of the examination regardless of the rotational movement of the main body 5. The fixation lamp position at this time may be a position that is substantially equal to the direction of fixation at the time of the reference alignment in step S6 and that does not move due to the subsequent rotation of the main body 5. Under such a configuration, when the difference between the observation relative angle after movement and the theoretical relative angle is recognized as a value that cannot be ignored (Yes in step S14), the subject 10 is directed toward the fixation lamp. May be returned to step S11.

  Further, in the case where the control system 100 is configured to include the correction condition setting unit 117, in order for the correction condition setting unit 117 in step S16 to bring the post-movement observation relative angle obtained in step S13 closer to the theoretical relative angle, The necessary correction displacement angle (θx rotation, θy rotation) of the main body 5 is calculated, and the information is output to the optical system moving mechanism 95 to execute correction processing (step S15). In this case, the site to be examined can be reset to the imaging target by executing the rotational movement, alignment, and focusing of the main body 5 again based on the correction information given by the optical system moving mechanism 95.

<Steps S20 to S22>
If it is determined in step S14 that the region to be examined 77 has been correctly imaged, the main body 5 (that is, the optical system) is rotated for panoramic imaging as in the first embodiment. Then, shooting is performed after focusing (second shooting).

<Steps S33 to S34>
After photographing, the observation relative angle calculation unit 113 calculates the observation relative angle at this point in the same manner as in step S13 (step S33). The angle calculated in this step corresponds to “observation relative angle after panoramic movement”. Then, the viewing direction change detection unit 114 performs the panorama subject to rotation by the step S20 based on the reference observation relative angle calculated in the step S7, the rotation angle calculated in the step S9, and the panorama shooting rotation angle. The theoretical relative angle is calculated when the direction of the optical reference axis 50 is made to coincide with the normal 70 of the test position. The angle calculated here corresponds to “panoramic theoretical relative angle”. Then, the panoramic theoretical relative angle is compared with the observation relative angle after panoramic movement (step S34). If the difference is sufficiently small (No in step S34), in step S22, a portion moved by the panoramic imaging rotation angle from the test site 77, that is, a panoramic image including the test site 77 is generated. It is determined that the vicinity position necessary for the image has been correctly captured.

  At this time, if photographing necessary for panoramic photographing is not completed (No in step S23), steps S20 to S22, S33, and S34) are repeated based on the rotation angle that is read next. If all necessary photographing has been completed (Yes in step S23), the process proceeds to a predetermined end process.

  On the other hand, if the difference between the observation relative angle after panoramic movement and the panoramic theoretical relative angle is recognized as a value that cannot be ignored (Yes in step S34), a warning or correction process is executed as in step S16 described above.

  According to this embodiment, even when the viewing direction of the eye 2 to be examined changes between the time of reference alignment and the time of imaging when imaging the site to be examined, this is recognized on the apparatus 1 side. be able to. Thereby, it becomes possible to correctly image the test site by resetting the test site or performing automatic correction processing.

  That is, when compared with the configuration of the first embodiment, the operator can recognize that the region to be examined and its vicinity necessary for the panoramic image have been correctly captured. Thereby, it is possible to improve the photographing accuracy.

  In the above-described embodiment, the shooting is performed for the time being regardless of whether or not there is an angle shift, and a warning is issued after shooting. However, when the correction is performed before shooting and the angle shift becomes small enough to be ignored. A configuration may be adopted in which shooting is performed for the first time. Specifically, in the first imaging, the observation relative angle is calculated and the presence / absence of an angle deviation is determined before imaging the site to be examined (steps S13 and S14). If there is an angle shift, correction processing is performed (step S16), and the process proceeds to the shooting step S12 (first shooting) for the first time when the angle shift becomes small enough to be ignored. Similarly, in the second imaging, the observation relative angle is calculated and the presence / absence of the angle deviation is determined before the second imaging (steps S33 and S34). If there is an angle shift, a correction process is performed (step S16), and the process proceeds to the shooting step S22 (second shooting) only when the angle shift becomes small enough to be ignored.

