JP2580500B2 - Corneal endothelial cell imaging system - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to corneal endothelial cell imaging.
Apparatus , in particular, corneal endothelial cells for irradiating illumination light toward the cornea of the eye to be observed and photographing a corneal endothelial cell image of the eye to be examined
The present invention relates to an imaging device .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a corneal endothelial cell photographing apparatus for observing and photographing a corneal endothelial cell image of a subject's eye, a corneal lens is placed on the corneal surface of the subject's eye after eye anesthesia is applied to the eye of a subject (patient). There is known a contact type in which a corneal endothelium image is observed and photographed by contacting the corneal endothelium. This contact type has a problem that the cornea surface is damaged. In addition, it takes time to disinfect the cone lens. Therefore, a non-contact type in which an optical attachment for corneal endothelium observation is attached to a slit lamp to observe and photograph a corneal endothelial cell image has been developed.

In this non-contact type corneal endothelial cell photographing apparatus , the relative positional relationship between the eye to be examined and the apparatus optical system (apparatus main body) is roughly adjusted by eye measurement, and then illumination light from an observation illumination light source is applied to the cornea. There is known a device which irradiates the corneal endothelial cells obliquely toward the eye and focuses on a corneal endothelial cell through an eyepiece lens based on the reflected light beam from the cornea. It is also known that a subject focuses while viewing the corneal endothelial cells displayed on a monitor.

[0004]

By the way, the thickness of the cornea is thin and it is necessary to observe the corneal endothelial cells at a high magnification in order to observe them. Further, although the eye to be examined constantly performs fixation micromotion, the corneal endothelial cell image is largely shaken by the fixation micromotion because the magnification is high. Therefore, the non-contact type requires considerable skill to observe and photograph corneal endothelial cells.

[0005] Further, when photographing a corneal endothelial cell image, the photographing switch must be operated simultaneously with focusing.
It requires considerable skill to operate the photographing switch simultaneously with the focusing of the corneal endothelial cells.

Further, in the alignment operation of the apparatus body with respect to the cornea, an appropriate absolute positional relationship between the eye to be examined and the apparatus optical system is not determined, and the reflection from the corneal endothelial cell image itself or the corneal surface appearing beside it. You will be observing a dark state where you can't see anything until you search for the luminous flux, so it depends greatly on the examiner's intuition and experience.

In addition, since alignment often takes a long time, the subject is forced to keep his / her eyes open for a long time from the time when the subject is focused to the time when the imaging is completed. .

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and enables automatic alignment of the apparatus optical system with respect to the eye to be inspected in the vertical and horizontal directions and in the front and rear directions, thereby performing alignment without requiring the examiner to be skilled. Inside the cornea that can reduce the burden on the examiner and the subject
An object of the present invention is to provide a skin cell imaging device .

[0009]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for reflecting light on a surface of a cornea of an eye to be examined.
The device body and the eye angle to be inspected based on the alignment light beam
An alignment detection sensor that detects the vertical and horizontal alignment with the membrane, and an oblique direction toward the cornea of the eye
The illuminated illuminating light beam is extracted based on the reflected
Then, the focused state of the device body and the corneal endothelium in the front-rear direction
A focus state detection sensor for detecting the alignment
Up, down, left and right of the eye to be examined based on the output result of the detection sensor
The eye to be inspected and the device
A driving unit for performing alignment with the main body, and the focusing state detection.
Based on the output result of the output sensor.
And a driving unit for driving the apparatus main body to align the subject's eye with the apparatus main body.

Further, in the invention according to claim 2, the focusing is performed.
Illumination light source for shooting based on the output result of the state detection sensor
Is to automatically emit light.

[0011]

Next, corneal endothelial cell imaging of the present invention will be described.
The embodiment of the apparatus will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 28.

(Embodiment 1) FIGS. 1 to 24 show Embodiment 1 according to the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a device optical system of the corneal endothelial cell photographing apparatus . In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes an anterior segment observation optical system for observing the anterior segment of the eye E to be examined.

