Portable electroretinograph with automated, flexible software

• US 20070239063A1
• Filed: 02/01/2007
• Published: 10/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kristina Narfstrom
• Original Assignee: Kristina Narfstrom
• Inventors: Narfstrom, Kristina
• Application Number:
  US11/701,439
• Publication Number:
  US 20070239063A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/558
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/40 Animals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/378 Visual stimuli
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/398 Electrooculography [EOG], e.g. detecting nystagmus; Electroretinography [ERG]

Abstract

The present invention relates to electroretinography (ERG) units and related methods of use. In particular, the present invention relates to electroretinography units used, for example, for evaluating the retinal function of a subject. The ERG unit of the present invention is portable and contains a compact flash card for flexible and automated ERG evaluation.

Claims

1. An electroretinograph unit having therein a removable memory card, wherein said electroretinograph unit is configured to evaluate the retinal function of a subject through utilization of electroretinograph-software stored in said removable memory card.

2. The electroretinograph unit of claim 1, wherein said removable memory card is a 64 Mb compact flash card.

3. The electroretinograph unit of claim 1, wherein said removable memory card is selected from the group consisting of a secure digital card, a compact flash card, a memory stick, a multimedia card, a xD-picture card, and a smartmedia card.

4. The electroretinograph unit of claim 1, wherein said electroretinograph comprises a photostimulator.

5. The electroretinograph unit of claim 1, wherein said retinal function evaluation includes electroretinography to a weak flash in a dark-adapted eye of said subject.

6. The electroretinograph unit of claim 1, wherein said retinal function evaluation includes electroretinography to a strong flash in a dark-adapted eye of said subject.

7. The electroretinograph unit of claim 1, wherein said retinal function evaluation includes oscillatory potential measurement in an eye of said subject through utilization of said electroretinograph-software stored in said removable memory card.

8. The electroretinograph unit of claim 1, wherein said retinal function evaluation includes electroretinography to a strong flash in a light-adapted eye of said subject.

9. The electroretinograph unit of claim 1, wherein said retinal function evaluation includes electroretinography to a rapidly repeated stimulus in an eye of said subject.

10. The electroretinograph unit of claim 1, wherein said retinal function evaluation includes a user designed test of an eye of said subject.

11. The electroretinograph unit of claim 1, wherein said retinal function evaluation includes electroretinography in an eye of said subject.

12. The electroretinograph unit of claim 1, wherein said subject is a mammal.

13. The electroretinograph unit of claim 1, wherein said subject is selected from the group consisting of a human, a cat, a dog, a pig, a horse, a mouse, a rat, and a rabbit.

14. The electroretinograph unit of claim 1, wherein said electroretinograph unit obtains at least one set of data during said retinal function evaluation.

15. The electroretinograph unit of claim 14, wherein said at least one set of data obtained during said retinal function evaluation is stored in said removable memory card.

16. A method of evaluating the retinal function of a subject, comprising

providing an electroretinograph unit having therein a removable memory card, wherein said electroretinograph unit is configured to evaluate the retinal function of a subject through utilization of electroretinograph-software stored in said removable memory card;

conducting an evaluation of said subject'"'"'s retinal function with said electroretinograph unit.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said removable memory card is a 64 Mb compact flash card.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein said removable memory card is selected from the group consisting of a secure digital card, a compact flash card, a memory stick, a multimedia card, a xD-picture card, and a smartmedia card.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein said electroretinograph comprises a photostimulator.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein said retinal function evaluation includes electroretinography to a weak flash in a dark-adapted eye of said subject.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein said retinal function evaluation includes electroretinography to a strong flash in a dark-adapted eye of said subject.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein said retinal function evaluation includes oscillatory potential measurement in an eye of said subject through utilization of said electroretinograph-software stored in said removable memory card.

23. The method of claim 16, wherein said retinal function evaluation includes electroretinography to a strong flash in a light-adapted eye of said subject.

24. The method of claim 16, wherein said retinal function evaluation includes electroretinography to a rapidly repeated stimulus in an eye of said subject.

25. The method of claim 16, wherein said retinal function evaluation includes a user designed test of an eye of said subject.

26. The method of claim 16, wherein said retinal function evaluation includes electroretinography in an eye of said subject.

27. The method of claim 16, wherein said subject is a mammal.

28. The method of claim 16, wherein said subject is selected from the group consisting of a human, a cat, a dog, a pig, a horse, a mouse, a rat, and a rabbit.

29. The method of claim 16, wherein said electroretinograph unit obtains at least one set of data during said retinal function evaluation.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein said at least one set of data obtained during said retinal function evaluation is stored in said removable memory card.

31. A method of diagnosing a retinal disease, comprising

providing a subject suspected of having a retinal disorder, and an electroretinograph unit having therein a removable memory card, wherein said electroretinograph unit is configured to evaluate the retinal function of a subject through utilization of electroretinograph-software stored in said removable memory card;

conducting an evaluation of said subject'"'"'s retinal function with said electroretinograph unit; and

diagnosing the presence or absence of said retinal disorder based upon said conducted evaluation of said subject'"'"'s retinal function.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein said retinal disorder is selected from the group consisting of Retinitis pigmentosa, Retinitis pigmentosa sine pigmento;

Retinitis punctata albescens;

Leber'"'"'s congenital amaurosis;

Choroideremia;

Gyrate atrophy of the retina and choroid;

Goldman-Favre syndrome;

Congenital stationary night blindness;

X-linked juvenile retinoschisis;

Achromatopsia;

Cone dystrophies; and

disorders mimicking retinitis pigmentosa.