Reflectometry instrument and method for measuring macular pigment
First Claim
1. A reflectometry instrument to measure macular pigment of a macula of a human eye, comprising:
- a light source for emitting an illumination beam in a direction toward the macula;
a spectrometer for measuring a detection beam, the detection beam being a portion of the illumination beam reflected from the macula, the detection beam being indicative of the amount of macular pigment in the macula;
a first lens for transmitting the illumination beam to the macula and for transmitting the detection beam from the macula to the spectrometer, the first lens including an anti-reflection coating; and
a second lens adjacent to the first lens, the second lens being adapted to transmit the illumination beam to the macula and for transmitting the detection beam from the macula to the spectrometer, the second lens including an anti-reflection coating,wherein the illumination beam and the detection beam remain separated when the illumination beam and the detection beam pass through the first lens and the second lens.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A reflectometry instrument includes a light source, a spectrometer, and a first and second lens. The light source emits an illumination beam to the macula. The spectrometer measures a detection beam that is a portion of the illumination beam reflected from the eye and is indicative of the eye characteristics (e.g. macular pigment). The first and second lenses transmit the illumination beam to the macula and transmit the detection beam from the macula to the spectrometer. The instrument is used on an undilated pupil and minimizes unwanted reflections by at least one of the following: the first and second lenses include anti-reflection coatings; the illumination and detection beams pass through the first and second lenses at locations offset from their centers; and the illumination and the detection beams remain separated when passing through the first and second lenses. Zeaxanthin, lutein, and the total macular pigment levels are measured by the instrument.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. A reflectometry instrument to measure macular pigment of a macula of a human eye, comprising:
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a light source for emitting an illumination beam in a direction toward the macula; a spectrometer for measuring a detection beam, the detection beam being a portion of the illumination beam reflected from the macula, the detection beam being indicative of the amount of macular pigment in the macula; a first lens for transmitting the illumination beam to the macula and for transmitting the detection beam from the macula to the spectrometer, the first lens including an anti-reflection coating; and a second lens adjacent to the first lens, the second lens being adapted to transmit the illumination beam to the macula and for transmitting the detection beam from the macula to the spectrometer, the second lens including an anti-reflection coating, wherein the illumination beam and the detection beam remain separated when the illumination beam and the detection beam pass through the first lens and the second lens. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A reflectometry instrument to measure macular pigment of a macula of a human eye, comprising:
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a light source for emitting an illumination beam in a direction toward the macula; a spectrometer for measuring a detection beam, the detection beam being a portion of the illumination beam reflected from the macula, the detection beam being indicative of the amount of macular pigment in the macula; a first lens for transmitting the illumination beam to the macula and for transmitting the detection beam from the macula to the spectrometer, the illumination beam and the detection beam being transmitted by the first lens at a location offset from the center of the first lens; and a second lens adjacent to the first lens, the second lens for transmitting the illumination beam to the macula and for transmitting the detection beam from the macula to the spectrometer, the illumination beam and the detection beam being transmitted by the second lens at a location offset from the center of the second lens, wherein the illumination beam and the detection beam remain separated when the illumination beam and the detection beam pass through the first lens and the second lens. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of determining the amount of macular pigment in the macula of a human eye, comprising:
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passing an illumination beam through a lens system having a first lens and a second lens, the illumination beam passing through the first lens and the second lens at locations offset from the centers of the first lens and second lens; directing the illumination beam from the lens system onto the macula so as to produce a detection beam that reflects from the eye;
werepassing the detection beam through the lens system offset from the centers of the first lens and second lens, the detection beam remaining separated from the illumination beam at the first lens and the second lens; receiving the detection beam at a spectrometer; and measuring characteristics of the detection beam at the spectrometer. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 34, 35, 36)
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33. A reflectometry instrument to measure a lens characteristics of a human eye, comprising:
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a light source for emitting an illumination beam in a direction toward the eye; a spectrometer for measuring a detection beam, the detection beam being a portion of the illumination beam reflected from the eye, the detection beam being indicative of the lens characteristic in the eye; a first lens for transmitting the illumination beam to the eye and for transmitting the detection beam from the eye to the spectrometer, the first lens including an anti-reflection coating; and a second lens adjacent to the first lens, the second lens being adapted to transmit the illumination beam to the eye and for transmitting the detection beam from the eye to the spectrometer, the second lens including an anti-reflection coating, wherein the illumination beam and the detection beam remain separated when the illumination beam and the detection beam pass through the first lens and the second lens.
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Specification