SYSTEM AND METHOD OF IRIS-PUPIL CONTRAST ENHANCEMENT

• US 20090247998A1
• Filed: 04/01/2009
• Published: 10/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AMO Development LLC (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: AMO Development LLC (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Buck, Jesse, Watanabe, Keith
• Granted Patent: US 9,421,131 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/5
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/107 Visualisation of planned trajectories or target regions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/10 Objective types, i.e. instruments for examining the eyes independent of the patients' perceptions or reactions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/10 Computer-aided planning, simulation or modelling of surgical operations
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2009/00844 Feedback systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2009/00872 Cornea
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2009/00897 Scanning mechanisms or algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/008 using laser
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00827 Refractive correction, e.g. lenticle

Abstract

System and method of photoaltering a region of an eye using an enhanced contrast between the iris and the pupil of the imaged eye. The system includes a laser assembly outputting a pulsed laser beam, a user interface displaying one of a first digital image of the eye and a second digital image of the eye, and a controller coupled to the laser assembly and the user interface. The first digital image has a first contrast between the pupil and the iris, and the second digital image has a second contrast between the pupil and the iris. The controller selectively increases the first contrast between the pupil and the iris to the second contrast between the pupil and the iris and directs the pulsed laser beam to the region of the eye based on one of the first and second digital images.

Claims

1. A system for photoaltering a region of an eye, the eye having a pupil and an iris, the system comprising:

a laser assembly configured to output a pulsed laser beam;

a user interface configured to display one of a first digital image of the eye and a second digital image of the eye, the first digital image having a first contrast between the pupil and the iris, the second digital image having a second contrast between the pupil and the iris; and

a controller coupled to the laser assembly and the user interface, the controller configured to;

selectively increase the first contrast between the pupil and the iris to the second contrast between the pupil and the iris; and

direct the pulsed laser beam to the region of the eye based on one of the first and second digital images.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to adjust a centration of the eye based on the second digital image prior to directing the pulsed laser beam to the region of the eye.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the user interface is further configured to display a centration aide overlaying the second digital image of the eye;

and wherein the controller is further configured to;

position the centration aide into an alignment with respect to the pupil and the iris in response to a user input; and

direct the pulsed laser beam to the region of the eye in alignment with the centration aide.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a sensor coupled to the controller, the sensor configured to transmit image data to the controller;

and wherein the controller is further configured to;

select a first brightness data corresponding with the image data, the first contrast based on the first brightness data; and

in response to a user command, select a second brightness data corresponding with the image data, the second contrast based on the second brightness data.

5. The system of claim 4, further comprising a memory coupled to the controller, the memory configured to store a look-up table of pre-determined brightness data;

and wherein the controller is further configured to;

retrieve the first brightness data from the look-up table; and

retrieve the second brightness data from the look-up table in response to the user command.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the first brightness data corresponds to a linear brightness function, and wherein the second brightness data corresponds to a non-linear brightness function.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising an input device coupled to the controller, and wherein the controller is further configured to selectively increase the first contrast to the second contrast in response to the input device.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the input device comprises a touch-sensitive screen coupled with the user interface.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the input device comprises a voice recognition device.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a sensor coupled to the controller, the sensor configured to transmit a first image data to the controller, the first contrast based on the first image data;

and wherein the controller is further configured to modify at least some of the first image data to produce a second image data, the second contrast based on the second image data.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the sensor is further configured to capture the first digital image of the eye with a gamma function, the gamma function having a default setting, the first contrast based on the default setting;

and wherein the controller is further configured to modify the gamma function from the default setting to increase the first contrast to the second contrast.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the default setting is a linear function;

and wherein the controller is further configured to modify the gamma function to a non-linear function.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the non-linear function is based on a set of pre-determined brightness values corresponding with a set of sensed brightness values.

14. A method of photoaltering a region of an eye using a pulsed laser beam, the eye having an iris and a pupil, the method comprising the steps of:

producing a first digital image of the eye, the first digital image having a first contrast between the iris and the pupil;

selectively increasing the first contrast between the iris and the pupil to a second contrast;

displaying a second digital image of the eye, the second digital image having the second contrast;

centrating the eye based on the second contrast between the iris and the pupil; and

directing the pulsed laser beam at the region.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of producing a digital image comprises:

capturing an image of the eye with a digital camera, the digital camera having a default linear gamma function, the first contrast between the iris and the pupil resulting from the default linear gamma function; and

displaying the first digital image of the eye.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first digital image comprises a first brightness data based on the default gamma function, and wherein the step of selectively increasing the first contrast comprises retrieving a second brightness data, the second brightness data corresponding with a non-linear gamma function, the second contrast based on the second brightness data.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of selectively increasing the first contrast comprises increasing the first contrast to the second contrast in response to a user selection.

18. A computer system photoaltering a region of an eye using a pulsed laser beam, the eye having an iris and a pupil, the system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing computer readable instructions that when executed by the processor cause the computer system to perform a method of photoaltering a region of the eye, comprising;

producing a first digital image of the eye, the first digital image having a first contrast between the iris and the pupil;

selectively increasing the first contrast between the iris and the pupil to a second contrast;

displaying a second digital image of the eye, the second digital image having the second contrast;

centrating the eye based on the second contrast between the iris and the pupil; and

directing the pulsed laser beam at the region.

19. A computer system according to claim 18, wherein selectively increasing the first contrast comprises:

retrieving a brightness data from the memory, the second contrast based on the brightness data; and

generating the second digital image from the brightness data.

20. A computer system according to claim 18, wherein producing a first digital image comprises retrieving a first brightness data from the memory, the first brightness data based on a linear relationship, the first digital image based on the first brightness data;

and wherein selectively increasing the first contrast comprises;

retrieving a second brightness data from the memory, the second brightness data based on a non-linear relationship, the second contrast based on the second brightness data; and

generating the second digital image from the second brightness data.