The anterior segment observation optical system 1 includes a half mirror 2,
It is composed of an objective lens 3, a half mirror 4, an optical path switching mirror 5, and a CCD 6, and O1 is its optical axis. The anterior segment of the eye E is illuminated by the anterior segment illumination light source 7. The half mirror 2 constitutes a part of an alignment optical system 8 as an alignment index light projection unit.

As shown in FIG. 2, the alignment optical system 8 has an alignment light source 9, a pinhole plate 10, a projection lens 11, a diaphragm 12, and a half mirror 13. The pinhole plate 10 is disposed at the focal point of the projection lens 11, and the alignment index light transmitted through the pinhole plate 10 is converted into a parallel light beam by the projection lens 11 and guided to the half mirror 2 via the half mirror 13. The parallel light beam is reflected by the half mirror 2 and guided to the cornea C. The half mirror 13 forms a part of the fixation target projection optical system 14.

The fixation target projection optical system 14 includes a left-eye projection system 15 and a right-eye projection system 16 as shown in FIG.

The projection system 15 for the left eye and the projection system 16 for the right eye
In the right eye, as shown in FIG. 3B, the eyeball optical axis O2 of the subject's eye E and the visual axis S1 are inclined 5 ° to the right, while This is because, as shown in FIG. 3C, the eyeball optical axis O2 and the visual axis S1 are inclined to the left by 5 °. The projection system 15 for the left eye and the projection system 16 for the right eye each include a fixation target light source 17 and a pinhole plate 1.
8. Optical member 1 for presenting a plurality of fixation target light sources 17
9. It has a projection lens 20.

The fixation target light source 17 is automatically turned on for the right eye at the time of the right eye examination and automatically for the left eye at the time of the left eye examination in conjunction with the movement of the apparatus main body H described later. Is lit. The fixation target light from the fixation target projection optical system 14 passes through the half mirror 13 and the half mirror 2,
It is led to. At this time, the fixation target light is reflected a plurality of times on the reflection surfaces 19a and 19b of the optical member 19,
A plurality of fixation target light source images are presented to the eye E. The examinee fixes the fixation target light source image corresponding to the diopter, and performs the alignment adjustment while fixing the fixation target light source image.

The alignment light beam K is reflected by the surface T of the cornea C as shown in FIG. The alignment light beam K is reflected by the surface T so as to form a bright spot image R at an intermediate position between the corneal vertex P and the corneal curvature center O3. The reflected light beam is guided to the objective lens 3 via the half mirror 2.

A part of the reflected light beam guided to the objective lens 3 is reflected by the half mirror 4, and the remaining light beam passes through the half mirror 4. The light beam reflected by the half mirror 4 is guided to an alignment detection sensor 4 'as an alignment image receiving element.

The alignment detecting sensor 4 'is used as a criterion for switching the optical path by the optical path switching mirror 5. As the alignment detection sensor 4 ', for example, a position sensor (PSD) described later, such as a sensor capable of detecting a position, is used.

The optical path switching mirror 5 is always retracted from the optical path of the anterior ocular segment observation optical system 1. The optical path switching mirror 5 has a light shielding surface 5a on one surface and a total reflection surface 5b on the other surface. The light beam that has passed through the half mirror 4 is guided to the CCD 6 to form an image, and a bright spot image is formed on the CCD 6. The half mirror 4 reflects a light beam from the alignment pattern projection optical system 21.

The alignment pattern projection optical system 21 includes:
It is schematically composed of an alignment pattern light source 22, an alignment pattern plate 23, and a projection lens 24.

An annular pattern is formed on the alignment pattern plate 23. The pattern forming light beam forming the annular pattern is reflected by the half mirror 4 and
The image is guided to the CD 6 and an annular pattern image is formed on the CCD 6.

