Ophthalmic apparatus

• US 5,909,269 A
• Filed: 02/10/1998
• Issued: 06/01/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nidek Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nidek Company Limited
• Inventors: Isogai, Naoki, Kurachi, Mikio
• Primary Examiner(s): MANUEL, GEORGE C
• Application Number:
  US09/021,440
• Time in Patent Office: 476 Days
• Field of Search: 351/206, 351/208, 351/211, 351/210, 351/209, 351/221, 351/204
• US Class Current: 351/208
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/0075 provided with adjusting devices, e.g. operated by control lever manipulators B25J
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/145 by video means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/152 for aligning

Abstract

An ophthalmic apparatus comprising a measuring device for inspecting or measuring a patient'"'"'s eye, a moving device for moving the measuring device relative to the patient'"'"'s eye, a designating device for designating an eye to be measured, photographing device capable of photographing a face including both eyes, first detecting device for detecting positional relationship between the measuring device and each of right and left eyes respectively based on an image signal from the photographing device, an alignment detecting device for detecting an alignment condition of the measuring device relative to the eye, and a leading device for leading the moving device so that the measuring device may be alined within the predetermined range relative to the eye based on results detected by the first detecting device and the alignment detecting device.

Claims

1. An ophthalmic apparatus comprising:

measuring means for inspecting or measuring a patient'"'"'s eye;

moving means for moving said measuring means relative to the patient'"'"'s eye;

designating means for designating an eye to be measured;

photographing means capable of photographing a face including both eyes of the patient;

first detecting means for detecting positional relationship between said measuring means and each of right and left eyes respectively based on an image signal from said photographing means;

alignment detecting means for detecting an alignment condition of said measuring means relative to the eye; and

leading means for leading said moving means so that said measuring means may be alined within the predetermined range relative to the eye based on results detected by said first detecting means and said alignment detecting means.

2. The ophthalmic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said designating means comprises input means for designating an eye to be measured.

3. The ophthalmic apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

measurement finish detecting means for detecting a finish of measurement of one eye performed by said measuring means;

whereby another eye not being the eye that measurement is finished being designated as an eye to be measured by said designating means at the time when it is detected by said measurement finish detecting means that the measurement of one eye is finished.

4. The ophthalmic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said moving means comprises driving means for driving said measuring means electrically;

and

said leading means comprises movement controlling means for controlling said driving means based on results detected by said first detecting means and said alignment detecting means.

5. The ophthalmic apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising:

detecting means for detecting an approaching condition of said measuring means relative to a face of the patient; and

regulating means for regulating the movement performed by said driving means so as not to approach excess the predetermined approaching condition, based on results detected by said detecting means.

6. The ophthalmic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said moving means comprises operating parts to be operated by the operator, and

said leading means comprises instructing means for instructing the operator which direction to move.

7. The ophthalmic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said alignment detecting means comprising:

target projecting means for projecting an alignment target onto the eye; and

second detecting means for detecting the alignment condition of said measuring means relative to the eye by detecting an image of the target projected by said target projecting means, whereby said moving means being led by said leading means so that said measuring means may be alined within the predetermined range relative to the eye based on results detected by said second detecting means.

8. The ophthalmic apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said second detecting means is served as said first detecting means by which detects the alignment condition of said measuring means relative to the eye by detecting the image of the target projected by said target projecting means based on the image signal from said photographing means;

and

said photographing means is one of high resolution.

9. The ophthalmic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first detecting means detects each position of both eyes based on continuous image signals from said photographing means according to the change of image before and after the blink of both eyes.

10. The ophthalmic apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

distance-between-pupils measuring means for obtaining a distance between pupils of both eyes based on the image signal from said photographing means according to the relationship between a photographing magnification and a photographing position of an image photographed by said photographing means.

11. The ophthalmic apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

angle measuring means for measuring an inclining angle of a face of the patient based on the image signal from said photographing means; and

angle correcting means for correcting an astigmatism axial angle obtained by said measuring means based on the inclining angle obtained by said angle measuring means.

12. An ophthalmic apparatus comprising:

measuring means for inspecting or measuring a patient'"'"'s eye;

moving means for moving said measuring means relative to the patient'"'"'s eye;

designating means for designating an eye to be measured;

photographing means capable of photographing a face including both eyes of the patient;

first detecting means for detecting positional relationship between said measuring means and each of right and left eyes respectively based on an image signal from said photographing means;

first controlling means for controlling said moving means so that said measuring means may be alined close to the position of the eye designated by said designating means based on results detected by said first detecting means;

target projecting means for projecting an alignment target onto the eye under the condition that said measuring means is aligned close to the position of the eye;

second detecting means for detecting an alignment condition of said measuring means relative to the eye by detecting an image of the target projected by said target image projecting means;

second controlling means for further controlling said moving means so that said measuring means may be aligned to be capable of measuring based on results detected by said second detecting means;

judging means for judging suitability of the alignment based on results detected by said second detecting means; and

measurement starting signal generating means for generating a starting signal for measurement, which causes said measuring means to work at the time when it is judged by said judging means that the alignment is appropriate.

13. The ophthalmic apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said designating means comprises input means for designating an eye to be measured.

14. The ophthalmic apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising:

measurement finish detecting means for detecting a finish of measurement of one eye performed by said measuring means;

whereby another eye not being the eye that measurement is finished being designated as an eye to be measured by said designating means at the time when it is detected by said measurement finish detecting means that the measurement of one eye is finished.

15. The ophthalmic apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising:

detecting means for detecting an approaching condition of said measuring means relative to a face of the patient; and

regulating means for regulating the movement performed by said driving means so as not to approach excess the predetermined approaching condition, based on results detected by said detecting means.

16. The ophthalmic apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said photographing means is a photographing means of high resolution;

and

said first detecting means is served as said second detecting means by detecting the alignment condition of said measuring means relative to the eye by detecting the image of the target projected by said target projecting means based on the image signal from said photographing means.

17. The ophthalmic apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said first detecting means detects each position of both eyes based on continuous image signals from said photographing means according to the change of image before and after the blink of both eyes.

18. The ophthalmic apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising:

distance-between-pupils measuring means for obtaining a distance between pupils of both eyes based on the image signal from said photographing means according to the relationship between a photographing magnification and a photographing position of an image photographed by said photographing means.

19. The ophthalmic apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising:

angle measuring means for measuring an inclining angle of a face of the patient based on the image signal from said photographing means; and

angle correcting means for correcting an astigmatism axial angle obtained by said measuring means based on the inclining angle obtained by said angle measuring means.