JP2020048933A - Lacrimal fluid testing device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a lacrimal fluid testing device capable of properly acquiring the state of a lacrimal fluid film in a normal state while cooling an illumination light source and an interference camera.SOLUTION: A lacrimal fluid testing device 10 comprises: an illumination light source 21 for projecting an illumination light flux Fi onto a subject's eye E; an interference camera 25 for receiving the illumination light source 21 reflected by the subject's eye and acquiring an interference pattern image If; and an air conditioning mechanism 45 which forms an air flow in the periphery of the illumination light source 21 and the interference camera 25. The air conditioning mechanism 45 blows out the air having passed through the periphery of the illumination light source 21 and the interference camera 25, to the side opposite to the subject's eye E.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

  The present disclosure relates to a tear testing device.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a tear test apparatus capable of acquiring a state of a tear film of an eye to be examined is known (for example, see Patent Document 1).

  This tear testing device illuminates the eye to be examined with a light source for illumination, and receives the reflected light from the eye to be examined by an interference camera to acquire the state of the tear film of the eye to be examined.

Patent No. 3586039

  In the above-mentioned tear test apparatus, the illumination light source and the interference camera generate relatively large heat, and it is necessary to appropriately cool these. Here, in the tear testing device, it is conceivable to use a blower to blow air to a light source for illumination or an interference camera, but when the flow of the air generated toward the eye to be examined promotes drying of the tear film. This may make it difficult to properly acquire a tear film in a normal state.

  The present disclosure has been made in view of the above circumstances, and provides a tear test apparatus capable of appropriately acquiring a state of a tear film in a normal state while cooling an illumination light source and an interference camera. The purpose is to provide.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, the tear test apparatus of the present disclosure includes an illumination light source that emits an illumination light beam projected onto an eye to be inspected, and an interference pattern that receives the illumination light source reflected by the eye to be inspected. An interference camera for acquiring an image, and an air-conditioning mechanism that forms an air flow around the illumination light source and the interference camera, the air-conditioning mechanism is provided around the illumination light source and the interference camera. The air that has passed through is blown out to the side opposite to the eye to be examined.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to the tear test device of this indication, the state of the tear film of a normal state can be acquired appropriately, cooling an illumination light source and an interference camera.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an entire configuration of a tear test apparatus according to a first embodiment as an example of a tear test apparatus according to the present disclosure. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a configuration of a housing and an optical system in a measurement unit. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram similar to FIG. 2, showing a state in which a tear test optical unit (housing attachment unit) is removed from a light guide optical unit (housing main body). It is explanatory drawing for demonstrating a mode that the inlet and the outlet of a ventilation path are provided in a tear test optical part.

  Hereinafter, Example 1 of the tear test apparatus 10 as one embodiment of the tear test apparatus according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.

  The tear test apparatus 10 acquires an interference pattern image If (see FIG. 2) showing a state of a tear layer of the eye E to be examined. As shown in FIG. 1, the tear testing device 10 is configured by connecting a measuring unit 12, a driving unit 13, a chin receiving unit 14, a display unit 15, an operation unit 16, and a storage unit 17 to a control unit 11. You.

  The control unit 11 develops a program stored in the connected storage unit 17 or the internal memory 11a built therein into, for example, a RAM (Random Access Memory), and appropriately performs a tear test in accordance with an operation on the operation unit 16 or the like. The operation of the device 10 (the measuring unit 12, the driving unit 13, the chin receiving unit 14, and the display unit 15) is generally controlled. In the first embodiment, the internal memory 11a is configured by a RAM or the like, and the storage unit 17 is configured by a ROM (Read Only Memory), an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM), or the like. In the tear test apparatus 10, in addition to the above-described configuration, a printer that prints a measurement result in response to a measurement completion signal or an instruction from a measurer, and an output unit that outputs the measurement result to an external memory or a server are appropriately provided. .