The CCD 6 is connected to a monitor device (not shown), and a screen 25 of the monitor device displays an anterior eye image 26 of the eye E as shown in FIG. Further, an annular pattern image 27 is displayed. Set to manual shooting mode
In this case, the apparatus main body H is swung up and down (Y direction) and left and right (X direction) such that the light beam reflected by the cornea C and forming the bright spot image R ′ is located at the center of the annular pattern image 27. To adjust the alignment, and the optical axis O of the eye E of the subject's eye E
2 and the device optical axis O1. Further, the working distance is set by shifting the apparatus main body H back and forth (Z direction) with respect to the eye E to be examined.

On both sides of the anterior segment observation optical system 1, an illumination optical system 28 and an observation and photographing optical system 29 are provided. The illumination optical system 28 illuminates the cornea C of the eye E with an illumination light beam from an oblique direction.

The illumination optical system 28 includes an illumination light source 3 for observation.
0, a condenser lens 31, an infrared filter 31 ', an illumination light source 32 for photographing, a condenser lens 33, a slit plate 34, and a light projecting lens 35. The illumination light source 30 and the illumination light source 32 are conjugate with respect to the condenser lens 31.

As the illumination light source 30, a halogen lamp is used, and as the illumination light source 32, a xenon lamp is used. The light beam emitted from the illumination light source 30 is once converged at the position where the illumination light source 32 is disposed via the condenser lens 31 and the infrared filter 31 '. This infrared light flux is guided to the condenser lens 33 as if it were emitted from the illumination light source 32. The infrared light beam condensed by the condenser lens 33 is transmitted to the slit plate 3
It is led to 4. An elongated rectangular slit 36 is formed in the slit plate 34. The infrared light beam passes through the slit 36 and is guided to the light projecting lens 35.

Reference numeral 35 'denotes an optical member for correcting an optical path length.
FIG. 1 shows a state of being inserted into the optical path when observing endothelial cells.
When taking a picture with visible light, it is retracted to correct the optical path length, so that it is constituted by a convex lens. On the other hand, if the optical member 35 'is not inserted into the optical path during observation but is to be inserted at the time of photographing, a parallel plane plate or a concave lens may be used. The insertion position of the optical member 35 ′ is out of the illustrated position.
5 and the cornea C may be provided. When the alignment is completed, the slit plate 34 and the cornea C are substantially conjugate with respect to the light projecting lens 35, and the cornea C is irradiated with a slit light beam. This slit light beam crosses the cornea C from the surface T toward the inside.

The light source unit including the illumination light source 30, the condenser lens 31, the infrared filter 31 ', the illumination light source 32, and the condenser lens 33 may be arranged as shown in FIG. In FIG. 6, reference numeral 37 denotes a dichroic mirror;
Is a concave reflecting mirror. The dichroic mirror 37 is disposed between the condenser lens 31 and the slit plate 34, and transmits infrared light and reflects visible light.

The observation / photographing optical system 29 generally comprises an objective lens 40, a half mirror 41, a mask 42, a relay lens 43, a mirror 44, a variable power lens 45, a focusing lens 46, and an optical path switching mirror 5.

The optical path switching mirror 5 is used for the anterior ocular segment observation optical system 1 based on the detection output of the alignment detection sensor 4 '.
Automatically inserted into the optical path of When the alignment is completed, the mask 42 and the cornea C are almost conjugate with respect to the objective lens 40.

The slit light beam is scattered and reflected by the cornea C. FIG. 7 shows the state of the scattered reflection. Part of the slit light beam is first reflected on the corneal surface T, which is the interface between the air and the cornea C. The light amount of the scattered reflected light beam L from the corneal surface T is the largest. The amount of the scattered reflected light beam M from the corneal endothelial cell N is relatively small. The light amount of the reflected light beam L 'from the corneal stroma M' is the smallest. The scattered reflected light flux M is condensed by the objective lens 40 and guided to the half mirror 41 via the optical path length correction member 40 '.

