Tear film measurement
First Claim
1. An apparatus for measuring the thickness of the lipid layer on the surface of a patient'"'"'s eye after distribution of the lipid layer subsequent to blinking comprising:
- an illuminator that directs light to the lipid layer of a patient'"'"'s eye, the illuminator comprising a broad spectrum light source in the visible region being a lambertian emitter such that the rays from the light source are specularly reflected from the lipid layer and undergo constructive and destructive interference in the lipid layer, wherein said illuminator further includes a plurality of spaced apart light emitting diodes adapted to emit light in the visible region;
an imaging device for observing the specularly reflected light such that the interference patterns on the tear film lipid layer are observable; and
a diffuser for diffusing the light emitted by the respective light emitting diodes positioned between said light emitting diodes and the surface of the eye, wherein the diffuser is arcuate such that the light rays emitted therefrom strike the surface of the eye such that Snell'"'"'s law is satisfied with respect to the acceptance angle of said imaging device so as to produce an observable area of interference on the eye.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention comprises an apparatus for measuring the relative thickness of the lipid layer component of the precorneal tear film on the surface of an eye after distribution of the lipid layer subsequent to blinking is disclosed. An illuminator directs light to the lipid layer of a patient'"'"'s eye. The illuminator is a broad spectrum light source covering the visible region and is a lambertion light emitter such that the light source is specularly reflected from the lipid layer and undergoes constructive and destructive interference in the lipid layer. A collector collects and focuses the specularly reflected light such that the interference patterns on the tear film lipid layer are observable. The collector also produces an output signal representative of the specularly reflected light which is suitable for further analysis, such as projection on to a high resolution video monitor or analysis by or storage in a computer. In order to facilitate ease of measurement, the patient'"'"'s head may be positioned on an observation platform when the illuminator directs light to the lipid layer of the patient'"'"'s eye.
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Citations
78 Claims
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1. An apparatus for measuring the thickness of the lipid layer on the surface of a patient'"'"'s eye after distribution of the lipid layer subsequent to blinking comprising:
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an illuminator that directs light to the lipid layer of a patient'"'"'s eye, the illuminator comprising a broad spectrum light source in the visible region being a lambertian emitter such that the rays from the light source are specularly reflected from the lipid layer and undergo constructive and destructive interference in the lipid layer, wherein said illuminator further includes a plurality of spaced apart light emitting diodes adapted to emit light in the visible region; an imaging device for observing the specularly reflected light such that the interference patterns on the tear film lipid layer are observable; and a diffuser for diffusing the light emitted by the respective light emitting diodes positioned between said light emitting diodes and the surface of the eye, wherein the diffuser is arcuate such that the light rays emitted therefrom strike the surface of the eye such that Snell'"'"'s law is satisfied with respect to the acceptance angle of said imaging device so as to produce an observable area of interference on the eye. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An apparatus for measuring the thickness of the lipid layer on the surface of an eye after distribution of the lipid layer subsequent to blinking comprising:
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an illuminator that directs light to the lipid layer of a patient'"'"'s eye, the illuminator being a broad spectrum light source in the visible region and being a lambertian emitter such that the light source is specularly reflected from the lipid layer and undergoes constructive and destructive interference in the lipid layer and wherein the total light emitted from the surface of the illuminator is less that 10 μ
W/mm2, wherein said illuminator further includes a plurality of spaced apart light emitting diodes adapted to emit light in the visible region;an imaging device for observing the specularly reflected light such that the interference patterns on the tear film lipid layer are observable; and a diffuser for diffusing the light emitted by the respective light emitting diodes positioned between said light emitting diodes and the surface of the eye, wherein the diffuser is arcuate such that the light rays emitted from the lambertian emitter strike the surface of the eye such that Snell'"'"'s law is satisfied with respect to the acceptance angle of said imaging device so as to produce an observable area of interference on the eye. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. An apparatus for measuring the thickness of the lipid layer on the surface of a patient'"'"'s eye after distribution of the lipid layer subsequent to blinking comprising:
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an illuminator that directs light to the lipid layer of a patient'"'"'s eye, the illuminator comprising a broad spectrum light source in the visible region and being a uniform illumination lambertian emitter such that the light source is specularly reflected from the lipid layer and undergoes constructive and destructive interference in the lipid layer wherein said illuminator illuminates the patient'"'"'s face, but wherein only an area below the pupil satisfies Snell'"'"'s law, wherein said illuminator further includes a plurality of spaced apart light emitting diodes adapted to emit light in the visible region; an imaging device for observing the specularly reflected light such that the interference patterns on the tear film lipid layer are observable in the area below the pupil with respect to the acceptance angle of said imaging device so as to produce an observable area of interference on the eye below the pupil; and a diffuser for diffusing the light emitted by the respective light emitting diodes positioned between said light emitting diodes and the surface of the eye, wherein the diffuser is arcuate such that the light rays emitted from the lambertian emitter strike the surface of the eye such that Snell'"'"'s law is satisfied with respect to the acceptance angle of said imaging device so as to produce an observable area of interference on the eye. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. An apparatus for measuring the thickness of the lipid layer on the surface of an eye after distribution of the lipid layer subsequent to blinking comprising:
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an illuminator that directs light to the lipid layer of a patient'"'"'s eye, the illuminator being a broad spectrum light source in the visible region and being a uniform illumination lambertian emitter such that the light source is specularly reflected from the lipid layer and undergoes constructive and destructive interference in the lipid layer and wherein the light emitted from the illuminator travels directly to the lipid layer without reflection and strikes the lipid layer, wherein said illuminator further includes a plurality of spaced apart light emitting diodes adapted to emit light in the visible region; an imaging device for collecting the specularly reflected light and for focusing the specularly reflected light such that the interference patterns on the tear film lipid layer are observable; and a diffuser for diffusing the light emitted by the respective light emitting diodes positioned between said light emitting diodes and the surface of the eye, wherein the diffuser is arcuate such that the light rays emitted from the lambertian emitter strike the surface of the eye such that Snell'"'"'s law is satisfied with respect to the acceptance angle of said imaging device so as to produce an observable area of interference on the eye. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
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50. An apparatus for measuring the thickness of the lipid layer on the surface of a patient'"'"'s eye after distribution of the lipid layer subsequent to blinking comprising:
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an illuminator that directs light to the lipid layer of a patient'"'"'s eye, the illuminator comprising a broad spectrum light source in the visible region being a lambertian emitter such that the rays from the light source are specularly reflected from the lipid layer and undergo constructive and destructive interference in the lipid layer, wherein said illuminator further includes a plurality of spaced apart light emitting diodes adapted to emit light in the visible region; and an imaging device for observing the specularly reflected light such that the interference patterns on the tear film lipid layer are observable. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56)
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57. An apparatus for measuring the thickness of the lipid layer on the surface of an eye after distribution of the lipid layer subsequent to blinking comprising:
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an illuminator that directs light to the lipid layer of a patient'"'"'s eye, the illuminator being a broad spectrum light source in the visible region and being a lambertian emitter such that the light source is specularly reflected from the lipid layer and undergoes constructive and destructive interference in the lipid layer and wherein the total light emitted from the surface of the illuminator is less that 10 μ
W/mm2, wherein said illuminator further includes a plurality of spaced apart light emitting diodes adapted to emit light in the visible region; andan imaging device for observing the specularly reflected light such that the interference patterns on the tear film lipid layer are observable. - View Dependent Claims (58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63)
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64. An apparatus for measuring the thickness of the lipid layer on the surface of a patient'"'"'s eye after distribution of the lipid layer subsequent to blinking comprising:
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an illuminator that directs light to the lipid layer of a patient'"'"'s eye, the illuminator comprising a broad spectrum light source in the visible region and being a uniform illumination lambertian emitter such that the light source is specularly reflected from the lipid layer and undergoes constructive and destructive interference in the lipid layer, wherein said illuminator illuminates the patient'"'"'s face, but wherein only an area below the pupil satisfies Snell'"'"'s law, wherein said illuminator further includes a plurality of spaced apart light emitting diodes adapted to emit light in the visible region; and an imaging device for observing the specularly reflected light such that the interference patterns on the tear film lipid layer are observable in the area below the pupil with respect to the acceptance angle of said imaging device so as to produce an observable area of interference on the eye below the pupil. - View Dependent Claims (65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71)
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72. An apparatus for measuring the thickness of the lipid layer on the surface of an eye after distribution of the lipid layer subsequent to blinking comprising:
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an illuminator that directs light to the lipid layer of a patient'"'"'s eye, the illuminator being a broad spectrum light source in the visible region and being a uniform illumination lambertian emitter such that the light source is specularly reflected from the lipid layer and undergoes constructive and destructive interference in the lipid layer and wherein the light emitted from the illuminator travels directly to the lipid layer without reflection and strikes the lipid layer, wherein said illuminator further includes a plurality of spaced apart light emitting diodes adapted to emit light in the visible region; and an imaging device for collecting the specularly reflected light and for focusing the specularly reflected light such that the interference patterns on the tear film lipid layer are observable. - View Dependent Claims (73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78)
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Specification