APPARATUSES AND METHODS FOR DETERMINING TEAR FILM BREAK-UP TIME AND/OR FOR DETECTING LID MARGIN CONTACT AND BLINK RATES, PARTICULARY FOR DIAGNOSING, MEASURING, AND/OR ANALYZING DRY EYE CONDITIONS AND SYMPTOMS

• US 20140016093A1
• Filed: 05/06/2013
• Published: 01/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TearScience Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: TearScience Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Korb, Donald R., Grenon, Stephen M., Blackie, Caroline, Willis, Timothy R., Bacich, Steve
• Granted Patent: US 9,545,197 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 351/206
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/0025 characterised by electronic signal processing, e.g. eye models
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/0058 for multiple images
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/1005 for measuring distances inside the eye, e.g. thickness of the cornea A61B3/11 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/101 for examining the tear film
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/14 Arrangements specially adapted for eye photography apparatus or arrangements for taking photographs per se G03B
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10024 Color image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10152 Varying illumination
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30041 Eye; Retina; Ophthalmic
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0016 involving temporal comparison
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/11 Region-based segmentation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/90 Determination of colour characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/97 Determining parameters from multiple pictures depth or shape recovery from multiple images G06T7/55; stereo camera calibration G06T7/85
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/19 Sensors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/193 Preprocessing; Feature extraction
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/20 Movements or behaviour, e.g. gesture recognition recognition of facial expressions G06V40/16

Abstract

Embodiments disclosed herein include devices, systems, and methods for determining tear film break-up time and for detecting eyelid margin contact and blink rates, particularly for diagnosing, measuring, and/or analyzing dry eye conditions and symptoms. The apparatus and methods for determining tear film break-up time and for detecting eyelid margin contact and blink rates, particularly for diagnosing, measuring, and/or analyzing dry eye conditions and symptoms may employ ocular surface interferometry (OSI) devices or other imaging and display devices capable of imaging and displaying a picture of a patient'"'"'s eye during tear film break-up time and blink rate related procedures.

Claims

1. An apparatus for determining a break-up time of an ocular tear film, comprising:

a control system configured to;

(a) receive at least one first image of an area of interest of an ocular tear film captured by an imaging device while illuminated by a light source;

(b) start a time measurement instrument;

(c) receive at least one second image of the area of interest of the ocular tear film captured by the imaging device while illuminated by the light source;

(d) analyze the at least one first image and the at least one second image to determine if a change has occurred in the area of interest;

(e) if a change has occurred in the area of interest, determine if a threshold level has been reached; and

(f) if the threshold level has been reached, measure an amount of time from the start of the time measurement instrument until a time that the threshold level has been reached.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control system is further configured to display the amount of time from the start of the time measurement instrument until a time that the threshold level has been reached on a visual display associated with a user.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control system is further configured to display, on a visual display associated with a user, an image of the area of interest of the ocular tear film before the time the threshold level was reached and to display an image of the area of interest of the ocular tear film after the time the threshold level was reached.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an imaging device configured to capture the at least one first image and capture the at least one second image.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the imaging device is configured to capture an area of interest, wherein the area of interest is divided into a plurality of different segments.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the area of interest is divided into a plurality of different horizontal segments by one or more horizontal lines.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the area of interest is divided into a plurality of different segments by one or more curvilinear lines.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the area of interest is divided into a plurality of concentric circular segments by one or more concentric circles.

9. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the area of interest is divided into a plurality of different pie-shaped segments.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the imaging device is configured to capture an image of an area of interest of the ocular tear film that includes at least one interference pattern from specularly reflected light from the ocular tear film and reduced background signals.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the area of interest is a cobalt blue area field and the change in the area of interest is an appearance of a black spot indicating tear break-up caused by fluorescein.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the change in the area of interest is a change in a pattern of the lipid layer of the ocular tear film.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the change in the area of interest is a change in a thickness of the lipid layer of the ocular tear film.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the change in the thickness of the lipid layer of the ocular tear film is indicative of an absence of liquid in the lipid layer.

15. An apparatus for determining a break-up time of an ocular tear film, comprising:

a control system configured to;

(a) receive at least one first image of an area of interest of an ocular tear film captured by an imaging device while illuminated by a light source of a first type, wherein the area of interest is divided into a plurality of segments and the at least one first image is of a first segment of the plurality of segments;

(b) start a time measurement instrument;

(c) receive at least one second image of an area of interest of an ocular tear film captured by an imaging device while illuminated by a light source of the first type, wherein the area of interest is divided into a plurality of segments and the at least one second image is of the first segment of the plurality of segments;

(d) analyze the at least one first image and the at least one second image to determine if a change has occurred in the area of interest;

(e) receive at least one third image of an area of interest of the ocular tear film captured by the imaging device while illuminated by a light source of a second type, wherein the area of interest is divided into a plurality of segments and the at least one third image is of a second segment of the plurality of segments;

(f) receive at least one fourth image of an area of interest of the ocular tear film captured by the imaging device while illuminated by a light source of a second type, wherein the area of interest is divided into a plurality of segments and the at least one fourth image is of the second segment of the plurality of segments;

(g) analyze the at least one third image and the at least one fourth image to determine if a change has occurred in the area of interest;

(h) if a change has occurred in the area of interest based on one or more of the at least one first image, at least one second image, at least one third image, and at least one fourth image, determine if a threshold level has been reached; and

(i) if the threshold level has been reached, measure an amount of time from the start of the time measurement instrument until a time that the threshold level has been reached.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the light source of the first type is a polarized light source.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the light source of the second type is a light source with a cobalt blue filter.

