Computerized testing and determination of a visual field of a patient

• US 10,398,304 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2018
• Issued: 09/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Visibly, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Visibly, Inc.
• Inventors: Lee, Steven P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sahle, Mahidere S
• Application Number:
  US15/903,919
• Publication Number:
  US 20180192869A1
• Time in Patent Office: 557 Days
• Field of Search: 351211, 351237, 351239, 351246
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/0025 characterised by electronic signal processing, e.g. eye models
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/0041 characterised by display arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/0058 for multiple images
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/024 for determining the visual field, e.g. perimeter types
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/032 Devices for presenting test symbols or characters, e.g. test chart projectors A61B3/036 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/036 for testing astigmatism
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/103 for determining refraction, e.g. refractometers, skiascopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/107 for determining the shape or measuring the curvature of the cornea
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/111 for measuring interpupillary distance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/14 Arrangements specially adapted for eye photography apparatus or arrangements for taking photographs per se G03B
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/18 Arrangement of plural eye-testing or -examining apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 13/005 Measuring geometric parameters required to locate ophtalmic lenses in spectacles frames apparatus for testing or instruments for examining the eyes per se A61B3/00; machines or devices and accessories for grinding the edges of lenses using spectacles as a template B24B9/144

Abstract

The present disclosure relates generally to systems and method for testing and determining corrective lens prescription for a patient. In an example embodiment, a method includes using a hand-portable first electronic device, a second electronic device with a computerized screen, and a server to conduct a vision test for a person. The vision test includes determining, an axis prescription, a cylinder prescription, and a sphere prescription for each eye of the person. A corrective lens prescription is provided for the person based, at least in part, on the determined axis, cylinder, and sphere prescription for each eye of the person.

Claims

1. A method for determining a corrective lenses prescription for a person by performing a vision test without the use of a refractor lens assembly using a hand-portable first electronic device, a second electronic device that is associated with a computerized screen, and a server, the method comprising:

receiving, in the server, vision information associated with the person, said vision information including at least one of a previous corrective lens prescription of the person, a date of birth of the person, or an age of the person;

specifying, via at least one of the hand-portable first electronic device or the second electronic device, a distance for the person to be positioned away from the computerized screen;

enabling, via the server, the person to use the hand-portable first electronic device to interact with the second electronic device to perform the vision test by causing the hand-portable first electronic device to prompt the person to access, using the second electronic device, a webpage that is related to the server to view a unique identifier provided by the webpage, and causing the hand-portable first electronic device to prompt the person for entry, into the hand-portable first electronic device, of the unique identifier that is displayed by the second electronic device, the first and the second electronic devices being separate from each other and separately communicatively coupled to the server;

receiving, in the server, data corresponding to inputs submitted by the person using the hand-portable first electronic device in response to the vision test displayed, at least in part, on the computerized screen of the second electronic device;

determining, an axis prescription, a cylinder prescription, and a sphere prescription for each eye of the person based at least in part on each of (i) said data, (ii) the previous corrective lens prescription of the person, and (iii) one or more inputs of one or more optometrists or ophthalmologists; and

providing a corrective lens prescription for the person based, at least in part, on the determined axis, cylinder, and sphere prescription for each eye of the person,

wherein determining the axis prescription for each eye of the person comprises;

separately for each eye of the person, displaying one or more axis figures on the computerized screen of the second electronic device, and enabling the person to provide at least one axis figure input using the hand-portable first electronic device,

using the at least one axis figure input provided in response to each of the one or more axis figures,

wherein determining the sphere prescription for each eye of the person comprises;

separately for each eye of the person displaying one or more sphere figures to the person on the computerized screen of the second electronic device and enabling the person to provide at least one sphere figure input using the hand-portable first electronic device, and

using information pertaining to the one or more displayed sphere figures, the at least one sphere figure input, and the distance of the person from the computerized screen,

wherein determining the cylinder prescription for each eye of the person comprises;

using at least one cylinder figure input from at least one of the at least one axis figure input or the at least one sphere figure input of the person in response to the one or more axis figures or the one or more sphere figures and the previous corrective lens prescription of the person.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, in the server, account credentials associated with an account of the person and associating, at the server, at least one of the first and the second electronic devices with the account based, at least in part, on receipt of said account credentials from said device.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising associating at least one of the first and the second electronic devices with the account based, at least in part, upon receipt by the server of a response from said device to a message or link previously sent by the server to said device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the server causes the person via the first or the second electronic device to perform a calibration step to provide any of the server, the hand-portable first electronic device, or the second electronic device with information regarding a property or parameter of the hand-portable first electronic device, the second electronic device, or the computerized screen, said calibration step including use of a credit card or another reference object of known dimensions.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a first distance of the person from the computerized screen and guiding the person from the first distance to the specified distance from the computerized screen.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising verifying that the person remains at the specified distance from the computerized screen during a first portion of the vision test conducted at the specified distance of the person from the computerized screen.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

