Systems and methods for maintaining optical fixation and alignment

• US 20060200013A1
• Filed: 09/02/2005
• Published: 09/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Fovioptics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Fovioptics Incorporated
• Inventors: Messerschmidt, Robert G., Smith, John L., Lorey, Todd D., Lemke, John, Hebert, Raymond T., Rice, Mark J.
• Application Number:
  US11/219,334
• Publication Number:
  US 20060200013A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/319
• 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 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1455 using optical sensors, e.g. spectral photometrical oximeters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6821 Eye

Abstract

Blood glucose levels in an individual are determined by aligning a region of the retina of the eye of an individual with an instrument, measuring a regeneration rate of the retinal visual pigment of the individual, and using the measured regeneration rate to calculate the blood glucose level. The apparatus for measuring the blood glucose comprises a blood glucose analysis instrument adapted to determine blood glucose concentration from information regarding regeneration rate of the visual pigment in the retina region of an eye, and an alignment mechanism adapted to align the retina region with at least a portion of the device.

Claims

1. A method for determining blood glucose level in an individual, comprising:

aligning a region of a retina of an eye of the individual with an instrument;

measuring a regeneration rate of a retinal visual pigment of the individual; and

determining the blood glucose level of the individual using the measured regeneration rate of the retinal visual pigment.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising adjusting an angle between the instrument and the retina region to increase light reflected from the retina region to the instrument.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the measuring step comprises directing light into the retina region.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the measuring step comprises measuring a regeneration rate of a retinal visual pigment in the retinal region.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the retina region comprises a foveal region.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the aligning step comprises aligning the retina region and instrument for a measurement period of at least 2 seconds.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the measuring step comprises taking first and second measurements from a portion of the eye with the instrument at first and second points in the measurement period and the determining step comprises using the first and second measurements to calculate a blood glucose concentration.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising preventing relative movement between the instrument and the eye.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the preventing step comprises attaching the instrument to a portion of the individual'"'"'s head.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the instrument is in the form of a pair of eyeglasses, the attaching step comprising mounting the instrument on the individual'"'"'s head.

11. The method of claim 8 further comprising calibrating a position of the instrument with respect to the eye.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the calibrating step comprises adjusting an instrument support element.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the calibrating step comprises aligning the instrument with an external patient feature.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the calibrating step comprises aligning the instrument with a retinal feature.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing an indication of a misalignment between the retina region and the instrument.

16. The method of claim 15 where the indication of misalignment between the retina region and the instrument is provided by an alignment light.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the aligning step comprises directing the individual'"'"'s gaze toward a fixation target.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the fixation target comprises an alignment light.

19. An apparatus for glucose measurements comprising:

a blood glucose analysis instrument adapted to determine blood glucose concentration from information regarding regeneration rate of visual pigment in a retina region of an eye; and

an alignment mechanism adapted to align the retina region with at least a portion of the device.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 further comprising an adjustment mechanism adapted to adjust an angle between the instrument and the retina region to increase light reflected from the retina region to the instrument.

21. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the instrument comprises a light source, the alignment mechanism being adapted to align the retina region with the light source.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein alignment mechanism comprises an alignment light adapted to surround the light source.

23. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the alignment mechanism comprises a fixation target.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the fixation target comprises a light source.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the fixation target light source emits light at a color substantially different than a color of the instrument light source.

26. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the fixation target light source varies in color or intensity with time.

27. The apparatus of claim 19 further comprising a photodetector, the alignment mechanism being adapted to align the retina region with the photodetector.

28. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the alignment mechanism is further adapted to provide an indication of misalignment of the instrument and the retina region.

29. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the alignment mechanism comprises an attachment member adapted to attach the instrument to a portion of the individual'"'"'s head.

30. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the instrument and alignment mechanism are configured in a housing in the form of a pair of eyeglasses, the housing comprising the attachment member.

31. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the alignment mechanism comprises a calibration mechanism adapted to calibrate relative position of the instrument with respect to the eye.

32. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein the calibration mechanism comprises an adjustable instrument support element.

33. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein the calibration mechanism is adapted to align the instrument with a patient external feature.

34. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein the calibration mechanism is adapted to align the instrument with a retina feature.

35. A method of measuring blood glucose concentration of an individual comprising:

maintaining alignment of a retina region of an eye of the patient with respect to a measurement instrument for a measurement period;

taking first and second measurements from a portion of the eye with the measurement instrument at first and second points in the measurement period; and

using the first and second measurements to calculate a blood glucose concentration.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein the measurement period is at least 2 seconds.

37. The method of claim 35 wherein the step of maintaining alignment comprises providing a fixation target and directing the eye'"'"'s gaze toward the fixation target.

38. The method of claim 35 wherein the step of maintaining alignment comprises preventing relative movement between the individual'"'"'s head and the instrument.

39. The method of claim 38 wherein the preventing step comprises attaching the instrument to a portion of the individual'"'"'s head.

40. The method of claim 39 wherein the instrument is in the form of a pair of eyeglasses, the attaching step comprising mounting the instrument on the individual'"'"'s head.

41. The method of claim 35 further comprising calibrating a relative position between the instrument and the eye.

42. The method of claim 41 wherein the calibrating step comprises adjusting an instrument support element.

43. The method of claim 41 wherein the calibrating step comprises aligning the instrument with a patient external feature.

44. The method of claim 41 wherein the calibrating step comprises aligning the instrument with a retina feature.

45. The method of claim 35 wherein the step of maintaining alignment comprises providing an indication of misalignment of the retina region and the instrument.

46. The method of claim 35 where the step of maintaining alignment comprises directing an alignment light at the eye.

47. The method of claim 35 wherein the steps of taking first and second measurements comprise directing light into the eye.

48. The method of claim 47 wherein the directing step comprises directing light onto the retina region.

49. The method of claim 35 wherein the using step comprises determining a regeneration rate of a retinal visual pigment of the individual.