US 11,026,574 B2 · Apparatus and method for using infrared thermography for viewing a tear film

Abstract

Disclosed is an apparatus for observing a tear film on a persons or animals eye. The apparatus comprises an infrared sensitive camera that includes a camera lens system and a computer configured to receive data from the camera, process the data using software and represent the processed data on a display. The camera is configured to measure temporal and spatial changes of thermal radiation from a surface of the eye at a frame rate, a spatial resolution, and a thermal sensitivity that allows the dynamics of the tear film to be visualised. Also disclosed is a method of observing a tear film on an eye of a person or an animal using an apparatus, such as that described above, where the method includes the step of viewing the dynamics of the tear film using the apparatus.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An apparatus for observing a tear film on a person's or animal's eye, the apparatus comprising:

an infrared sensitive camera that includes a camera lens system;
and;
a computer configured to receive data from the camera, process the data using software and represent the processed data on a display,
wherein the camera is configured to measure temporal and spatial changes of thermal radiation from a surface of the eye at a frame rate, a spatial resolution, and a thermal sensitivity that allows the dynamics of the tear film to be visualised.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

16/308,150Filed 8 Jun 2017

Priority

AU 20162038058 Jun 2016

Published

US 2019/0175012 A113 Jun 2019

Granted

8 Jun 2021

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

A61B 3/101
Objective types, i.e. instruments for examining the eyes independent of the patients' perceptions or reactions: for examining the tear film
A61B 3/0083
Apparatus for testing the eyes; Instruments for examining the eyes: provided with means for patient positioning
A61B 3/10
Apparatus for testing the eyes; Instruments for examining the eyes: objective types, i.e. instruments for examining the eyes independent of the…
A61B 3/14
Objective types, i.e. instruments for examining the eyes independent of the patients' perceptions or reactions: arrangements specially adapted for…

Apparatus and method for using infrared thermography for viewing a tear film

Life of this patent

Apparatus and method for using infrared thermography for viewing a tear film

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20