  The measurement unit 12 projects the illumination light beam Fi onto the cornea Ec of the eye E, and acquires the illumination light beam Fi reflected by the cornea Ec (hereinafter, also referred to as a reflected light beam Fr) as an interference pattern image If (see FIG. 2). ). The interference pattern image If shows the state of the tear film of the eye E, and enables the measurement unit 12 or the examiner to diagnose the tear film. The configuration of the measurement unit 12 will be described later.

  The drive unit 13 moves the measurement unit 12 (a housing 40 (see FIG. 2 described later) that houses the measurement unit 12) in up, down, left, right, and front and rear directions. The chin receiving portion 14 is a place where the chin of the subject is placed, and the position of the chin receiving portion 14 with respect to the measuring portion 12 can be adjusted according to the subject. In the tear testing device 10, the face of the subject is fixed to the chin receiving portion 14, so that the subject's eye E is set as the testing position. The display unit 15 is formed by a liquid crystal monitor or the like, and displays the interference pattern image If, the anterior eye image, and the like acquired by the measurement unit 12 as appropriate. The operation unit 16 is used by an examiner or a subject to operate the tear test apparatus 10. The operation unit 16 may be of a touch panel type arranged so as to be superimposed on the display unit 15, and may be configured by an input device such as a keyboard, a mouse, and a joystick.

  Next, a configuration as an example of an optical system of the measurement unit 12 will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the measurement unit 12 includes a tear test optical unit 20 and a light guide optical unit 30. The tear test optical unit 20 emits the illumination light beam Fi projected onto the cornea Ec of the eye E, and receives the reflected light beam Fr reflected by the eye E (cornea Ec). The light guide optical unit 30 guides the illumination light beam Fi emitted from the tear test optical unit 20 to the eye E, and guides the reflected light beam Fr from the eye E to the tear test optical unit 20.

  The tear test optical unit 20 includes an illumination light source 21 that emits an illumination light beam Fi, and a projection lens 22, a variable filter 23, and a first half mirror 24 on an emission optical axis (Li) of the illumination light source 21. Is provided. The illumination light beam Fi emitted from the illumination light source 21 is formed through the projection lens 22, the light amount is adjusted through the variable filter 23, transmitted through the first half mirror 24, and advanced to the light guide optical unit 30. . The direction in which the illumination light beam Fi travels is the inspection optical axis Li in the tear inspection optical unit 20.

  Further, the tear test optical unit 20 has an interference camera 25 in the reflection direction of the first half mirror 24, and a photographic stop 26 and an acquisition lens 27 are provided therebetween. When the reflected light beam Fr from the eye E to be inspected is guided from the light guide optical unit 30 onto the inspection optical axis Li, the tear test optical unit 20 reflects the light beam Fr on the first half mirror 24 and passes through the imaging diaphragm 26. Later, it is molded through the acquisition lens 27 and is received by the interference camera 25 (its light receiving surface). Here, the interference camera 25 is provided above the inspection optical axis Li, and the first half mirror 24 reflects the reflected light beam Fr upward from the inspection optical axis Li. The imaging diaphragm 26 advances the reflected light beam Fr necessary for acquiring the state of the tear film to the interference camera 25, and generates scattered light unnecessary for acquiring the state of the tear film for interference. The camera 25 is prevented from reaching. For this reason, the interference camera 25 can acquire the light necessary for acquiring the state of the tear film in the reflected light beam Fr from the eye E, and acquires the interference pattern image If as described later. can do.