specifying a second distance for the person from the computerized screen;

guiding the person from the specified distance to the second distance from the computerized screen; and

verifying that the person remains at the second distance from the computerized screen during a second portion of the vision test conducted at the second distance of the person from the computerized screen.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the determination of the first distance of the person is performed using at least one of the computerized screen or a second computerized screen of the first electronic device used as a reference computerized screen and a camera mounted in association with the other of the electronic devices, the method further comprising:

displaying on the reference computerized screen a high-contrast figure;

displaying the specified distance of the person to stand from the reference computerized screen;

displaying a current determined distance of the person from the reference computerized screen; and

instructing the person to increase or decrease the current determined distance of the person from the reference computerized screen, or to remain in place, depending upon a difference between the specified distance of the person from the reference computerized screen and the determined distance of the person from the computerized screen.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more axis figures comprises a fan chart including substantially radial line segments spaced at regular angular intervals that, when expressed in degrees, is a factor of 180.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the axis prescription further comprises displaying the one or more axis figures as a succession of axis figures, wherein each successive axis figure displayed in the succession of axis figures is displayed at a different angular orientation than its predecessor.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the sphere prescription for each eye of the person further comprises displaying the one or more sphere figures as a succession of multiple sphere figures of varying sizes such that the sizes of the sphere figures, comprising to the succession of sphere figures, changes over a course of the succession, and

wherein the at least one sphere figure input provided in response to the one or more sphere figures pertains to identifying a portion of one of the sphere figures that is different from corresponding portions of the another one of the sphere figures.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more axis figures include shapes having one or more spaces such that portions of the one or more axis figures appear to touch across the one or more spaces when viewed using an astigmatic eye, and enabling the person to provide the at least one cylinder figure input using the hand-portable first electronic device.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the cylinder prescription for each eye of the person further comprises using

(a) the at least one cylinder figure input provided using the hand-portable first electronic device in response to the one or more axis figures for the cylinder prescription;

(b) the specified distance of the person from the computerized screen;

(c) the at least one sphere figure input made by the person in response to the one or more sphere figures;

(d) the determining sphere prescription; and

(e) the determined axis prescription.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the corrective lens prescription further comprises, separately for each eye of the person:

displaying on the computerized screen a diagram comprising a red-colored block and a green-colored block, each block comprising a block figure;

requesting one or more first block figure inputs from the person to indicate whether one of the block figures appears more distinct than another one of the block figures and, if so, requesting one or more second block figure inputs from the person to indicate which of the block figures appear more distinct than the other of the block figures; and

using at least one of the one or more first block figure inputs or second block figure inputs made by the person in response to said diagram to determine if the corrective lens prescription is over-corrected or under-corrected.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing both written and audible instructions to the person using one or more of the hand-portable first electronic device and the second electronic device.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the determination of each of the sphere prescription, the axis prescription, and the cylinder prescription is performed by the optometrist or ophthalmologist using the at least one input of the person provided in response to the respective displayed figure, and wherein no ophthalmologist or optometrist is required to contemporaneously monitor the vision test.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the person is enabled to use the hand-portable first electronic device to interact with the second electronic device using the server, and

wherein the inputs provided by the person using the hand-portable first electronic device impact a progression of the vision test as displayed on the computerized screen through interaction of the hand-portable first electronic device with the second electronic device using the server.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the hand-portable first electronic device further comprises a hand-portable computerized screen.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the hand-portable first electronic device is a smartphone.

