Systems and methods for enabling customers to obtain vision and eye health examinations

• US 10,714,217 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2018
• Issued: 07/14/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 20/20 Vision Center, LLC
• Original Assignee: 20/20 Vision Center, LLC
• Inventors: Seriani, Joseph S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Long, Fonya M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lultschik, William G
• Application Number:
  US16/018,499
• Publication Number:
  US 20180301226A1
• Time in Patent Office: 749 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/0033 characterised by user input arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 15/00 ICT specially adapted for medical reports, e.g. generation or transmission thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 80/00 ICT specially adapted for facilitating communication between medical practitioners or patients, e.g. for collaborative diagnosis, therapy or health monitoring

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for eye health and vision examinations. A customer diagnostic center is configured to generate customer examination data pertaining to an examination of a customer'"'"'s eye. The customer diagnostic center provides a user interface for communicating with a customer and ophthalmic equipment for administering tests to the customer. A diagnostic center server is configured to receive the customer examination data from the customer diagnostic center over a network and allow the customer examination data to be accessed by an eye-care practitioner. A practitioner device associated with the eye-care practitioner is configured to receive the customer examination data from the diagnostic center server and display at least a portion of the customer examination data to the eye-care practitioner. Customer evaluation data is generated pertaining to the eye-care practitioner'"'"'s evaluation of the customer examination data. An eye health report is provided to the customer via the network.

Claims

1. A system for providing a remotely assisted eye examination, comprising:

a diagnostic center including ophthalmic equipment comprising a set of instruments that are utilized in administering an eye examination to a customer that includes vision acuity tests, wherein;

an equipment controller is in communication with at least a portion of the ophthalmic equipment and permits multiple individuals to control the ophthalmic equipment during the eye examination;

the equipment controller includes, or communicates with, a vision examination controller that is in communication with vision examination equipment, the vision examination equipment at least including an auto-phoropter and eye chart;

an onsite device that is operated by an onsite individual located at the diagnostic center;

a first remote device that is operated by a first remote individual;

a second remote device that is operated by a second remote individual; and

wherein the ophthalmic equipment and test administration associated with the eye examination is controlled by each of the onsite individual, the first remote individual, and the second remote individual during the eye examination, and administering the eye examination to the customer at a diagnostic center includes;

establishing, during the eye examination, a first real-time video conference connection between the diagnostic center and the first remote device over a network to enable the first remote individual and the customer to communicate during the eye examination;

establishing, during the eye examination, a second real-time video conference connection between the diagnostic center and the second remote device over the network to enable the second remote individual and the customer to communicate during the eye examination;

receiving, at the equipment controller during the eye examination, commands from the multiple individuals to permit each of the multiple individuals to control the ophthalmic equipment during the eye examination, wherein receiving commands from the multiple individuals includes;

receiving, at the equipment controller during the eye examination, first commands from the first remote device that is operated by the first remote individual located remotely with respect to the diagnostic center, wherein the first commands are transmitted to the equipment controller in response to one or more selections received via a graphical user interface displayed on the first remote device and the first commands are at least utilized by the vision examination controller to control a portion of the vision examination equipment during the eye examination, the first commands being transmitted to the equipment controller over the network and enabling the first remote individual to remotely switch lenses of the auto-phoropter; and

receiving, at the equipment controller during the eye examination, second commands from the second remote device that is operated by the second remote individual located remotely with respect to the diagnostic center, wherein the second commands are transmitted to the equipment controller in response to one or more selections received via a graphical user interface displayed on the second remote device and the second commands are at least utilized by the vision examination controller to control a portion the vision examination equipment during the eye examination, the second commands being transmitted to the equipment controller over the network;

administering, by the multiple individuals during the eye examination, a plurality of eye tests to the customer during the eye examination based, at least in part, on control of the ophthalmic equipment included in the vision examination equipment, wherein administering the plurality of tests includes;

administering, by the onsite individual, one or more eye tests to the customer;

administering, by the first remote individual over the first real-time video conference connection, one or more eye tests to the customer; and

administering, by the second remote individual over the second real-time video conference connection, one or more eye tests to the customer; and

generating evaluation data based on the plurality of eye tests.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the first commands and the second commands include one or more of:

commands configured to instruct an instrument associated with the ophthalmic equipment to perform an operation or procedure;

commands configured to move or position an instrument associated with the ophthalmic equipment;

commands configured to power on or off an instrument associated with the ophthalmic equipment; and

commands configured to initialize or set up an instrument associated with the ophthalmic equipment.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the evaluation data at least includes an optical prescription.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of eye tests include:

(a) objective and subjective refraction tests; and

(b) eye health tests to check for disorders, diseases or other negative health conditions associated with the customers'"'"' eyes.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the equipment controller includes, or communicates with, an eye health examination controller that is in communication with eye health examination equipment, the eye health examination equipment at least including a tonometer, an auto-refractor, or a digital imager;

receiving commands from the multiple individuals includes receiving, at the equipment controller during the eye examination, third commands from the onsite device that is operated by the onsite individual located with the customer at the customer diagnostic center, wherein the third commands are transmitted to the equipment controller in response to one or more selections received via a graphical user interface displayed on the onsite device and the third commands are at least utilized by the eye health examination controller to control the tonometer, auto-refractor, or the digital imager.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein:

the digital imager is configured to capture one or more images of the customer'"'"'s eye;

the one or more images capture a ganglion cell layer of the customer'"'"'s eye; and

administering the eye examination further includes executing software that is configured to analyze the ganglion cell layer of the customer'"'"'s eye to detect a glaucoma condition.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the graphical user interface displayed on the first remote device includes an equipment controller interface that includes one or more selectable interface elements that enable the first commands to be transmitted over the network.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the evaluation data includes a referral for the customer to visit an eye-care professional or specialist for further evaluation.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein:

customer examination data is generated based on the one or more eye tests administered to the customer by the onsite individual;

the customer examination data is transmitted to the first remote individual or the second remote individual;

the customer examination data is pre-processed before being transmitted to the first remote individual or the second remote individual, and pre-processing the customer examination data includes comparing one or more parameters included in the customer examination data to one or more standards associated with acceptable test results; and

the one or more parameters are displayed on an interface in relation to the acceptable test results.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein customer examination data and the evaluation data are stored on one or more servers that are accessible via the network to enable the customer examination data and the evaluation data to be retrieved at a later time during a subsequent eye examination.