  The light guide optical unit 30 is set with a light guide optical axis Lg that coincides with the test optical axis Li of the tear test optical unit 20, and has a reflecting mirror 31, an adjustment lens 32, and a second half on the light guide optical axis Lg. A mirror 33 and an objective lens 34 are provided. The reflection mirror 31 reflects the illumination light beam Fi emitted from the tear test optical unit 20 onto the light guide optical axis Lg downward. The adjustment lens 32 is provided so as to be movable on the light guide optical axis Lg reflected by the reflection mirror 31, and is controlled on the light guide optical axis Lg by the adjustment mechanism 35 (see FIG. 1) under the control of the control unit 11. Is adjusted. The second half mirror 33 reflects the illumination light beam Fi reflected by the reflection mirror 31 and passed through the adjustment lens 32 toward the front side, that is, toward the eye E to be examined. The objective lens 34 is located at a position opposed to the eye E at the inspection position, and appropriately collects the illumination light beam Fi reflected by the second half mirror 33 and causes the light beam Fi to enter the eye E.

  For this reason, the light guide optical unit 30 converts the illumination light beam Fi emitted from the tear test optical unit 20 onto the light guide optical axis Lg into the eye E to be inspected at the inspection position appropriately positioned on the light guide optical axis Lg. Can be guided towards. In addition, the light guide optical unit 30 causes the reflected light beam Fr in which the illumination light beam Fi is reflected by the eye E to travel in the opposite direction to the above-described illumination light beam Fi, so that the tear fluid on the light guide optical axis Lg. It can be guided toward the inspection optical unit 20 (the inspection optical axis Li). Accordingly, in the light guide optical unit 30, the light path passing through the second half mirror 33, the adjustment lens 32, and the reflection mirror 31 becomes the light guide path 36 for guiding the light from the objective lens 34 to the illumination light source 21 and the interference camera 25. The light guide path 36 is bent upward from the objective lens 34 by the second half mirror 33.

  The light guide optical unit 30 according to the first embodiment includes a photographing lens 37 and an anterior ocular camera 38 in a direction in which the light passes through the second half mirror 33 from the objective lens 34. The anterior segment camera 38 is focused on the anterior segment of the subject's eye E in cooperation with the photographing lens 37 and the objective lens 34, and from the anterior segment illuminated with other provided illumination light or the like. An image of the anterior segment of the eye E (anterior segment image) is obtained by imaging the light beam on the light receiving element. For this reason, in the tear test apparatus 10, an image of the anterior ocular segment can be obtained through the objective lens 34, the second half mirror 33, and the photographing lens 37 of the light guide optical unit 30 to the anterior ocular segment camera 38. Thus, an anterior ocular segment observation optical system that enables observation of the anterior ocular segment is provided.

  The tear testing device 10 is configured such that the measuring unit 12, that is, the tear testing optical unit 20 and the light guiding optical unit 30 are housed in a housing 40. The housing 40 includes a housing body 41 that houses the light guide optical unit 30 and a housing mounting unit 42 that houses the tear test optical unit 20. In the case 40, the case attachment portion 42 is attached to the case body 41 so that the test optical axis Li of the tear test optical unit 20 matches the light guide optical axis Lg of the light guide optical unit 30. (See FIG. 2) and can be removed (see FIG. 3). In the case 40, the control unit 11 is provided in the case main body 41, and the control unit 11 is connected to the light guide optical unit 30 (the adjustment mechanism 35 and the anterior eye camera 38). In the case 40, when the case attachment portion 42 is attached to the case body portion 41, the control section 11 provided in the case body portion 41 and the tear test optical unit provided in the case attachment portion 42. 20 (the illumination light source 21, the interference camera 25, and a blower 47 described later) are connected.

  The housing main body 41 is movable in the vertical and horizontal directions and the front and rear directions by the drive unit 13. When the housing mounting part 42 is attached, the housing mounting part 42 is also integrally moved vertically and horizontally and front and rear. Moved in the direction. For this reason, the measurement unit 12 is configured such that the housing attachment unit 42 is attached to the housing main body unit 41, and the light guide optical axis Lg of the light guide optical unit 30 that is the optical axis of the measurement unit 12 is set as the inspection position. The position of the tear film of the eye E can be obtained by performing position adjustment (alignment) via the driving unit 13 so as to match a reference point such as a corneal vertex or a pupil center in E. For this alignment, for example, alignment information generated by projecting an index to the eye E by the alignment optical system may be used, or an anterior eye image of the eye E may be used. In this state, when the measuring unit 12 emits the illumination light beam Fi on the inspection optical axis Li of the tear inspection optical unit 20, the measuring unit 12 transmits the illumination light beam Fi to the light guiding optical unit 30 on the light guiding optical axis Lg that matches the inspection optical axis Li. The illuminating light beam Fi advances, and the illuminating light beam Fi is emitted from the objective lens 34 on the light guiding optical axis Lg by the light guiding optical unit 30 to be incident on the eye E. For this reason, in the measurement unit 12, the illumination light source 21 of the tear test optical unit 20 passes through the projection lens 22, the variable filter 23, and the first half mirror 24, and the reflection mirror 31 of the light guide optical unit 30 and the adjustment lens The illumination optical system that irradiates the eye E with the illumination light beam Fi until the light passes through the second half mirror 33 and the objective lens 34.

  The measuring unit 12 also causes the reflected light beam Fr reflected by the subject's eye E to enter the light guide optical unit 30 from the objective lens 34 on the light guide optical axis Lg, and the light guide optical unit 30 connects the light guide optical unit 30 to the light guide optical axis. The reflected light beam Fr is made to travel to the tear test optical unit 20 on the test optical axis Li matched to Lg, and the reflected light beam Fr is received by the interference camera 25 by the tear test optical unit 20. The interference camera 25 acquires the received reflected light beam Fr as the interference pattern image If. For this reason, the measurement unit 12 passes through the objective lens 34, the second half mirror 33, the adjustment lens 32, and the reflection mirror 31 of the light guide optical unit 30, and captures the image with the first half mirror 24 of the tear test optical unit 20. The area from the stop 26 and the acquisition lens 27 to the interference camera 25 is an acquisition optical system (corneal observation optical system) for acquiring the reflected light beam Fr (interference pattern image If) from the cornea Ec.

  In the measuring unit 12 according to the first embodiment, the incident reflected light beam Fr is split into light beams of each color of R (red), G (green), and B (blue) by the interference camera 25 of the acquisition optical system. A light receiving element is separately provided for each of the light receiving elements to acquire three reflected light beams Fr of RGB (interference pattern image If). This is because the reflected light beam Fr is formed as a complex interference image having various hues, so that the state of the tear film can be more appropriately acquired by using the three interference pattern images If of RGB. This makes it possible to more appropriately diagnose the state of the tear film. In the tear testing device 10 of the first embodiment, the reflected light beam Fr is split into three light beams of RGB and received by the three light receiving elements. However, a single light receiving element capable of acquiring a color image is used. The RGB signals may be used individually to handle them, and the present invention is not limited to the configuration of the first embodiment.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the housing 40 is provided with an air conditioning mechanism 45 for cooling the tear test optical unit 20 to be housed. The air conditioning mechanism 45 is provided to cool at least the illumination light source 21 and the interference camera 25 in the tear test optical unit 20, and has a ventilation path 46 and a blower 47. The ventilation path 46 forms an air flow around the illumination light source 21 and around the interference camera 25. In the first embodiment, the air is sucked from the suction port 48 and blown out from the blowout port 49. It is a possible through hole. In the first embodiment, at least a part of the illumination light source 21 and at least a part of the interference camera 25 are exposed in the ventilation path 46. The illumination light source 21 and the interference camera 25 prevent the emission of the illumination light beam Fi from the illumination light source 21, the reception of the reflected light beam Fr by the interference camera 25, and the flow of air in the ventilation path 46. If there is no such thing, the whole may be arranged in the ventilation path 46, the radiation fins provided respectively may be arranged in the ventilation path 46, and other configurations may be used. Not done.

