RETINAL FUNDUS SURVEILLANCE METHOD AND APPARATUS
First Claim
1. A method for assessing retinal health of an eye of a patient, the method comprising:
- sequentially imaging the retinal fundus of the eye at a series of wavelengths, a time duration of the imaging of the retinal fundus at an individual wavelength being an individual wavelength imaging time duration, a sum of all individual wavelength imaging time durations being less than a constriction latency period of the eye, the imaging being effected with an imaging device comprising a plurality of pixels;
determining a spectral reflectivity of the retina for each pixel within a field of view by comparing, for each pixel, the illuminating light energy with a reflected light energy on the basis of specular retinal reflectivity and diffuse retinal reflectivity data of the retinal fundus image; and
assessing retinal health based on the spectral reflectivity of the retina.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for quantitative imaging of the retinal fundus. The method for retinal health assessment comprises imaging the retinal fundus of a patient'"'"'s eye at different wavelengths within a spectral range and determining spectral reflectivity of the retina for each pixel within a field of view (FOV). The retinal health is assessed based on the spectral reflectivity of the retina. The metabolic and anatomical activity of the eye is monitored to detect, at the earliest stage, activity that could lead to the onset of blinding eye diseases such as macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, cataracts, etc.
26 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method for assessing retinal health of an eye of a patient, the method comprising:
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sequentially imaging the retinal fundus of the eye at a series of wavelengths, a time duration of the imaging of the retinal fundus at an individual wavelength being an individual wavelength imaging time duration, a sum of all individual wavelength imaging time durations being less than a constriction latency period of the eye, the imaging being effected with an imaging device comprising a plurality of pixels; determining a spectral reflectivity of the retina for each pixel within a field of view by comparing, for each pixel, the illuminating light energy with a reflected light energy on the basis of specular retinal reflectivity and diffuse retinal reflectivity data of the retinal fundus image; and assessing retinal health based on the spectral reflectivity of the retina. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A system for assessing retinal health of an eye of a patient, the system comprising:
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an optical unit for sequentially imaging the retinal fundus of the eye at different wavelengths, the optical unit having an imaging sensor onto which the retinal fundus is imaged, the imaging sensor comprising pixels; a light source module having light sources, each light source corresponding to one of the different wavelengths, the light source module also having a light source selection means to select a light source with which to illuminate the retinal fundus at an illuminating light energy, the light source selection means to switch from one light source to another in a switching time, a time duration of the imaging of the retinal fundus at an individual wavelength being an individual wavelength imaging time duration, a sum of all individual wavelength imaging time durations and of each switching time require to switch from one light source to another being less than a constriction latency period of the eye; and a processor for determining spectral reflectivity of the retina for each pixel within a field of view by comparing, for each pixel, the illuminating light energy with a reflected light energy on the basis of specular retinal reflectivity and diffuse retinal reflectivity data of the retinal fundus image, and assessing retinal health based on the spectral reflectivity of the retina. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification