Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B3/00—Apparatus for testing the eyes; Instruments for examining the eyes
  • A61B3/10—Objective types, i.e. instruments for examining the eyes independent of the patients' perceptions or reactions
  • A61B3/12—Objective types, i.e. instruments for examining the eyes independent of the patients' perceptions or reactions for looking at the eye fundus, e.g. ophthalmoscopes
  • A61B3/125—Objective types, i.e. instruments for examining the eyes independent of the patients' perceptions or reactions for looking at the eye fundus, e.g. ophthalmoscopes with contact lenses
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B3/00—Apparatus for testing the eyes; Instruments for examining the eyes
  • A61B3/10—Objective types, i.e. instruments for examining the eyes independent of the patients' perceptions or reactions
  • A61B3/14—Arrangements specially adapted for eye photography
  • A61B3/145—Arrangements specially adapted for eye photography by video means

Definitions

• the eye imaging system of the present invention is designed to capture the image of the structures in the posterior chamber of the human eye, including the retina, and any structures within the same regions of the vitreous.
• Fundus cameras using 35 mm film have been used in the past for photographing the eye.
• the present imager provides super wide-angle viewing of the ocular fundus, with capability for color fundus imaging, fluorescein angiography and stereoimaging.
• the present imager can resolve approximately 80% of the retina and capture the image with consistent digital guality.
• the sharp digital resolution is important to the documentation of a patient's condition for diagnosis or before and after treatment especially for a series taken over an extended period of time.
• the present imager provides captured digital images which may be viewed and studied immediately on a monitor screen, stored digitally for later examination and comparison, and/or printed out via a printer for hard copy documentation, or sent through telephone lines via a modem.
• the present invention is directed to an eye imaging system having a console with an electrical power source, light source, light filters, viewing monitor, control keys and an output recorder.
• a hand held portable image capture unit is connected to the console by a connecting cable and includes a light fiber optic for transmitting light to the eye, imaging and focusing optics an iris diaphragm, and a charged coupled image device.
• the connecting cable has a control line, an electrical power cable, and a supply light fiber optic cable.
• optics include a removable condensing and primary corneal lens.
• Still a further object of the present invention is the provision of a Goldman lens for attachment in place of the primary corneal lens for anterior angular imaging.
• Still a further object of the present invention is wherein the imager includes a 40/150 degree variable lens.
• Yet another feature of the present invention is wherein the image detector includes an automatic exposure sensor.
• Still a further object is wherein the image detector includes an electronic focus.
• the recorder includes a digital memory storage.
• the image capture unit includes a coaxial fiber optic port for attachment of a light pipe for transcleral illumination.
• the console includes an tungsten light, a fiber optic port connected to the fiber optic cable and the connecting cable, a rotatable wheel positioned between the lamp and the port and the wheel including a plurality of light filters.
• Yet a still further object of the present invention is wherein the light fiber optic extends longitudinally through the image capture unit and outside of the optics.
• Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the present invention
• Figure 2 is a top elevational view of the apparatus of Figure 1
• Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the apparatus of Figure 1
• Figure 4 is a diagram of an image circuit of the components in the apparatus of Figure 1
• FIG. 5 is a diagram of the control circuit of the apparatus of Figure 1,
• FIG. 6 is a diagram of the power circuit of the apparatus of Figure 1,
• Figure 7 is a broken away view of the hand held imager of the present invention.
• Figure 8 is an exploded view of the components of the hand imager
• Figure 9 is a schematic elevational view, in cross section, of the imager on an eye at various lens settings
• Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view of the connecting cable between the console and the hand held unit of the present invention.
• Figure 11 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of the lens providing a 40 degree view in an eye
• Figure 12 is a view*similar to Figure 11 showing a 150 degree view of an eye
• Figure 13 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view with the primary lens system of the hand held imager removed and a Goldman lens attached
• Figure 13A is a schematic view of the passage of light through the Goldman lens of Figure 13,
• Figure 14 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of the primary lens of the hand held imager omitted for external imaging of an eye
• Figure 15 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of the portable imager of the present invention with the primary lens system removed and a light pipe attached for indirect illumination,
• Figure 16 is a diagrammatic elevational view of the light source and filter assembly in the console.
• Figure 17 is an end view of the apparatus of Figure 16.
• the reference numeral 10 generally indicates the eye imaging system of the present invention and generally includes a hand held portable image capture unit 12, a console 14 and a connecting cable 16.
• the console 14 generally includes an electrical power source 18 and a light source 20, light filters 22, control keys 24, a viewing monitor 26 and an output recorder such as a printer 28, a digital laser floppy disc 32, and/or a VHS recorder 30.
• the capture unit 12 includes a light fiber optics
• an imaging and focusing optics 36 which is a charged coupled image device such as a 0.5 charged coupled device (CCD) , which electronically captures the image for transmission to the monitor 26, the printer 28, the VCR and the floppy recorder 32.
• the CCD 38 includes an automatic exposure sensor and an electronic focus.