  The blower 47 forms an air flow from the suction port 48 to the air outlet 49 in the air passage 46, and is provided near the air outlet 49 in the first embodiment. The blower 47 is appropriately driven under the control of the control unit 11 to form a flow of air in the ventilation passage 46. Thereby, the air conditioning mechanism 45 can cool the illumination light source 21 and the interference camera 25.

  In the first embodiment, the air-conditioning mechanism 45, that is, the ventilation path 46 and the blower 47 are provided in the housing attachment portion 42 (the tear test optical unit 20). That is, the ventilation passage 46 passes through only the inside of the housing attachment portion 42, and the suction port 48 and the air outlet 49 open the outer peripheral surface of the housing attachment portion 42. The air passage 46 is set such that the direction in which air is blown out from the air outlet 49 is opposite to the eye E to be examined. The opposite side to the subject's eye E is to prevent the blown air from going toward the subject's eye E, and is located behind the plane orthogonal to the light guide optical axis Lg of the measuring unit 12 (light guide optical unit 30). Side (the side opposite to the eye E as viewed from the measuring unit 12). In the first embodiment, the outlet 49 is formed by opening the rear surface 42a of the housing attachment portion 42, and blows air in a direction exactly opposite to the eye E to be inspected. The outlet 49 may blow air from the rear surface 42a in oblique directions of up, down, left, and right.

  In addition, as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 4, the outlet 49 may be provided by opening the upper surface 42 b of the housing mounting portion 42. In this case, even if air is blown upward from the upper surface 42b, the flow of the air is extremely unlikely to flow toward the subject's eye E. Therefore, the outlet 49 is almost directly above the subject's eye E if it is on the opposite side. The air may be blown out toward the eye, or the air may be blown out in a direction exactly opposite to the eye E to be inspected. Further, the outlet 49 may be provided by opening the side surface 42c of the housing mounting portion 42, as also indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. Here, the tear test apparatus 10 may be set near a wall or the like, and a wall or the like may be present near the side surface 42c of the measurement unit 12 (the housing attachment unit 42). For this reason, if air is blown laterally from the side surface 42c, the air may hit the wall or the like and travel toward the subject's eye E. Therefore, it is desirable to blow air in a direction almost opposite to the subject's eye E. In the example of the outlet 49 shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 4, the cover member 49 a is provided on the side surface 42 c, so that air is blown in a direction almost opposite to the eye E to be examined. FIG. 4 shows a state in which the air outlet 49 is provided on the front side surface 42c when viewed from the front, but the same applies to the opposite side surface 42c.

  Since the suction port 48 is a place where the air is sucked into the ventilation path 46, basically, there is no air flow toward the eye E to be examined. However, since the suction port 48 may cause a flow of air also around the eye E by sucking air, it is desirable to provide the suction port 48 at a position away from the objective lens 34. Since the air-conditioning mechanism 45 of the first embodiment is provided on the housing attachment portion 42, any surface on the outer peripheral surface of the housing attachment portion 42 may be located at a position distant from the objective lens 34. it can.

  The measurement unit 12 appropriately irradiates the eye E with the illumination light beam Fi by adjusting the position of the adjustment lens 32 in the light guide optical unit 30 and the focal length of the interference camera 25 under the control of the control unit 11. At the same time, the reflected light beam Fr (interference pattern image If) can be appropriately acquired by the interference camera 25 (each light receiving surface). On the interference camera 25 (each light receiving surface), the measurement unit 12 of the first embodiment is configured to reflect the light reflected from the surface of the lipid layer, which is the outermost layer of the tear film on the cornea Ec of the eye E, and the lipid layer similarly. The position of the adjusting lens 32 and the focal length of the interference camera 25 are adjusted so that the reflected light from the back surface (the surface of the aqueous layer below the lipid layer) forms an interference pattern with good contrast. Thereby, the interference camera 25 can acquire the interference pattern image If indicating the thickness of the lipid layer. In addition, the measurement unit 12 of the first embodiment is configured such that, on the interference camera 25 (light receiving surface), the reflected light from the surface of the water layer of the tear film (the back surface of the lipid layer) and the back surface of the water layer (the water layer) The position of the adjustment lens 32, the focal length of the interference camera 25, and the like are adjusted such that the reflected light from the surface of the mucin layer below the surface of the camera forms a high-contrast interference pattern. Thereby, the interference camera 25 can acquire the interference pattern image If indicating the thickness of the water layer. The control unit 11 can diagnose the state of the tear film such as the thickness of the lipid layer and the aqueous layer based on each interference pattern image If acquired by the interference camera 25. By this diagnosis, for example, it is possible to grasp whether or not the subject's eye E has dry eyes. The acquisition of each of these interference pattern images If and the diagnosis of the state of the tear film based on the acquisition are the same as those in the related art, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

