Ophthalmoscope with uniform illumination
First Claim
1. In a device for examining an eye fundus under applied illumination, said device havinglamp means for illuminating the fundus andmeans for imaging the fundus through the lens of the eye and along an optical axis for viewing,said lamp means directing light onto the sclera of the eye to illuminate the fundus,the improvement comprisingoptical image masking means for rendering the optical brightness of the image of the fundus more uniform as a function of location relative to the fundus than is the brightness of such illuminated light transmitted through the sclera onto the fundus.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus for viewing an eye fundus through a contact lens has an illuminating element that illuminates the fundus through the sclera. The illuminating element includes at least one fiber optic bundle with an exit facet for placement contiguous with the sclera, generally through whatever thickness of occular conjunctiva is present. The apparatus also has an optical mask system which masks the image of the fundus portion most intensely illuminated by the fiber optic exit facet to control over-illumination of that fundus portion.
23 Citations
38 Claims
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1. In a device for examining an eye fundus under applied illumination, said device having
lamp means for illuminating the fundus and means for imaging the fundus through the lens of the eye and along an optical axis for viewing, said lamp means directing light onto the sclera of the eye to illuminate the fundus, the improvement comprising optical image masking means for rendering the optical brightness of the image of the fundus more uniform as a function of location relative to the fundus than is the brightness of such illuminated light transmitted through the sclera onto the fundus.
- 10. In a device for examining an eye fundus under applied illumination, said device having lamp means for illuminating the fundus and a contact lens for viewing the fundus, said contact lens having an optical axis, said lamp means comprising means for directing light onto the sclera of the eye being examined for transmission through the sclera to illuminate the fundus, the improvement wherein mask means are provided for movement with respect to said optical axis, and wherein mask driving means are provided for moving said mask means, said mask means being movable for masking the image of the fundus portion most intensely illuminated by said means for directing light onto the sclera.
- 21. In a device for examining an eye fundus under applied illumination, said device having lamp means for illuminating the fundus and a lens for viewing the fundus along an optical axis, said lamp means including means for directing light onto the sclera of the eye being examined for transmission through the sclera to illuminate the fundus, the improvement comprising optical masking means in optical alignment with said lens for rendering the optical brightness of the image of the fundus more uniform as a function of location relative to the fundus than is the brightness of such illuminating light transmitted through the sclera onto the fundus.
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23. In a device for viewing an eye fundus under applied illumination and having lamp means for illuminating the fundus through the eye sclera and lens means for viewing the fundus through the lens of the eye and along an optical axis, the improvement comprising
optical mask means disposed in selected optical alignment with the lens means for reducing the optical intensity of the fundus image at regions of the image corresponding to locations on the fundus where illuminating light enters the eye through the sclera, thereby to diminish significant differences in the optical intensity of the fundus image at different regions thereof.
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30. An ophthalmic instrument for viewing an eye fundus under applied illumination and having lamp means for illuminating the eye fundus through the eye sclera and lens means for viewing the fundus through the lens of the eye and along an optical axis, and further comprising
at least one optical mask member disposed in selected optical alignment with said lens means and with said optical axis and movable relative to said optical axis for reducing the optical intensity of the fundus image from said lens means at at least one region of the image corresponding to at least one location on the fundus where light enters the eye through the sclera.
- 36. A method for ophthalmic examination of an eye fundus under illumination applied at least in part through the eye sclera, said method comprising the improvement of optically masking the image of the eye fundus at the image region corresponding to the fundus location where the applied illumination enters through the sclera, for imparting a substantially uniform level of optical brightness to the fundus image including at the aforesaid region.
Specification