  In the present embodiment, the observation relative angle at the second imaging is calculated in step S33. However, it may be determined whether or not there is an angle shift in step S34 based on the observation relative angle at the time of the first photographing calculated in step S7. This is because the present embodiment assumes continuous panoramic photography to the last, and it is considered that the possibility that the viewing direction of the subject changes between the first photography and the second photography in a short time is low. . In this case, the number of processes necessary for a series of panoramic shooting can be reduced.

[Another embodiment]
Hereinafter, another embodiment will be described.

  <1> In the present apparatus 1, when performing panoramic shooting, the number of shootings may be arbitrarily set by the operator. In this case, the input interface 102 can be configured so that the shooting range can be set, and the control system 100 can determine the number of shootings based on the setting information.

  Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, information related to the panoramic shooting rotation angle is recorded in advance in a memory or the like. However, the rotation angle may be arbitrarily set by the operator.

  <2> In the above-described embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, the two imaging devices 61 and 62 are provided in the optical system in the main body 5. However, as shown in FIG. 14, the optical system of the present apparatus 1 can be realized even with a configuration including only one imaging device 120.

  FIG. 14 is an optical path diagram for explaining an optical system in the main body 5 according to this embodiment. In FIG. 14, the same elements as those in FIG.

  The configuration in FIG. 14 is different from the configuration in FIG. 5, and light (infrared light) that has passed through the anterior segment imaging lens 93 passes through the cold mirror 121 and is received by the imaging device 120. Unlike the mirror 72, the cold mirror 121 has a property of reflecting visible light and transmitting infrared light. Other elements are the same as those in FIG.

  In the imaging device 120, both the light from the photographing optical system 52 and the light from the anterior ocular segment observation optical system 56 are received. For this reason, the lighting timing of the LED 63 and the infrared LED 82 which are light sources of both optical systems is controlled so that both images are not mixed. That is, the LED 63 and the infrared LED 82 are both blinked at the same time interval, and control is performed to turn off the other LED while one LED is on. For example, in the first half 1/60 seconds, the infrared LED 82 is turned on while the LED 63 is turned off, and in the second half 1/60 seconds, the infrared LED 82 is turned off and the LED 63 is turned on repeatedly. Thereby, the anterior eye part image of the eye 2 to be examined is photographed on the imaging device 120 at the first half timing, and the image of the corneal endothelial cell at the examination site is photographed at the second half timing.

  However, such time division control may be performed only during a period in which the images of both optical systems need to be recognized, for example, during the execution of steps S11 to S14 in FIG.

  <3> In the above embodiment, the operator operates the input interface 102 in step S8 to locate the position of the test site while viewing the anterior segment image observed on the monitor 110 after the completion of the reference alignment operation in step S6. The configuration is specified. However, an anterior eye image of the subject is not necessarily required when specifying the position of the subject site.

  For example, a dummy anterior ocular segment image (hereinafter abbreviated as “dummy image”) is prepared in advance, and the operator examines the dummy image displayed on the monitor 110 and inputs the test site to the input interface 102. Specify with. This designation may be performed at any timing from step S9 after the apparatus 1 is turned on.

  Under this configuration, a case will be described where a function of detecting that the visual direction of the subject has changed is added as in the second embodiment. At this time, the apparatus 1 performs reference alignment in step S6, calculates the observation relative angle (reference observation relative angle) at the time of reference alignment in step S7, and then designates the position of the test site designated on the dummy image. Based on the information regarding, the rotation angle is calculated in step S9. Then, after taking an image by moving the optical system, an observation relative angle (post-movement observation relative angle) is calculated (step S13). Then, the theoretical relative angle is calculated from the reference observation relative angle and the rotation angle, and compared with the observation relative angle after movement (step S14), to verify whether the test position is correctly captured.

  <4> In the second embodiment, the observation relative angle of the subject eye 2 is calculated based on the relative positional relationship between the pupil center and the Purkinje image, but the viewing direction is detected using other detection methods. It does not matter as a structure to do. For example, instead of the pupil center, the boundary between the iris (black eye part) and the sclera (white eye part), or another Purkinje image (fourth Purkinje image, etc.) is used. (Corresponding) the position may be grasped.