  Thereby, the tear test apparatus 10 can diagnose the state of the tear layer of the eye E to be examined. At this time, the tear test apparatus 10 sets the measurement unit 12 (the tear test optical unit 20 and the light guide optical unit 30) in an appropriate positional relationship with respect to the eye E to be inspected and sets a plurality of interference pattern images If. To get. Then, in order to acquire a plurality of appropriate interference pattern images If, the measuring unit 12 increases the light amount of the illumination light source 21 or adjusts the focal length of the interference camera 25, and the like. And the interference camera 25 generates relatively large heat. In particular, since the interference camera 25 of the first embodiment has a configuration in which three light beams of RGB are received by the individual light receiving elements, the three light receiving elements each generate heat, thereby generating more heat. Here, the measurement unit 12 is provided with the anterior ocular segment camera 38, but does not generate much heat because the anterior ocular segment camera 38 merely acquires an anterior ocular segment image. For this reason, in the tear test apparatus 10, it is necessary to appropriately cool at least the illumination light source 21 and the interference camera 25.

  It is conceivable that the tear test apparatus 10 blows air to the illumination light source 21 and the interference camera 25 using a blower, but when the flow of air generated thereby moves toward the eye E, drying of the tear film is promoted. As a result, the subject's eye E becomes a dry state with a tear film different from the normal state, and it may be difficult to appropriately acquire the state of the tear film in the normal state. For this reason, the tear testing device 10 is provided with the air conditioning mechanism 45 so that the air passing around the illumination light source 21 and the interference camera 25 is blown out to the side opposite to the eye E to be examined. For this reason, the tear test apparatus 10 can prevent the flow of air from flowing toward the subject's eye E at the test position while cooling the illumination light source 21 and the interference camera 25. Acceleration of drying can be suppressed, and the state of the tear film in a normal state can be appropriately acquired.

  In particular, the tear test apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment is configured such that the tear test optical unit 20 including the illumination light source 21 and the interference camera 25 is substantially line-symmetric (directly opposite) to the objective lens 34 with respect to the center position of the measurement unit 12. An air conditioning mechanism 45 (air passage 46) is provided in the tear test optical unit 20. For this reason, the tear testing device 10 blows air toward the opposite side of the objective lens 34 while increasing the distance between the outlet 49 of the ventilation path 46 and the objective lens 34 in the measurement unit 12. Thereby, the tear test apparatus 10 can more effectively suppress the promotion of the drying of the tear layer of the eye E at the test position while cooling the illumination light source 21 and the interference camera 25, The state of the tear film in a normal state can be more appropriately acquired.

  The tear testing device 10 according to the first embodiment of the tear testing device according to the present disclosure can obtain the following effects.

  The tear testing device 10 receives the illumination light source 21 that projects the illumination light beam Fi onto the eye E and the illumination light beam Fi (reflected light beam Fr) reflected by the eye E, and causes the air conditioning mechanism 45 to receive the interference pattern image. The air passing around the interference camera 25 for acquiring If is blown out to the side opposite to the eye E to be examined. For this reason, the tear test apparatus 10 cools the illumination light source 21 and the interference camera 25, and promotes drying of the tear film of the eye E at the test position due to the air blown out by the air conditioning mechanism 45. This can be prevented, and the state of the tear film in a normal state can be appropriately acquired.