As shown in FIG. 1, the optical path length correcting member 40 'is inserted into the optical path during observation with infrared illumination light, and is retracted from the optical path when photographing with visible light. At this time, a convex lens is used as the optical path length correction member 40 '. Conversely, a parallel plane plate or a concave lens is inserted into the optical path as an optical path length correction member 40 'at the time of photographing to form a corneal endothelial cell image at a reference position, and the optical path correction member 40' is moved at the time of observation. It is also possible to evacuate from. The optical path length correcting member 43 ', which will be described later, has the same movement and shape as the optical path length correcting member 40', and is inserted at the position shown in FIG. The same effect can be obtained between the half mirror 41 and the mask 42 and between the focusing lens 46 and the optical path switching mirror 5.

A part of the scattered reflected light beam is reflected by the half mirror 41 and is reflected by the line sensor 4 as a focused image receiving element.
It is led to 7. Further, the scattered reflected light beam that has passed through the half mirror 41 is guided to the mask 42, and a corneal cross-sectional image including the corneal endothelial cells N is formed at the position where the mask 42 is provided.

The mask 42 plays a role of blocking extra reflected light beams other than forming a corneal endothelial cell image. The scattered reflected light beam forming the corneal endothelial cell image is transmitted to the optical path length correction member 4.
3 ', relay lens 43, mirror 44, variable power lens 4
5. After being guided to the optical path switching mirror 5 through the focusing lens 46 and reflected by the optical path switching mirror 5, CC
An image is formed on D6. On the screen 25, a corneal endothelial cell image 48 is displayed as shown in FIG. In FIG. 8, 4
Reference numeral 9 denotes an optical image formed by a light beam reflected from the corneal surface T if the light is not shielded by the mask 42, and reference numeral 50 denotes an optical image by a scattered reflected light beam from the corneal substance M '.

The line sensor 47 is arranged as shown in FIG. 9B with respect to the sectional direction of the cornea C, and the intensity distribution of the scattered reflected light beam is as shown in FIG. 9A. In FIG. 9A, reference numeral U denotes a peak due to a scattered reflected light beam scattered and reflected on the surface T of the cornea C.
Symbol V is the peak of the endothelial cell portion of cornea C. The peak U corresponds to the light image 49, and the peak V corresponds to the light image 48.

The outputs of the elements at each address of the line sensor 47 are input to a focus judging circuit 47 'as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 9A, the in-focus determination circuit 47 'stores all the signals including the peak U and the peak V and performs an arithmetic processing to determine the address of the peak V. Then, the focus determination circuit 47 ′ determines whether or not the address L of the peak V matches the center address Q of the line sensor 47.

When the apparatus main body H is moved toward and away from the anterior segment of the eye E (the apparatus optical system is moved in the Z direction), the address L of the peak V moves. The apparatus main body H is designed so that the corneal endothelial cells are focused when the address L of the peak V coincides with the center address Q. When the address L of the peak V coincides with the center address Q, the focusing judgment circuit 47 'outputs a photographing signal to the photographing light source light emission control circuit 32',
As a result, the illumination light source 32 emits light, and the subject's eye E is illuminated, and photographing is automatically performed.

As shown in FIG. 10, the line sensor 47 is disposed in a direction perpendicular to the thickness of the cornea C, and the detection output W of the corneal endothelial cell image 48 based on the contrast is shown in FIG.
The illumination light source 32 may automatically emit light at a predetermined level V1 or higher as shown in FIG.

The anterior segment observation optical system 1, the illumination optical system 28, and the observation / photographing optical system 29 are housed in an apparatus body case 52 as shown in FIG.

In FIG. 12, reference numeral 53 denotes a base having a built-in power supply. At the upper part of the base 53, a gantry 54 is provided so as to be movable back and forth and left and right by operating a control lever 54a. The control lever 54a is provided with a photographing switch 54b, which is used in the manual photographing mode. A motor 55 and a support 56 are provided on an upper portion of the gantry 54.

The motor 55 and the support 56 are connected to a pinion rack (not shown), and the support 56 is moved up and down by the motor 55. A table 57 is provided at the upper end of the support 56.

