Ophthalmic instruments, systems and methods especially adapted for conducting simultaneous tonometry and pachymetry measurements
First Claim
1. An ophthalmic instrument comprising:
- instrument means for determining simultaneously an intraocular pressure measurement in response to corneal applanation, and a corneal thickness measurement in response to corneal reflection of light during corneal applanation; and
signal generating means for generating signals indicative of the simultaneously determined intraocular pressure and corneal thickness measurements.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Ophthalmic instruments, systems and methods enable tonometry and pachymetry measurements to be conducted simultaneously. As such, a patient'"'"'s intraocular pressure (IOP) corrected for corneal thickness may be determined accurately by a single corneal applanation. Preferably, the ophthalmic instruments have a reference surface at a distal end of the instrument, an applanation plate spaced from the reference surface, and a compliant mount for mounting the applanation plate for resilient displacements relative to the reference surface. The instrument most preferably has a housing such that the reference surface is located at a fixed position at one end of the housing, and the applanation plate is mounted to that one end of the housing in coaxial spaced alignment relative to the reference surface by means of the compliant mount. If desired, the housing may have a handle and a substantially orthogonal head piece containing suitable optic mirrors which allow visible light to pass therethrough so that the procedure can be viewed and/or photographed.
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Citations
39 Claims
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1. An ophthalmic instrument comprising:
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instrument means for determining simultaneously an intraocular pressure measurement in response to corneal applanation, and a corneal thickness measurement in response to corneal reflection of light during corneal applanation; and
signal generating means for generating signals indicative of the simultaneously determined intraocular pressure and corneal thickness measurements. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An ophthalmic instrument comprising:
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(i) a reference surface at a distal end of the instrument;
(ii) an applanation plate spaced from the reference surface; and
(iii) a compliant mount for mounting the applanation plate for resilient displacements relative to the reference surface. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A ophthalmic system for conducting simultaneous ocular tonometry and pachymetry measurements comprising:
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an instrument having an applanation plate for contact with a cornea; and
an interferometer system operatively connected to the instrument for determining simultaneously intraocular pressure and corneal thickness conditions in response to optical signals propagating along a common optical signal path between the applanation plate and the interferometer. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A system for conducting simultaneous ocular tonometry and pachymetry measurements comprising:
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an ophthalmic instrument having (i) a reference surface at a distal end of the instrument;
(ii) an applanation plate spaced from the reference surface; and
(iii) a compliant mount for mounting the applanation plate for resilient displacements relative to the reference surface; and
an interferometer for optical connection to the instrument, wherein the interferometer comprises (a) a source of light to be supplied to the instrument, and (b) a spectrometer for receiving reflected light from the instrument and generating a signal indicative of a patient'"'"'s intraocular pressure and corneal thickness. - View Dependent Claims (31)
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32. A method for conducting simultaneous tonometry and pachymetry measurements of a patient'"'"'s eye, comprising:
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(a) applanating a patient'"'"'s cornea; and
(b) simultaneously while applanating the patient'"'"'s cornea according to step (a), determining an intraocular pressure measurement in response to pressure of the applanated cornea and a corneal thickness measurement in response to optical illumination of the applanated cornea. - View Dependent Claims (33)
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34. A method for conducting simultaneous tonometry and pachymetry measurements of a patient'"'"'s eye, comprising:
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(a) bringing into alignment with a patient'"'"'s cornea an ophthalmic instrument having (i) a reference surface at a distal end of the instrument;
(ii) an applanation plate spaced from the reference surface; and
(iii) a compliant mount for mounting the applanation plate for resilient displacements relative to the reference surface;
(b) advancing the ophthalmic instrument toward the cornea so as to cause contact between the cornea and the applanation plate thereof;
(c) continuing to advance the ophthalmic instrument relative to the cornea to cause the applanation plate to be displaced resiliently toward the reference surface of the instrument until the cornea is flattened sufficiently against the applanation plate; and
(d) directing a circular beam of light toward the flattened cornea and allowing light to be reflected therefrom; and
(e) generating a signal from the reflected light which is indicative of a patient'"'"'s intraocular pressure and corneal thickness. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36)
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37. An ophthalmic instrument system comprising:
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an ophthalmic instrument having an applanation plate adapted to be placed adjacent to a patient'"'"'s cornea, a reference surface posteriorly spaced from the applanation plate, and compliant mounting means for mounting the applanation plate for resilient displacements relative to the reference surface;
a light source for providing light to the ophthalmic instrument; and
spectrometer means for receiving reflected light from the ophthalmic instrument and determining therefrom a displacement distance by which the applanation plate is moved resiliently towards the reference surface in response to a pressure force applied against the applanation plate by the patient'"'"'s cornea in contact therewith and generating a first distance signal indicative of the displacement distance; and
a microprocessor for receiving the first distance signal from the interferometer means and determining therefrom a patient'"'"'s intraocular pressure. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39)
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Specification