Optical apparatus and method for comprehensive eye diagnosis

• US 20060114411A1
• Filed: 10/28/2005
• Published: 06/01/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Optovue Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Optovue Incorporated
• Inventors: Wei, Jay, Zhao, Yonghua
• Granted Patent: US 7,140,730 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 351/205
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/1025 for confocal scanning
• 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 3/156 for blocking

Abstract

An eye examination instrument is presented that can perform multiple eye tests. The instrument includes an illumination optical path and an imaging optical path, wherein a focus element in the illumination optical path is mechanically coupled to a focus element in the imaging optical path. In some embodiments, the eye examination instrument can perform a visual eye test, a fundus imaging test, and an optical coherence tomography test.

Claims

1. An apparatus for performing eye examinations, comprising:

a scanning optical path including a scan beam focus adjustment group, a first lens coupled to receive the scan beam from the scan beam focus adjustment group, and a scanning galvanometer coupled to receive light from the first lens;

an imaging optical path including a second lens, a retina image focus adjustment group that receives light from the second lens, and an imaging device;

a beam splitter that merges the scanning optical path with the imaging optical path; and

an ocular lens that focuses light into a pupil of an eye,

wherein the scan beam focus adjustment group and the retina adjustment focus adjustment group are mechanically coupled to a single focus adjustment.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein an optical coherence tomography scan can be performed utilizing the scanning optical path and the imaging optical path.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the optical coherence tomography scan can be performed with no vignetting without dilating a pupil.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further including an illumination device and a second beam splitter coupled between the retina image focus adjustment group and the imaging device, the second beam splitter merging light from the illumination device into the imaging optical path.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein a visual field test can be performed utilizing the illumination device.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, further including at least one light source and a spatial beam splitter, wherein light from the at least one light source is coupled into the imaging optical path by the spatial beam splitter, the light from the at least one light source providing background lighting for the visual field test.

7. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the illumination device is utilized to provide an image on which a patient can fixate during an eye examination.

8. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the illumination device is a device selected from a group consisting of a CRT display, a LCD display, a LED array, or a single light source that is spatially movable.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further including at least one light source and a spatial beam splitter, wherein light from the at least one light source is coupled into the imaging optical path by the spatial beam splitter.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein a fundus imaging test can be performed with the imaging optical path utilizing light from the at least one light source.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, further including a pupil mask coupled between the at least one light source and the spatial beam splitter, wherein the pupil mask is conjugated onto a pupil.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the scan beam adjustment group includes a beam folding mirror, a scanning mirror, and a lens.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the beam folding mirror includes a reflection region and a transmission region, the reflection region reflects substantially all of an input beam.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, further including a confocal module coupled to detect light that was reflected from an eye, transmitted through the beam folding mirror.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the confocal module controls the single focus adjustment.

16. An eye examination apparatus, comprising:

means for performing an optical coherence tomography scan on an eye;

means for performing a visual field test;

means for obtaining a fundus image;

means for focusing with a single focus adjustment; and

means for performimg a confocal fundus image.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, further including

confocal adjustment means for automatically adjusting the single focus adjustment.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, further including

means for obtaining a retinal scan.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the means for performing an optical coherence tomography scan without vignetting.