20. A method for determining a corrective lenses prescription for a person by performing a vision test without the use of a refractor lens assembly using a hand-portable first electronic device, a second electronic device associated with a computerized screen, and a server, the method comprising:

receiving, in the server, account credentials associated with the person;

receiving, in the server, vision information associated with the person, said vision information including at least one of a previous corrective lens prescription of the person, a date of birth of the person, or an age of the person;

enabling the person to use the hand-portable first electronic device to interact with the second electronic device via the server by causing the hand-portable first electronic device to prompt the person to access, using the second electronic device, a webpage that is related to the server to view a unique identifier provided by the webpage, and causing the hand-portable first electronic device to prompt the person for entry, into the hand-portable first electronic device, of the unique identifier that is displayed by the second electronic device, the first and the second electronic devices being separately communicatively coupled to the server;

providing both written and audible instructions to the person using one or more of the hand-portable first electronic device and the second electronic device;

performing a calibration step to provide any of the server, the hand-portable first electronic device, or the second electronic device with information regarding a property or a parameter of the hand-portable first electronic device, the second electronic device, or the computerized screen;

specifying, via at least one of the hand-portable first electronic device or the second electronic device, a distance for the person to be positioned away from the computerized screen;

receiving, in the server, data corresponding to inputs from the person submitted using the hand-portable first electronic device in response to the vision test;

determining an axis prescription, a cylinder prescription, and a sphere prescription for each eye of the person based at least in part on each of (i) said data, (ii) the previous corrective lens prescription of the person, and (iii) one or more inputs of one or more optometrists or ophthalmologists; and

providing to the person a corrective lens prescription based, at least in part, on the determined axis, cylinder, and sphere prescription for each eye of the person,

wherein determining the axis prescription for each eye of the person comprises;

separately for each eye of the person, displaying on the computerized screen a succession of one or more axis figures, each axis figure comprising a fan chart comprising substantially radial line segments spaced at regular angular intervals, the magnitude of said angular intervals, when expressed in degrees, being a factor of 180, and enabling the person to provide at least one axis figure input using the hand-portable first electronic device designating an angular direction, if any, in which the radial line segments appear most distinct,

displaying the one or more axis figures in the succession at a different angular orientation than one or more other axis figures in the succession, and

using the at least one axis figure input provided in response to each axis figure in the succession,

wherein determining the sphere prescription for each eye of the person comprises;

separately for each eye of the person, displaying on the computerized screen a succession of one or more sphere figures, wherein the succession comprises figures of varying sizes where each of the spheres figure in the succession of sphere figures, after a first sphere figure in the succession, has a size equal to or smaller than that of a preceding sphere figure in the succession,

for each of the sphere figures in the succession, enabling the person to provide at least one sphere figure input using the hand-portable first electronic device, wherein the at least one sphere figure input provided in response to the one or more sphere figures pertains to identifying a portion of one of the sphere figures that is different from corresponding portions of the other sphere figures, and

using information pertaining to the displayed one or more sphere figures, the at least one sphere figure input, and the distance of the person from the computerized screen,

wherein determining the cylinder prescription for each eye of the person comprises;

using at least one cylinder figure input from at least one of the at least one axis figure input or the at least one sphere figure input of the person in response to the one or more axis figures or the one or more sphere figures and the previous corrective lens prescription of the person,

displaying on the computerized screen one or more additional figures comprising shapes having one or more spaces such that portions of the one or more additional figures appear to touch across the one or more spaces when viewed using an astigmatic eye, and enabling the person to provide at least one additional figure input using the hand-portable first electronic device,

using the at least one additional figure input, the distance of the person from the computerized screen, and the at least one sphere figure input made by the person in response to the one or more sphere figures, the cylinder figure input made by the person in response to the axis figure, the determined sphere prescription, and the determined axis prescription, and

wherein determining the corrective lens prescription further comprises;

displaying on the computerized screen a diagram comprising a red-colored block and a green-colored block, each block comprising a block figure,

requesting one or more first block figure inputs from the person to indicate whether one of the block figures appears more distinct than another one of the block figures and, if so, requesting one or more second block figure inputs from the person to indicate which of the block figures appear more distinct than the other of the block figures, and

using at least one of the one or more first block figure inputs or second block figure inputs made by the person in response to said diagram to determine if the corrective lens prescription is over-corrected or under-corrected,

wherein the inputs provided by the person using the hand-portable first electronic device impact a progression of the vision test as displayed on the computerized screen through interaction of the hand-portable first electronic device with the second electronic device via the server,

wherein no ophthalmologist or optometrist is required to contemporaneously monitor the vision test.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising associating one or more of the electronic devices with the account based, at least in part, upon receipt by the server of a response from said one or more devices to a message or link previously sent by the server to said device.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising determining a first distance of the person from the computerized screen and guiding the person from the first distance to the specified distance.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising verifying that the person remains at the specified distance during a portion of the vision test.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

determining a second distance of the person to be positioned away from the computerized screen;