  The tear testing device 10 is configured such that the air conditioning mechanism 45 includes a ventilation path 46 passing around the illumination light source 21 and the interference camera 25, and a blower 47 for flowing air into the ventilation path 46. Is directed to the side opposite to the eye E to be examined. For this reason, the tear testing device 10 can be configured such that the air-conditioning mechanism 45 blows out to the side opposite to the eye E with a simple configuration, and can suppress the promotion of drying of the tear film. .

  The tear testing apparatus 10 guides the illumination light beam Fi from the illumination light source 21 to the eye E and causes the illumination light beam reflected by the eye E so that the illumination light beam Fi reflected by the eye E forms an interference pattern. The light guiding optical unit 30 for guiding the Fi to the interference camera 25 and the illumination light beam Fi from the illumination light source 21 are emitted on the inspection optical axis Li, and the illumination light beam Fi reflected by the eye E is inspected on the inspection optical axis Li. And a tear test optical unit 20 that guides the light to the interference camera 25. Then, in the tear test apparatus 10, the tear test optical unit 20 (the housing mounting part 42 that houses the tear test optical unit 20) aligns the test optical axis Li with the light guide optical axis Lg of the light guide optical path 36 and performs light guide optics. The air passage 46 is provided in the tear test optical unit 20 (the housing attachment unit 42) so that the air passage 46 can be attached to the unit 30 (the housing main body unit 41 accommodating the unit 30) and detachable from the light guide optical unit 30. For this reason, the tear test apparatus 10 can make the air-conditioning mechanism 45 blow out air to the side opposite to the eye E to be inspected, and can easily inspect and repair the tear test optical unit 20. . In addition, the tear testing apparatus 10 can replace only the tear testing optical unit 20 with a new one, and can reduce the cost required for replacement while improving the usability. At this time, since the tear testing device 10 can also replace the air conditioning mechanism 45 when the tear testing optical unit 20 is replaced, the arrangement of the air conditioning mechanism 45 with respect to the tear testing optical unit 20 changes. The cooling performance of the illumination light source 21 and the interference camera 25 can be made appropriate.

  The tear test apparatus 10 includes the illumination light source 21 and the interference camera 25 provided above the eye E at the inspection position. For this reason, the tear test apparatus 10 can suppress the relatively large heat generated by the illumination light source 21 and the interference camera 25 from accelerating the drying of the tear layer of the eye E at the test position. The state of the tear film in the state can be appropriately acquired.

  Therefore, in the tear testing device 10 as one example of the tear testing device according to the present disclosure, the state of the tear film in a normal state can be appropriately acquired.

  As described above, the tear testing device of the present disclosure has been described based on the first embodiment. However, the specific configuration is not limited to the first embodiment, and the gist of the invention according to each claim in the claims is described. Changes and additions to the design are allowed as long as they do not deviate.

  For example, in the first embodiment, the measuring unit 12 having the above configuration is used. However, the measurement unit of the present disclosure projects the illumination light beam Fi from the illumination light source 21 to the eye E, receives the illumination light beam Fi reflected by the eye E by the interference camera 25, and receives the interference pattern image If. The present invention is not limited to the configuration of the first embodiment. In addition, the measurement unit 12 may have another configuration as long as it can acquire the state of the tear film of the eye E as described above, or may have a function of performing another test of the eye E as well. However, the present invention is not limited to the configuration of the first embodiment.

  In the first embodiment, the measurement unit 12 acquires the state of the tear film of the eye E in a monocular view. However, the tear testing apparatus according to the present disclosure may be configured such that the measuring units 12 are provided in pairs and acquire the state of the tear film of the eye E to be examined in a binocular vision state. The configuration is not limited.

