OPHTHALMIC LENS WITH RETINAL VASCULARIZATION MONITORING SYSTEM

• US 20180132818A1
• Filed: 01/12/2018
• Published: 05/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Vision Care Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Vision Care Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Pugh, Randall Braxton
• Granted Patent: US 10,159,461 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/1241 specially adapted for observation of ocular blood flow, e.g. by fluorescein angiography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/14 Arrangements specially adapted for eye photography apparatus or arrangements for taking photographs per se G03B
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/004 adapted for image acquisition of a particular organ or body part A61B5/0082 takes precedence; arrangements for optical scanning A61B5/0062
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/02 Measuring pulse or heart rate
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/10 Eye inspection
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/42 Details of probe positioning or probe attachment to the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4483 characterised by features of the ultrasound transducer
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/5223 for extracting a diagnostic or physiological parameter from medical diagnostic data for algorithms to analyse biomedical images G06T7/0012
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/1451 Inlays or onlays
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/16 Intraocular lenses
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/0017 implantable in, or in contact with, the eye, e.g. ocular inserts
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 11/10 Electronic devices other than hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/04 Contact lenses for the eyes disinfection or sterilisation of contact lenses A61L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/30 for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment

Abstract

The present invention discloses an ophthalmic device with a retinal vascularization monitoring system and associated methods. In some embodiments, the ophthalmic device can be a contact lens with a retinal vascularization monitoring system that can be used to monitor temporal changes of a pulsating vessel forming part of the retinal vascularization. Further, the retinal vascularization monitoring system may include elements for delivering a signal, including an audible and/or visual message, to the user that can be useful for identifying abnormal conditions such as a cardiac failure without delay. The audible and/or visual messages can be signals communicated to the user using one or both of the ophthalmic device and a wireless device in communication with the ophthalmic device.

Claims

1. An energized ophthalmic device comprising:

a retinal vascularization monitoring system comprising an energy source in electrical connection and capable of energizing a transducer, an electronic feedback circuit, a controller comprising a computer processor and a digital media storage device, wherein the retinal vascularization monitoring system is configured for placement within a lens of the ophthalmic device, and wherein the microprocessor implements software code on the media storage device to cause the energized ophthalmic device to;

emit a signal toward at least one portion of a pulsating vessel forming part of a retinal vascularization of an eye;

receive, via the feedback circuit, a return signal from the outputted signal;

image the at least one pulsating location based upon a difference in the emitted signal and the return signal; and

monitor the retinal vascularization by comparing an image of the at least one identified portion of the pulsating vessel with a previous image of the same at least one portion of the pulsating vessel.

2. The energized ophthalmic device of claim 1, wherein the microprocessor implements software code further operable to cause the energized ophthalmic device to record changes in a diameter of the pulsating vessel over time.

3. The energized ophthalmic device of claim 2, wherein the microprocessor implements software code further operable to cause the energized ophthalmic device to determine the cardiac rhythm of the patient using the recorded changes in the diameter of the pulsating vessel over time.

4. The energized ophthalmic device of claim 3, wherein the microprocessor implements software code further operable to cause the energized ophthalmic device to generate a signal alert when the determined cardiac rhythm falls outside a pre-determined range.

5. The energized ophthalmic device of claim 4, wherein one or both the action of generating a signal alert to the patient and the determined cardiac rhythm is recorded as part of a patient'"'"'s medical history.

6. The energized ophthalmic device of claim 1, wherein the monitoring changes of the retinal vascularization include determining at a rate of displacement of the pulsating vessel.

7. The energized ophthalmic device of claim 6, wherein the microprocessor implements software code further operable to cause the energized ophthalmic device to send a signal alert when the rate of displacement of the pulsating vessel falls outside a pre-determined range.

8. An energized ophthalmic device comprising:

a retinal vascularization monitoring system comprising an energy source in electrical connection and capable of energizing a transducer, an electronic feedback circuit, a controller comprising a computer processor and a digital media storage device, wherein the retinal vascularization monitoring system is configured for placement within a lens of the ophthalmic device, and wherein the microprocessor implements software code on the media storage device to cause the energized ophthalmic device to;

detect a change in a controlled signal outputted towards at least one portion of a pulsating vessel forming part of a retinal vascularization of an eye;

image the at least portion of the retinal vascularization of the patient'"'"'s eye using the detected change in said controlled signal; and

record the changes in the at least said portion of the retinal vascularization between a series of images over time.

9. The energized ophthalmic device of claim 8, wherein the microprocessor implements software code further operable to cause the detecting the change in the controlled signal to be performed at least in part by a feedback circuit.

10. The energized ophthalmic device of claim 8, wherein the microprocessor implements software code further operable to cause the energized ophthalmic device to transmit, via a communication network, at least a portion of a return signal from the controlled signal.

11. The energized ophthalmic device of claim 8, wherein the microprocessor implements software code further operable to cause the energized ophthalmic device to send at least one of an audio signal alert and a visual signal alert when at least one of a determined cardiac rhythm or a determined rate of vascular displacement are outside a predetermined threshold.