PORTABLE FUNDUS CAMERA

• US 20120287255A1
• Filed: 12/04/2010
• Published: 11/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lumetrics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Lumetrics, Inc.
• Inventors: Ignatovich, Filipp V., Kleinman, David M., Cotton, Christopher T., Blalock, Todd
• Granted Patent: US 8,836,778 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/78
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/113 for determining or recording eye movement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/1208 Multiple lens hand-held instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/145 by video means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4427 Device being portable or laptop-like
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/19 Sensors therefor

Abstract

A portable hand-held camera for imaging the fundus of an eye, the camera comprising a housing comprising an internal cavity terminating at a forward housing end, a forward lens, and a light source configured to direct light from locations distributed around the perimeter of the forward lens forwardly out of the housing end. In other embodiment, a portable hand-held camera for imaging the fundus of an eye includes optics configured to focus light reflected back from the fundus onto an image receptor, with the optics being capable of varying the field of view among differing portions of the fundus. Methods to ensure unique image identification and storage are described.

Claims

1-11. -11. (canceled)

12. A camera for imaging the fundus of an eye, the camera comprising optics configured to focus light reflected back from the fundus onto an image receptor, wherein the optics are capable of varying the field of view among differing portions of the fundus.

13. The camera of claim 12, wherein the optics are aligned along an axis, and comprised of a prism rotatable around the axis to vary the field of view among differing portions of the fundus.

14. The camera of claim 12, wherein the optics are aligned along an axis, and comprised of first and second reflective elements arranged in a Cassegrain configuration to vary the field of view among portions of the fundus at differing angular positions around the axis.

15. The camera of claim 12, wherein a portion of the optics are contained in a swivel fixture to vary the field of view among differing portions of the fundus.

21. The camera of claim 12, further comprising a housing comprising an internal cavity terminating at a forward housing end, a forward lens, and a light source configured to direct light from locations distributed around the perimeter of the forward lens forwardly out of the housing end, wherein the forward lens is suspended in the housing on a cushioning mount and is rearwardly displaceable by contact with the eye.

22. The camera of claim 21, further comprising a sensor that detects pressure of the forward lens against the eye.

24. The camera of claim 12, further comprising a fixation target source comprised of an optical fiber configured to direct light from the target through the optics and towards the fundus.

33. The camera of claim 12, wherein the optics are comprised of a focusing mechanism comprising a liquid lens.

16-20. -20. (canceled)

23. (canceled)

25. A camera for imaging the fundus of an eye, the camera comprising a housing comprising an internal cavity terminating at a forward housing end, a forward lens, a light source configured to direct light from locations distributed around the perimeter of the forward lens forwardly out of the housing end, and means for selecting a portion of the fundus to be imaged from among a plurality of portions at differing angular locations around a central axis of the eye.

26. (canceled)

27. A method of imaging the fundus of an eye comprising:

a) contacting a hand-held camera with the cornea of the eye;

b) directing light from locations distributed around the perimeter of a forward lens of the camera forwardly out of a housing end of the camera through the pupil of the eye and onto a first portion of the fundus;

c) receiving light reflected back from the first portion of the fundus onto an image receptor in the camera;

d) directing light from locations distributed around the perimeter of the forward lens of the camera through the pupil of the eye and onto a second portion of the fundus;

e) receiving light reflected back from the second portion of the fundus onto the image receptor in the camera; and

f) processing data from the image receptor to create a digital image of the fundus.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the first portion of the fundus is located at a first angular position relative to an axis of the eye, and the second portion of the fundus is located at a second angular position relative to the axis of the eye.

29. The method of claim 27, further comprising directing a fixation target through an optical fiber onto the fundus of the eye.

34. The method of claim 27, further comprising using a liquid lens to focus the image of the fundus.

30-32. -32. (canceled)