The table 57 is provided with a support column 58 and a motor 59. A table 60 is slidably provided at the upper end of the column 58. At the rear end of the table 60, a rack 61 is provided as shown in FIG. A pinion 62 is provided on the output shaft of the motor 59, and the pinion 62 is engaged with the rack 61. Further, a motor 63 and a support column 64 are provided on the upper portion of the table 60. The output shaft of the motor 63 is provided with a pinion 65. The device main body case 52 is slidably provided on the upper part of the support column 64. A rack 66 is provided on the side of the apparatus main body case 52. Rack 66 is pinion 65
Is engaged. In FIG. 13, reference numeral 6a denotes a signal processing unit.

The motor 55 is connected to the apparatus main body H with respect to the eye E to be examined.
The motor 59 is used for automatically aligning the apparatus body H with respect to the eye E in the X direction, and the motor 63 is used for automatically aligning the apparatus body H with respect to the eye E. Are automatically performed in the Z direction, and these can be operated in the automatic photographing mode.

That is, a motor 55 and a pinion rack (not shown) for connecting the motor 55 and the support 56,
The motor 59, the pinion 62, and the rack 61 constitute alignment driving means for the apparatus optical system in the up, down, left, and right directions with respect to the eye E to be driven, which is driven in conjunction with the image receiving result of the alignment detection sensor 4 '. The pinion 65 and the pinion 65 constitute focusing drive means for the apparatus optical system in the front-rear direction with respect to the subject's eye E driven in conjunction with the image reception result of the line sensor 47.

In this automatic photographing mode, the user operates the control lever 54a while looking at the anterior eye image 26 displayed on the screen 25 by the anterior eye observation optical system 1, and operates the bright spot image R '.
Can be clearly seen, and the gantry 54 is roughly operated so that the bright spot image R ′ approaches the predetermined annular circle 27. Thereby, the scattered reflected light beam forming the bright spot image R 'is guided to the alignment detection sensor 4'.

The X-direction position information and the Y-direction position information of the bright spot image R 'are detected by the alignment detecting sensor 4'. The X-direction position information and the Y-direction position information are input to an image switching circuit 4 ″ as image switching means.

The image switching circuit 4 ″ is, for example, as shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 7, an XY alignment detecting circuit 67 and a mirror driving circuit 68 are provided.

The XY alignment detection circuit 67 determines whether or not the alignment in the X direction and the alignment in the Y direction have been completed. For example, when the XY alignment is completed while the optical path switching mirror 5 is retracted from the optical path of the anterior ocular segment observation optical system 1, the XY alignment signal of “High” is sent to the mirror driving circuit 68. If the XY alignment is not completed, the XY alignment signal of “Low” is output to the mirror driving circuit 68.

When the "High" XY alignment signal is output to the mirror drive circuit 68, the optical path switching mirror 5 is driven to be inserted into the optical path of the anterior ocular segment observation optical system 1 and "Lo"
When the XY alignment signal of w ″ is output to the mirror drive circuit 68, the optical path switching mirror 5 maintains the state of being retracted from the optical path of the anterior ocular segment observation optical system 1. Further, the optical path switching mirror 5 performs the anterior ocular segment observation. When the XY alignment signal of “Low” is output to the mirror driving circuit 68 while being inserted into the optical path of the optical system 1, the optical path switching mirror 5 is driven again to retreat from the optical path of the anterior ocular segment observation optical system 1. Is done.

The X-direction position information and the Y-direction position information of the alignment detecting sensor 4 'are inputted to an alignment judging circuit (not shown). This alignment judging circuit uses X
Optical axis O1 of the device optical system from the X direction based on the direction position information
Drives the motor 59 so as to approach the eyeball optical axis O2 of the eye E, and based on the Y direction position information, the motor 59 moves the optical axis O1 of the apparatus optical system from the Y direction toward the eyeball optical axis O2 of the eye E. 55 is driven. The table 60 is slid in the X direction by a motor 59, and the table 57 is moved in the Y direction by a motor 55. The optical axis O1 of the apparatus optical system and the optical axis of the eye E of the eye E are automatically detected based on the alignment detection sensor 4 '. Alignment with O2 is performed.