guiding the person to the second distance; and

verifying that the person remains at the second distance during a second portion of the vision test.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the determination of the first distance of the person is performed using at least one of the computerized screen or a second computerized screen of the first electronic device used as a reference computerized screen and a camera mounted in association with the other of the electronic devices, the method further comprising:

displaying on the reference computerized screen a high-contrast figure;

displaying the specified distance of the person to stand from the reference computerized screen; and

displaying a current determined distance of the person from the reference computerized screen.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising instructing the person to increase or decrease the current determined distance of the person from the reference computerized screen, or to remain in place, depending upon a difference between the specified distance of the person from the reference computerized screen and the determined distance of the person from the computerized screen.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein the determination of each of the sphere prescription, the axis prescription, and the cylinder prescription is performed by the optometrist or ophthalmologist using the at least one input of the person provided in response to the respective displayed figure, and wherein no ophthalmologist or optometrist is required to contemporaneously monitor the vision test.

28. A computer program for operating a server to enable the administration of a vision test without the use of a refractor lens assembly to determine a corrective lenses prescription for a person using a hand-portable first electronic device and a second electronic device associated with a computerized screen, said computer program causing the server to:

receive account credentials associated with an account of the person;

associate one or more of the hand-portable first electronic device or the second electronic device with the account;

receive vision information associated with the person, said vision information including a previous corrective lens prescription of the person;

enable the person to use the hand-portable first electronic device to interact with the second electronic device via the server by causing the hand-portable first electronic device to prompt the person to access, using the second electronic device, a webpage that is related to the server to view a unique identifier provided by the webpage, and causing the hand-portable first electronic device to prompt the person for entry, into the hand-portable first electronic device, of the unique identifier that is displayed by the second electronic device, the first and the second electronic devices being separately communicatively coupled to the server;

provide one or more computer programs to each of the first electronic device and the second electronic device to cause one or more of the first electronic device or the second electronic device to;

provide both written and audible instructions to the person,

perform a calibration step to provide at least one of the server, the hand-portable first electronic device, or the second electronic device with information regarding a property or a parameter of the hand-portable first electronic device, the second electronic device, or the second computerized screen,

determine an axis prescription, a cylinder prescription, and a sphere prescription for each eye of the person based at least in part on each of (i) data related to inputs from the person in response to figures displayed for the axis prescription, the cylinder prescription, and the sphere prescription, (ii) the previous corrective lens prescription of the person, and (iii) one or more inputs of one or more optometrists or ophthalmologists, and

cause to be provided to the person the corrective lens prescription based, at least in part, on the determined axis, sphere, and cylinder prescription for each eye of the person,

wherein the determination of the axis prescription for each eye of the person comprises;

separately for each eye of the person, causing to be displayed on the computerized screen a succession of axis figures, each axis figure comprising a fan chart comprising substantially radial line segments spaced at regular angular intervals, the magnitude of said angular intervals, when expressed in degrees, being a factor of 180, and enabling the person to provide at least one axis figure input using the hand-portable first electronic device designating an angular direction, if any, in which the radial line segments appear most distinct, and

using the at least one axis figure input provided in response to each axis figure in the succession,

wherein determination of the sphere prescription for each eye of the person comprises;

separately for each eye of the person, causing to be displayed on the computerized screen a succession of one or more sphere figures, wherein the succession comprises figures of varying sizes such that each of the spheres figure in the succession of sphere figures, after a first sphere figure in the succession, has a size equal to or smaller than that of a preceding sphere figure in the succession,

for each of the sphere figures in the succession, enabling the person to provide at least one sphere figure input using the hand-portable first electronic device, wherein the at least one sphere figure input provided in response to the one or more sphere figures pertains to identifying a portion of one of the sphere figures that is different from corresponding portions of the other sphere figures, and

using information pertaining to the displayed one or more sphere figures, the at least one sphere figure input, and the distance of the person from the computerized screen,

wherein determining the cylinder prescription for each eye of the person comprises;

using at least one cylinder figure input from at least one of the at least one axis figure input or the at least one sphere figure input of the person in response to the one or more axis figures or the one or more sphere figures and the previous corrective lens prescription of the person.

29. The computer program of claim 28, wherein said computer program further causes the server to request a response to at least one query regarding the person or the person'"'"'s vision, wherein said at least one query includes one or more queries requesting information relating to each of a date of birth or age of the person and the person'"'"'s satisfaction with their current glasses or contact lenses.

30. The computer program of claim 28, wherein the calibration step further comprises requiring the use of a credit card or other reference object of known dimensions.