• the capture unit includes the CCD 38, the fiber optic cable 40 from the connecting cable 16, the imaging and focusing optics which include a condensing lens 42, a primary corneal contact lens 44, and a primary lens 46, collectively known as the primary lens system numbered 48, an iris diaphragm 50, and a movable variable lens
• the primary lens system 48 is releasably connected to the unit 12 and may be removed as will be more fully discussed hereinafter.
• the iris diaphragm 50 may be set in one of five F/stop settings ranging from F/4 to F/16 to control the depth of field for optimal visualization and imaging of the features of interest.
• the movable variable lens 52 effectively controls the field of view imaged on the CCD 38 and can be adjusted either by manual focusing knob on the outside of the image detector 12 or by an electrical remote control from the key pad control keys 24. It is to be noted from Figure 7 that the light from the fiber optic cable 40 pass through coaxial fiber optics 54 surrounding the primary optic lenses 48 and into a human eye 11.
• the connecting cable 16 includes the Quartz fiber optic cable 40, an electrical power cable 54 and a remote control cable 56.
• Figures 11 and 12 show the effects of the variable lens 42 which is retracted in Figure 11 to provide a 40 degree view of the human eye 11 and in Figure 11 shows a 150 degree span. While prior 35 mm cameras provided a 148 degree span, the expansion of the present field of view to 150 degrees is extremely important in locating other features in the human eye such as tumors.
• the primary lens system 48 has been removed and a Goldman lens 60 has been attached thereto which contains its own mirror 62 which allows close angle imaging in the interior chamber such as for tumor detector.
• a fiber optic cable port has a coaxial plug 64 into which a rigid light pipe 66 may be attached for providing transcleral illumination to the exterior of the eye which provides indirect illumination. This is useful in the adult eye that is either cataractous or dilates poorly.
• the illumination filter system is best seen in which a tungsten light 20 and a replacement lamp 20a is provided.
• a filter wheel 70 is driven by a motor 72 and contains a plurality of filters 74, 76, 78 and 80. When the wheel 70 is rotated between a lamp 20 and a fiber optic port 80, filtered light is sent out over the connecting cable 16 and the fiber optic cable 40.
• filters may be used such as yellow T, orange, red, fluorescein, or green.
• the inner regions of an eye 11 are illuminated directly through the cornea by light from the capture unit 12 placed on the eye.
• the operator may select the spectral composition of the illumination for either normal B & W or color imaging, red free viewing and imaging of the fundus, or deep blue stimulation of fluorescein for imaging and angiography.
• the illumination level of the light is set by adjusting the current to the lamp 20 or an iris diaphragm.
• the output image signal from the capture unit 12 is transmitted over the connecting cable 12 and digitally displayed upon the monitor 26 thereby allowing the operator to insure that the best view is obtained.
• the digital signal may be copied to long term digital storage on the computer floppy diskette 32 for later reference and/or computer manipulation or may be printed out on a color digital printer 28 for hard copy file documentation.
• the imager 10 can provided stored image for stereo imaging of structures of clinical interest in the eye.
• the present invention 10 is particularly advantageous as the hand held portable capture unit is particularly useful for bedridden patients or babies in incubators.
• the CCD 38 is advantageous over conventional 35 mm cameras as it requires less light and therefore less illumination of the interior of the eye. Excess light may cause damage (light toxicity) to the eye.
• the output from the CCD 38 is immediately shown on the monitor 26 and therefore good images can be preserved without trial and error.
• the digital output may be recorded, printed out, compared side-by-side, reworked, and less storage is required.
• the present eye imaging system can record retinal images in either color or monochromatic mode using 40 or 150 degree of view, a portable hand held system that allows super wide angle retinal documentation extending to 150 degrees, a system that allows all three views of the eye, mainly the external view, anterior and posterior chamber simply by changing the frontal lens.
• the present invention can store images in a time and space saving fashion while allowing telephone transfer of full color images via a modem anywhere in the world in a few seconds.
• the present low white light system requires no flash to record an image. This is a great advantage especially when concerned with photophobic patients or the fear of phototoxicity.
• this invention affords the recording of continuous VHS tape of any view that is captured by the ICU be it color, monochromatic or fluorescein angiography. This greatly enhances teaching capabilities to both the medical and patient population.
• the viewing monitor 26 may be Model CT-1382-VY sold by Panasonic.
• the output recorder 28 may be Model UP5200MD sold by Sony.
• the VCR 30 may be Model AG-2520SQPB sold by
• the floppy recorder 32 may be Model AG810 sold by Panasonic.
• the CCD 38 may be Model LX-450A sold by Optronics.
• the variable lens 52 may be Model VCL-1106XA sold by Sony.

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• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Heart & Thoracic Surgery (AREA)
• Molecular Biology (AREA)
• Biophysics (AREA)
• Ophthalmology & Optometry (AREA)
• Biomedical Technology (AREA)
• Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
• Medical Informatics (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Surgery (AREA)
• Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Public Health (AREA)
• Multimedia (AREA)
• Eye Examination Apparatus (AREA)

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Cited By (10)

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Citations (3)

• 1993
  • 1993-08-24 TW TW082106856A patent/TW286275B/zh active
  • 1993-10-26 IL IL107403A patent/IL107403A0/xx unknown
  • 1993-11-03 ZA ZA938193A patent/ZA938193B/xx unknown
  • 1993-11-04 AU AU55939/94A patent/AU5593994A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1993-11-04 WO PCT/US1993/010704 patent/WO1994010900A1/en active Application Filing
  • 1993-11-06 CN CN93114602A patent/CN1089123A/zh active Pending

Patent Citations (3)

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