On the other hand, the motor 63 moves the apparatus main body case 52 in the Z direction so that the address L of the peak V detected by the one-dimensional line sensor 47 coincides with the center address Q. Thereby, the alignment of the apparatus optical system with respect to the subject's eye E is automatically completed, and imaging of the corneal endothelial cells N is performed.

Incidentally, the image switching means 4 "is not limited to the above embodiment.

For example, the image switching means 4 "of the modification shown in FIG. 15 includes a pair of absolute value circuits 82a and 82b, level detectors 83a and 83b, level output devices 84a and 84b, an AND circuit 85, and a flip-flop circuit 86. , A mirror driving circuit 68.

The absolute value circuits 82a and 82b correspond to FIG.
The positive or negative output voltage at the time of the X-axis and Y-axis alignment operations detected by the alignment detection sensor 4 'is converted into an absolute output voltage value.

Each level signal from the level output units 84a and 84b output to the level detectors 83a and 83b is set to be larger than the annular pattern image 27 displayed on the screen 25 as shown in FIG. This corresponds to the alignment area e1 of the bright spot image R 'and the alignment area e2 of the bright spot image R' set to be smaller than the annular pattern image 27. In FIG. 17, the annular pattern image 2
7 is shown for comparison, and is not actually required in this embodiment.

At the time of the alignment operation, the area in the alignment state is set small, and the bright spot image R 'is set in the area e.
The optical path switching mirror 5 is driven and does not retreat from the optical path as long as the bright spot image R 'is located in the area e2 when the subject's eye is slightly displaced while the alignment state is set when the position is 1. It is like that.

FIG. 18 shows a second modification of the image switching circuit 4 "as the image switching means. The image switching circuit 4" includes an XY alignment detecting circuit 67 and a mirror driving circuit 68. And delay timer circuit 6
9 is provided.

The XY alignment signal from the XY alignment detection circuit 67 is "H".
from “high” to “Low” or from “Low” to “H”
Even if it changes to "high", the drive of the optical path switching mirror 5 is delayed within a predetermined time set in the delay timer circuit 69, and the mirror position before the signal change is maintained.

FIG. 19 shows a third modification of the image switching circuit 4 "as the image switching means.
The image switching circuit 4 ″ includes an XY alignment detecting circuit 67 and a mirror driving circuit 68, and has a pair of holding timer circuits 70a and 70b and a holding timer circuit 70.
and an inverter 71 for inverting the input signal b.

The holding timer circuits 70a and 70b
When the output of the XY alignment signal from the alignment detection circuit 67 is "High", the holding timer circuit 70
The driving of the optical path switching mirror 5 is delayed by a predetermined time by a, and when the output of the XY alignment signal from the XY alignment detection circuit 67 is "Low", the driving of the optical path switching mirror 5 is delayed by a predetermined time by the holding timer circuit 70b. It is composed.

FIG. 20 shows a fourth modification of the image switching circuit 4 "as the image switching means.
The image switching circuit 4 ″ includes an XY alignment detection circuit 67 and a mirror driving circuit 68, includes a lock switch 72 and an OR circuit 73, and switches an optical path according to an XY alignment signal output from the XY alignment detection circuit 67. The mirror 5 is driven, and the driving of the optical path switching mirror 5 by the mirror driving circuit 68 is stopped by a lock signal from the lock switch 72, so that the optical path switching mirror 5 can be driven by a manual operation. .

FIG. 21 shows a fifth modification of the image switching circuit 4 "as the image switching means.
The image switching circuit 4 ″ includes an XY alignment detection circuit 67 and a mirror driving circuit 68, and also includes an imaging illumination driving circuit 74 and an anterior segment illumination driving circuit 75.

The photographing illumination driving circuit 74 and the anterior eye illumination driving circuit 75 turn on the light of the imaging illumination light source 32 and the anterior eye illumination light source 7 in synchronization with the driving of the optical path switching mirror 5.
It is configured to perform N / OFF control.