  Further, in the first embodiment, attaching and detaching the tear test optical unit 20 (the housing attachment unit 42 that accommodates the tear test optical unit 20) to and from the light guide optical unit 30 (the housing body 41 that accommodates the light guide optical unit 30). Is possible. However, the light guide optical unit 30 (the housing main body 41) and the tear test optical unit 20 (the housing mounting unit 42) may be formed as an integrated structure, and the present invention is not limited to the structure of the first embodiment. In such a configuration, the air outlet 49 of the air conditioning mechanism 45 can be provided on the outer peripheral surface of a portion corresponding to the housing main body portion 41. The blowing direction may be set in the same manner as when providing. The air inlet 48 of the air-conditioning mechanism 45 can be provided on the outer peripheral surface of a portion corresponding to the housing body 41. A configuration that suppresses the formation of an air flow around E is desirable.

  In the first embodiment, the air conditioning mechanism 45 is configured as described above. However, as long as the air-conditioning mechanism 45 cools the illumination light source 21 and the interference camera 25 using the flow of air, the shape of the ventilation path 46 and the position where the blower 47 is provided may be appropriately set. The adjusting mechanism 35 of the optical optical unit 30, the anterior eye camera 38, and the like may be combined and cooled, and other configurations may be used. The configuration is not limited to the configuration of the first embodiment.

  In the first embodiment, the interference camera 25 in the tear test optical unit 20 acquires the interference pattern image If as described above. However, the interference camera 25 (the tear test optical unit 20) may use the reference light or another configuration as long as the tear film can be diagnosed using the interference light. However, the present invention is not limited to the configuration of the first embodiment. Here, when the reference light is used, an optical path for the reference light may be provided in the tear test optical unit 20 (the optical system), may be provided in the interference camera 25, and the light guide optical unit 30 may be provided. May be provided.

  In the first embodiment, the control unit 11 diagnoses the tear film (its state) based on each interference pattern image If acquired by the interference camera 25. However, as long as the interference pattern image If showing the state of the tear film is acquired by the interference camera 25, the interference pattern image If (the data or the like) may be output and diagnosed externally. The image If may be displayed to allow the examiner or the like to make a diagnosis, and is not limited to the configuration of the first embodiment.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Tear test | inspection apparatus 20 Tear test | inspection optical part 21 Light source for illumination 25 Interference camera 30 Light guide optical part 45 Air-conditioning mechanism 46 Ventilation path 47 Blower 49 Outlet E Eye to be examined Fi Illumination light flux If Interference pattern image Lg Light guide optical axis Li inspection optical axis

Claims (3)

An illumination light source for emitting an illumination light beam to be projected on the eye to be examined,
An interference camera that receives the illumination light source reflected by the eye to obtain an interference pattern image,
An air conditioning mechanism that forms a flow of air around the illumination light source and the interference camera,
The tear testing device, wherein the air-conditioning mechanism blows out air passing around the illumination light source and the interference camera to a side opposite to the subject's eye. The air conditioning mechanism has a ventilation path that passes around the illumination light source and the interference camera, and a blower that flows air into the ventilation path,
The tear testing device according to claim 1, wherein an outlet for blowing out the flowing air is directed to a side opposite to the eye to be examined in the ventilation path. The tear test apparatus according to claim 2,
Further, the illuminating light flux reflected from the eye to be inspected forms the interference pattern so that the illumination light flux is guided from the illumination light source to the eye to be inspected, and the illumination light flux reflected by the eye to be inspected is used for the interference. A light guiding optical section for guiding to a camera,
A tear fluid inspection optical unit that emits the illumination light beam from the illumination light source on an inspection optical axis and guides the illumination light beam reflected by the eye to be inspected on the inspection optical axis to the interference camera. ,
The tear test optical unit can be attached to the light guide optical unit with the test optical axis aligned with the light guide optical axis of the light guide optical unit, and can be removed from the light guide optical unit. And
The tear testing device, wherein the ventilation path is provided in the tear testing optical unit.