11. A method for providing a remotely assisted eye examination, comprising:

administering an eye examination to a customer at a diagnostic center including ophthalmic equipment comprising a set of instruments, wherein an equipment controller is in communication with at least a portion of the ophthalmic equipment and permits multiple individuals to control the ophthalmic equipment during the eye examination, and the equipment controller includes, or communicates with a vision examination controller that is in communication with vision examination equipment;

wherein the ophthalmic equipment and test administration associated with the eye examination is controlled by each of an onsite individual operating an onsite device, a first remote individual operating a first remote device, and a second remote individual operating a second remote device-, and administering the eye examination to the customer at the diagnostic center includes;

establishing, during the eye examination, a first real-time video conference connection between the diagnostic center and the first remote device over a network to enable the first remote individual and the customer to communicate during the eye examination;

establishing, during the eye examination, a second real-time video conference connection between the diagnostic center and the second remote device over the network to enable the second remote individual and the customer to communicate during the eye examination;

receiving, at the equipment controller during the eye examination, commands from the multiple individuals to permit each of the multiple individuals to control the ophthalmic equipment during the eye examination, wherein receiving commands from the multiple individuals includes;

receiving, at the equipment controller during the eye examination, first commands from the first remote device that is operated by the first remote individual located remotely with respect to the diagnostic center, wherein the first commands are transmitted to the equipment controller in response to one or more selections received via a graphical user interface displayed on the first remote device and the first commands are at least utilized by the vision examination controller to control a portion of the vision examination equipment during the eye examination, the first commands being transmitted to the equipment controller over the network and enabling the first remote individual to remotely switch lenses of the auto-phoropter; and

receiving, at the equipment controller during the eye examination, second commands from the second remote device that is operated by the second remote individual located remotely with respect to the diagnostic center, wherein the second commands are transmitted to the equipment controller in response to one or more selections received via a graphical user interface displayed on the second remote device and the second commands are at least utilized by the vision examination controller to control a portion the vision examination equipment during the eye examination, the second commands being transmitted to the equipment controller over the network;

administering, by the multiple individuals during the eye examination, a plurality of eye tests to the customer during the eye examination based, at least in part, on control of the ophthalmic equipment included in the vision examination equipment, wherein administering the plurality of tests includes;

administering, by the onsite individual, one or more eye tests to the customer;

administering, by the first remote individual over the first real-time video conference connection, one or more eye tests to the customer; and

administering, by the second remote individual over the second real-time video conference connection, one or more eye tests to the customer; and

generating evaluation data based on the plurality of eye tests.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein each of the first commands and the second commands include one or more of:

commands configured to instruct an instrument associated with the ophthalmic equipment to perform an operation or procedure;

commands configured to move or position an instrument associated with the ophthalmic equipment;

commands configured to power on or off an instrument associated with the ophthalmic equipment; and

commands configured to initialize or set up an instrument associated with the ophthalmic equipment.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the evaluation data at least includes an optical prescription.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of eye tests include:

(a) objective and subjective refraction tests; and

(b) eye health tests to check for disorders, diseases or other negative health conditions associated with the customers'"'"' eyes.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the equipment controller includes, or communicates with, an eye health examination controller that is in communication with eye health examination equipment, the eye health examination equipment at least including a tonometer, an auto-refractor, or a digital imager; and

receiving commands from the multiple individuals includes receiving, at the equipment controller during the eye examination, third commands from the onsite device that is operated by the onsite individual located with the customer at the customer diagnostic center, wherein the third commands are transmitted to the equipment controller in response to one or more selections received via a graphical user interface displayed on the onsite device and the third commands are at least utilized by the eye health examination controller to control the tonometer, auto-refractor, or the digital imager.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein:

the digital imager is configured to capture one or more images of the customer'"'"'s eye;

the one or more images capture a ganglion cell layer of the customer'"'"'s eye; and

administering the eye examination further includes executing software that is configured to analyze the ganglion cell layer of the customer'"'"'s eye to detect a glaucoma condition.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the graphical user interface displayed on the first remote device includes an equipment controller interface that includes one or more selectable interface elements that enable the first commands to be transmitted over the network.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the evaluation data includes a referral for the customer to visit an eye-care professional or specialist for further evaluation.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein:

customer examination data is generated based on the one or more eye tests administered to the customer by the onsite individual;

the customer examination data is transmitted to the first remote individual or the second remote individual;

the customer examination data is pre-processed before being transmitted to the first remote individual or the second remote individual, and pre-processing the customer examination data includes comparing one or more parameters included in the customer examination data to one or more standards associated with acceptable test results; and

the one or more parameters are displayed on an interface in relation to the acceptable test results.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein customer examination data and the evaluation data are stored on one or more servers that are accessible via the network to enable the customer examination data and the evaluation data to be retrieved at a later time during a subsequent eye examination.