18. A method for determining a break-up time of an ocular tear film, comprising:

(a) receiving at least one first image of an area of interest of an ocular tear film captured by an imaging device while illuminated by a light source;

(b) starting a time measurement instrument;

(c) receiving at least one second image of the area of interest of the ocular tear film captured by the imaging device while illuminated by the light source;

(d) analyzing the at least one first image and the at least one second image to determine if a change has occurred in the area of interest;

(e) if a change has occurred in the area of interest, determining if a threshold level has been reached; and

(f) if the threshold level has been reached, measuring an amount of time from the start of the time measurement instrument until a time that the threshold level has been reached.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising displaying the amount of time from the start of the time measurement instrument until a time that the threshold level has been reached on a visual display associated with a user.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising displaying, on a visual display associated with a user, an image of the area of interest of the ocular tear film before the time the threshold level was reached and to display an image of the area of interest of the ocular tear film after the time the threshold level was reached.

21. A method for determining a break-up time of an ocular tear film, comprising:

(a) receiving at least one first image of an area of interest of an ocular tear film captured by an imaging device while illuminated by a light source of a first type, wherein the area of interest is divided into a plurality of segments and the at least one first image is of a first segment of the plurality of segments;

(b) starting a time measurement instrument;

(c) receiving at least one second image of an area of interest of an ocular tear film captured by an imaging device while illuminated by a light source of the first type, wherein the area of interest is divided into a plurality of segments and the at least one second image is of the first segment of the plurality of segments;

(d) analyzing the at least one first image and the at least one second image to determine if a change has occurred in the area of interest;

(e) receiving at least one third image of an area of interest of the ocular tear film captured by the imaging device while illuminated by a light source of a second type, wherein the area of interest is divided into a plurality of segments and the at least one third image is of a second segment of the plurality of segments;

(f) receiving at least one fourth image of an area of interest of the ocular tear film captured by the imaging device while illuminated by a light source of a second type, wherein the area of interest is divided into a plurality of segments and the at least one fourth image is of the second segment of the plurality of segments;

(g) analyzing the at least one third image and the at least one fourth image to determine if a change has occurred in the area of interest;

(h) if a change has occurred in the area of interest based on one or more of the at least one first image, at least one second image, at least one third image, and at least one fourth images, determining if a threshold level has been reached; and

(i) if the threshold level has been reached, measuring an amount of time from the start of the time measurement instrument until a time that the threshold level has been reached.

22. An apparatus for determining lid margin contact and/or blink rate of an eye having an upper eyelid and a lower eyelid, comprising:

a control system configured to;

(a) receive at least one image of an area of interest of an eye captured by an imaging device when illuminated by a light source, wherein the at least one image is captured by the imaging device over a given period of time;

(b) analyze the at least one image to determine a number of complete blinks of the eye for the given period of time.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the control system is further configured to analyze the at least one image to determine a number of partial blinks of the eye for the given period of time.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the control system is further configured to calculate the number of complete blinks by analyzing the at least one image to determine whether or not the upper eyelid and the lower eyelid touched during a blink that occurred during the given time period, and if the upper eyelid and the lower eyelid touched during the blink, counting it as a complete blink.

25. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the control system is further configured to analyze the at least one image and calculate an amplitude of one or more of the partial blinks.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the control system is configured to calculate the amplitude of one or more of the partial blinks based on an amount of travel of the upper eyelid.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the amount of travel of the upper eyelid is measured by comparing how far the upper eyelid travels in relation to a pupil of the eye.

28. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the image of the area of interest of the eye comprises an ocular tear film, and a complete blink of the eye is counted if the upper eyelid travels downward toward the lower eyelid to an extent that no image is provided from the ocular tear film.

29. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the area of interest of the eye comprises an ocular tear film, and a partial blink of the eye is counted if the upper eyelid travels downward toward the lower eyelid and a partial image of the eye is still visible from the image provided from the ocular tear film.

30. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the control system is further configured to analyze the at least one image of the area of interest of the eye and determine a number of complete blinks and a number of partial blinks for the given period of time based on an amount of travel of the upper eyelid as measured by how far the upper eyelid travels in relation to the area of interest.

31. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the control system is further configured to calculate a ratio of complete blinks versus partial blinks.

32. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the control system is further configured to analyze the at least one image of the area of interest of the eye and determine a degree of completeness for at least one of the partial blinks for the given period of time based on a percentage of an exposed aperture of the eye in the at least one image of the area of interest of the eye.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the control system is further configured to analyze the at least one image of the area of interest of the eye and determine a mean amount of exposed aperture of the eye expressed as a percentage of surface areas visible in the at least one image of the area of interest of the eye.

34. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the image of the area of interest of the eye comprises an ocular tear film and wherein the control system is further configured to determine a productivity of one or more of the blinks based on a thickness of a lipid layer on the eye after the one or more of the blinks.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the control system is further configured to calculate a percentage of productive blinks within the given time period.

36. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the control system is further configured to determine a speed at which the upper eyelid travels based on an analysis of the at least one image.

37. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the control system is further configured to determine an amount of time the eye is in a closed position based on an analysis of the at least one image.

38. A method for determining lid margin contact and/or blink rate of an eye having an upper eyelid and a lower eyelid, comprising:

(a) receiving at least one image of an area of interest of an eye captured by an imaging device when illuminated by a light source, wherein the at least one image is captured by the imaging device over a given period of time;

(b) analyzing the at least one image to determine a number of complete blinks of the eye for the given period of time.