  <5> In the second embodiment, in step S14, the calculation of the theoretical relative angle and the comparison of the theoretical relative angle and the post-movement observation relative angle calculated in step S13 are performed. However, if there is information about the reference observation relative angle and the rotation angle, the theoretical relative angle can be calculated. For this reason, it may be performed at any timing from the theoretical relative angle calculation step S9 to step S14.

1: Ophthalmic examination apparatus according to the present invention 2: Eye to be examined 3: XYZ frame (triaxial frame)
4: Cornea surface 5: Body part 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, 5e, 5f: Positioned body part 7: Support frame 9: Guide groove 10: Subject 11: Base 13: X table 15: Z Table 17: Y table 18: Extension plate portion 19: Guide member 20: Center of curvature of cornea of eye to be examined 21: Rack 23: Y rotation drive portion 25: Pinion gear 27: X rotation drive portion 28: Rotating shaft portion 31: Reference Point 33: Forehead support unit 35: Jaw mount 40: Focusing point 41: Shooting lens 43: Illumination lens 50: Optical reference axis 51: Optical axis (imaging optical axis) of imaging optical system
52: Imaging optical system 53: Optical axis of illumination optical system (illumination optical axis)
54: Illumination optical system 55: Optical axis of the anterior ocular segment observation optical system (observation optical axis)
56: Anterior segment observation optical system 58: Alignment index projection optical system 59: Fixation target projection optical system 60: Anterior segment image 61: Imaging device 62: Imaging device 63: High-intensity LED element 64: Rotation point 65: Collection Optical lens 67: Slit 69: Mirror 70: Normal direction 71: Mirror 72: Mirror 73: Slit 74: Iris 75: Relay lens 76: Pupil center 77: Test site 77s: Corneal contact surface at test site 78: Pupil 79: Virtual image of Purkinje image 80: Purkinje image 81: LED
82: Infrared LED
83: Reference fixation light 84: Apex of cornea 85: Cold mirror 87: Mirror 89: Condensing lens 91: Half mirror 92: Visible light cut filter 93: Anterior eye photographing lens 95: Optical system moving mechanism 96: Visual axis 97 : Eye axis 100: Control system 101: Captured image reading unit 102: Input interface 103: Anterior eye image reading unit 105: Display processing unit 109: Position specifying unit 110: Monitor 111: Rotation angle calculation unit 113: Observation relative angle Calculation unit 114: Visual direction change detection unit 115: Warning output unit 117: Correction condition setting unit 119: Initial position setting unit 120: Imaging device 121: Cold mirror D: Distance on the XY plane between the region to be examined and the apex of the cornea L: Distance between the Purkinje image and the apex of the cornea R: Curvature radius of the cornea

Claims (13)