FIG. 22 shows a sixth modification of the image switching means 4 ". In the figure, the image switching means 4"
A switch circuit 76 and a mirror drive circuit 68 are provided.

The switch circuit 76 is electrically connected to a manual image changeover switch (not shown), performs an alignment operation while looking at the anterior ocular segment image 26 on the screen 25, and operates the manual image changeover switch when the XY alignment is completed. Thus, the optical path switching mirror 5 is driven.

FIGS. 23 and 24 show a seventh modification of the image switching means 4 ". In the figure, the image switching means 4" outputs a signal from the XY alignment detection circuit 67 to the delay timer 81. On the other hand, the output signal of the element of each address of the line sensor 47 input to the focus determination circuit 47 'is guided to the AND circuit 82 via the delay timer 83, and both signals are inputted to the AND circuit 82. The configuration is such that the optical path switching mirror 5 is driven via the mirror driving circuit 68 only when guided to 82.

Thus, when the vertical alignment has been continued for a certain period of time, the focus determination circuit 4
The optical path is switched only when a certain signal (for example, a signal based on light reflected from the surface of the cornea, such as a signal based on light reflected from the surface of the cornea, is not limited to a signal from the endothelium) continues for a certain period of time, and an alignment state at a better position is achieved. The image can be switched only when

When the intensity distribution of the scattered and reflected light beams from the line sensor 47 arranged as shown in FIG. 24B becomes as shown in FIG.
If it exceeds the arbitrary slice level SL shown in (a), it is determined that any signal is present in the focus determination circuit 47 '. At this time, it is assumed that the illumination light source 30 is lit from the beginning.

(Embodiment 2) FIG. 25 shows Embodiment 2 of the corneal endothelial cell photographing apparatus according to the present invention, in which a dichroic mirror 77 is used instead of the optical path switching mirror 5. . In this case, an infrared light source is used as the illumination light source 7 for observing the anterior segment shown in FIG. 1, the alignment index light and the pattern forming light beam are set to infrared light, and the alignment index reflected by the cornea C is used. The configuration is such that the light beam and the light beam reflected by the anterior segment are transmitted, and the slit light beam reflected by the cornea C is reflected. On the screen 25, switching from the anterior ocular segment image 26 to the corneal endothelial cell image 48 is performed by turning off the illumination light source 7, the alignment light source 9, and the alignment pattern light source 22. It is also effective to insert a shutter (not shown) in one optical path while using the other optical path, for example, immediately before the dichroic mirror 69 or the like.

(Embodiment 3) FIGS. 26 to 28 show corneal endothelial cell imaging according to the present invention.
9 shows a third embodiment of the device . In the figure, the same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals as in the first embodiment, and the description thereof will be omitted.

In FIG. 26, the anterior ocular segment observation optical system 1 includes:
Half mirror 2, objective lens 3, half mirror 4, CC
The observation and photographing optical system 29 is generally constituted by an objective lens 40, a half mirror 41, a mask 42, a relay lens 43, and a second CCD 6 '.

A part of the reflected light beam guided to the objective lens 3 is reflected by the half mirror 4, and the remaining light beam passes through the half mirror 4 and is received by the CCD 6. The light beam reflected by the half mirror 4 is guided to an alignment detection sensor 4 'as light receiving means. The XY alignment signal from the alignment detection sensor 4 'is output to the image switching circuit 4 ".

The scattered reflected light beam forming the corneal endothelial cell image is collected by the relay lens 43 and is imaged on the second CCD 6 '.

The anterior ocular segment image and the corneal endothelial cell image received by the CCD 6 and the second CCD 6 'are passed through frame memories 78 and 79 as shown in FIG.
And the anterior ocular segment image and the corneal endothelial cell image synthesized by the image synthesis circuit 80 are displayed on the screen 25 ′ of the monitor device via the D / A converter 81.

The screen 25 'has a large screen 25a and a small screen 25b.
And As shown in FIG. 28A, the screen 25 'displays the anterior ocular segment image 26 on the large screen 25a and the out-of-focus corneal endothelial cell image 48 on the small screen 25b before the XY alignment is completed. You. Then, when the XY alignment is completed, X is detected from the alignment detection sensor 4 '.
When the Y alignment signal is output to the image switching circuit 4 ″, the screen 2 is changed by the image switching signal from the image switching circuit 4 ″.
The display state of No. 5 is reversed as shown in FIG.

Thus, the corneal endothelial cell imaging device of the present invention
In the location, after the alignment operation of the outline
Is more accurate positioning while observing the anterior segment of the subject's eye
Can be performed automatically and quickly.

[0079]

The corneal endothelial cell photographing apparatus according to the present invention comprises:
With the configuration as described above, it is possible to perform automatic alignment of the apparatus main body with respect to the subject's eye in the up-down, left-right, and front-rear directions, so that alignment can be performed without skill of the examiner. Can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of an optical system showing an embodiment of a corneal endothelial cell photographing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an alignment optical system according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a fixation target projection optical system according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a reflection state of an alignment index light beam according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a display state of an anterior eye image.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing another example of the light source unit of the illumination optical system according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a reflection state of a slit light beam on the cornea.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a reflection state of a corneal endothelial cell image.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a relationship between a corneal endothelial cell image and the amount of light received by a line sensor.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an arrangement state of a line sensor for an image of a corneal endothelial cell.

11 is a diagram showing an output state from the line sensor shown in FIG.

FIG. 12 is a side view showing the overall configuration of a corneal endothelial cell imaging apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a plan view partially showing a corneal endothelial cell imaging apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a block diagram illustrating an example of an image switching circuit according to the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a block diagram showing a modification of the image switching circuit.

FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram of an alignment detection sensor.

FIG. 17 is also XY by an alignment detection sensor.
It is a front view of the monitor which shows the screen display state at the time of the alignment operation.

FIG. 18 is a block diagram showing a second modification of the image switching circuit of the present invention.

FIG. 19 is a block diagram showing a third modification of the image switching circuit.

FIG. 20 is a block diagram showing a fourth modification of the image switching circuit.

FIG. 21 is a block diagram showing a fifth modification of the image switching circuit.

FIG. 22 is a block diagram showing a sixth modification of the image switching circuit.

FIG. 23 is a block diagram showing a seventh modification of the image switching circuit.

FIG. 24 is a diagram illustrating a relationship between a corneal endothelial cell image and a light amount received by a line sensor according to a seventh modification.

FIG. 25 is a view showing a corneal endothelial cell imaging apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention, in which a dichroic mirror is used instead of the optical path switching mirror shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 26 is an explanatory diagram of an optical system showing a third embodiment of the corneal endothelial cell imaging apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 27 is a block diagram showing an image switching circuit.

28A is a diagram showing a screen display state during a ZY alignment operation, and FIG. 28B is a diagram showing a screen display state in a corneal endothelial cell image observation state.

[Description of Signs] E: Eye to be inspected 4 '... Alignment detection sensor 47 ... Line sensor (focus state detection sensor) 55 ... Motor 59 ... Motor 61 ... Rack 62 ... Pinion 63 ... Motor 65 ... Pinion 66 ... Rack

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. Alignment reflected on the surface of a cornea of a subject's eye
Up and down and left and right between the device body and the cornea to be examined based on the light flux
Alignment detection sensor that detects the alignment state of the orientation, and illumination light illuminated obliquely toward the cornea of the subject's eye
Based on the reflected light beam obtained by obliquely taking out the light beam,
A focus state detection sensor for detecting a focus state of the body and the corneal endothelium in the front-rear direction, and an output of the alignment detection sensor.
Based on the force result, the device
The main body is driven to align the subject's eye with the main body.
Driving means for performing focusing, and an output of the focusing state detection sensor.
A corneal endothelial cell, comprising: driving means for driving the device main body in the front-back direction of the subject's eye based on the result to align the subject's eye with the device main body.
Cell photography equipment . 2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of :
2. The corneal endothelial cell imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the imaging illumination light source automatically emits light .