Method and apparatus for measuring wavefront aberrations

• US 6,616,279 B1
• Filed: 10/02/2000
• Issued: 09/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Vision Care Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Vision Care Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Ross, Denwood F. III, Davis, Brett A., Roffman, Jeffrey H., Collins, Michael J., Iskander, Daoud R.
• Primary Examiner(s): MANUEL, GEORGE C
• Application Number:
  US09/677,191
• Time in Patent Office: 1,072 Days
• Field of Search: 351/211, 351/212, 351/246, 356/124, 356/124.5
• US Class Current: 351/246
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/1015 for wavefront analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0414 using plane or convex mirrors, parallel phase plates, or plane beam-splitters
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 9/00 Measuring optical phase difference devices or arrangements for controlling the phase of light beams G02F1/01; Determining degree of coherence; Measuring optical wavelength spectrometry G01J3/00

Abstract

An apparatus and method for measuring wavefront aberrations. The apparatus comprises a reflecting device for reflecting selected portions of the wavefront, an imaging device for capturing information related to the selected portions, and a processor for calculating aberrations of the wavefront from the captured information. The method comprises reflecting selected portions of a wavefront onto the imaging device, capturing information related to the selected portions, and processing the captured information to derive the aberrations.

Claims

1. A method for measuring an optical wavefront comprising the steps of:

(a) reflecting, using a reflecting device comprising a plurality of mirrors, a selected portion of the optical wavefront onto an imaging device;

(b) reflecting, using the reflecting device comprising the plurality of mirrors, another selected portion of the optical wavefront onto said imaging device; and

(c) capturing information related to each of the selected portions of the optical wavefront for computing the aberration of each of the selected portions.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising the step of:

analyzing the captured information to determine the aberration of each of the selected portions.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising the step of:

repeating steps (b) and (c) until information related to a desired region of said optical wavefront is captured.

4. A method in accordance with claim 3, further comprising the step of:

computing the aberration of said desired region.

5. A method for measuring an optical wavefront comprising the steps of:

reflecting, using a reflecting device comprising a plurality of mirrors, each of a plurality of portions of the optical wavefront onto an imaging device; and

determining aberrations of the optical wavefront.

6. A method in accordance with claim 5, wherein said determining step comprises:

comparing an image produced on said image device by the optical wavefront with a known value for an aberration free wavefront for each of said plurality of portions of the optical wavefront;

calculating individual aberrations for each of said plurality of portions of the optical wavefront; and

combining the individual aberrations to derive the optical wavefront aberrations.

7. A method in accordance with claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

generating a fixation target; and

passing said fixation target to said focusing optical system.

8. A method for measuring wave aberrations of a focusing optical system comprising:

generating a spot on a reflective surface within the focusing optical system;

reflecting, using a reflecting device comprising a plurality of mirrors, each of a plurality of portions of a point source image emitted from the focusing optical system onto an imaging device; and

determining wave aberrations of the focusing optical system.

9. A method in accordance with claim 8, wherein said determining step comprises:

comparing an image produced on said imaging device by said point source image with a known value for an aberration free image for each of said plurality of portions;

calculating individual aberrations for each of said plurality of portions; and

combining the individual aberration to derive the focusing optical system aberrations.

10. A method in accordance with claim 9, wherein said point source image corresponds to said spot on said reflective surface.

11. A method for determining wave aberrations of an eye comprising the steps of:

generating a beam;

passing said beam to a spot on a retina of the eye;

passing a wavefront corresponding to said spot on said retina emanating from said eye to a multi-mirror device; and

selectively reflecting, using a reflecting device comprising a plurality of mirrors, portions of said wavefront incident on said multi-mirror device to an imaging device.

12. A method in accordance with claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

generating a fixation target; and

passing said fixation target to said eye.

13. A method in accordance with claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

comparing the selectively reflected portions of said wavefront on said imaging device with a known value for an aberration free image; and

determining wave aberrations of said eye using the compared selectively reflected portions of said wavefront.