An ophthalmic examination apparatus for examining a subject's eye,
An inspection optical system including: an illumination optical system that illuminates the anterior eye portion of the eye to be examined from an oblique front with illumination light; and an imaging optical system that receives the reflected light reflected by the anterior eye portion of the eye to be examined; ,
An optical system moving mechanism for rotating the inspection optical system based on specified inspection conditions;
A position specifying unit that receives specification of the position of the test site of the test eye,
When the inspection condition is panoramic imaging including the test region, the imaging optical system first uses the inspection optical by the optical system moving mechanism based on the position information of the test site specified by the position specifying unit. After performing the first photographing in a state where the system is moved to the first photographing position, the optical system moving mechanism rotates the inspection optical system from the previous photographing position by a predetermined panoramic photographing rotation angle. An ophthalmic examination apparatus characterized in that the second imaging is continuously performed at the imaging position, thereby imaging an area including the region to be examined.   The ophthalmic examination apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the imaging optical system repeatedly executes the second imaging a plurality of times.   The ophthalmic examination apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first imaging position or any one of the second imaging positions is an imaging position of the region to be examined.   In the optical system moving mechanism, the optical reference axis, which is an axis in a direction that bisects the intersection angle between the illumination optical axis of the illumination optical system and the imaging optical axis of the imaging optical system, is a method of the imaging target region of the first imaging. The ophthalmologic according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the inspection optical system is moved to the first imaging position by rotating the inspection optical system so as to coincide with a line direction. Inspection equipment. An anterior ocular segment observation optical system for observing the anterior ocular segment of the eye to be examined, included in the inspection optical system;
Based on the position information of the region to be examined designated by the position designation unit, a rotation angle at which the inspection optical system should be moved to the first imaging position is calculated, and information relating to the rotation angle is sent to the optical system moving mechanism. A rotation angle calculation unit that outputs
The rotation angle calculation unit is satisfied when the observation optical axis of the anterior ocular segment observation optical system that coincides with the optical reference axis coincides with the normal direction of the imaging target region of the first imaging in the first imaging. The ophthalmic examination apparatus according to claim 4, wherein an angle between a visual axis of the power to be examined and an optical axis of the anterior ocular segment observation optical system is calculated as a rotation angle.   The rotation angle calculation unit outputs to the optical system moving mechanism information related to the rotation angle for panoramic photographing that is predetermined according to a panoramic photographing mode specified as the inspection condition in the second photographing. The ophthalmic examination apparatus according to claim 5.   Based on information obtained from the anterior ocular segment image of the subject eye observed by the anterior ocular segment observation optical system in a state where the inspection optical system is present at the first imaging position, the observed eye of the subject is observed. 7. An observation relative angle calculation unit that calculates an observation relative angle that is an angle between an eye axis and an optical axis of the anterior ocular segment observation optical system under the inspection condition. The ophthalmic examination apparatus described in 1.   The ophthalmic examination apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the observation relative angle calculation unit calculates the observation relative angle based on a relative position of a Purkinje image displayed on the anterior ocular segment image.   The observation relative angle calculation unit reads the center position of the pupil from the anterior eye image, and calculates the observation relative angle based on the relative position relationship between the center position of the pupil and the Purkinje image. The ophthalmic examination apparatus according to claim 7 or 8. A visual direction change detection unit that detects the presence or absence of a change in the visual direction of the eye to be inspected until the inspection optical system is moved from a predetermined reference position to the first imaging position;
The observation relative angle calculation unit calculates the observation relative angle at the reference position as a reference observation relative angle, and moves the observation relative angle when the inspection optical system exists at the first imaging position. Calculated as the post observation relative angle,
The visual direction change detection unit observes the eye axis of the eye to be examined and the anterior segment based on the reference observation relative angle and the rotation angle in a state where the inspection optical system exists at the first imaging position. The theoretical angle formed by the optical axis of the optical system is calculated as a theoretical relative angle, and the presence / absence of a change in the viewing direction of the eye to be examined is detected based on a comparison result between the observed relative angle after movement and the theoretical relative angle. The ophthalmic examination apparatus according to any one of claims 7 to 9.   The observation relative angle calculation unit calculates the reference observation relative angle in a state where the optical axis of the anterior ocular segment observation optical system is in the same direction as the visual axis of the eye to be examined at the reference position. The ophthalmic examination apparatus according to claim 10. The observation relative angle calculation unit calculates the observation relative angle under the state in which the inspection optical system is rotated by the panoramic imaging rotation angle from the immediately preceding imaging position as the observation relative angle after panoramic movement,
The visual direction change detection unit is configured based on the reference observation relative angle, the rotation angle, and the panoramic rotation angle, and an eye axis of the eye to be examined when the inspection optical system is at the second imaging position. The theoretical angle formed by the optical axis of the anterior ocular segment observation optical system is calculated as the panoramic theoretical relative angle, and the visual angle of the eye to be examined is based on the comparison result of the panoramic observation relative angle and the panoramic theoretical relative angle. The ophthalmic examination apparatus according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the presence or absence of a change in direction is detected. A correction condition setting unit that calculates a correction displacement angle of the inspection optical system and gives it to the optical system moving mechanism,
The visual direction change detection unit gives a correction instruction to the correction condition setting unit when the post-movement observation relative angle is more than a predetermined value from the theoretical relative angle,
The said correction condition setting part calculates the said correction | amendment displacement angle required in order to make the said observation relative angle after a movement equal to the said theoretical relative angle, The any one of Claims 10-12 characterized by the above-mentioned. Ophthalmic examination device.

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