US 11,375,891 B1Granted

Methods, systems, and devices for vision testing

AssigneeThe Trustees of Indiana University

InventorAnn E. Elsner

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Abstract

Methods, systems, and devices to improve the assessment of visual function and overcoming limitations of current methods to identify the visual function that potentially could be reached by a given eye. Multiple eye tests including visual stimuli plus optical measurement components, and methods to combine the results, identify and quantify sources of decreased vision resulting from optical sources, such as a lens and cornea as distinguished from retinal sources. By identifying potentially correctable optical sources of decreased vision, and overcoming physiological limitations such as size of the eye's pupil, the visual benefits of treatment such as by cataract or corneal surgery are distinguished from retinal pathology that requires medical intervention. The devices and methods provide metrics that include an expected value of the visual function and sources of variability including both optical and neural components, to guide treatment and improve clinical trials.

Claims26

Dependent claims

A system to measure visual function of an eye having a pupil, while quantifying or minimizing factors that negatively affect vision but are unrelated to the status of the retina, comprising:

(a) a visual display that projects light through the pupil of the eye and onto the retina, and having an optical design capable of passing the majority of the light through the pupil to eliminate individual differences in the amount of light reaching the retina while transmitting a visual stimulus accurately including at high spatial frequencies or low contrast;
(b) a NIR or long visible wavelength imaging device to image the retina and subretinal structures and to provide detail about the status of the retina and locations of retinal structures;
(c) a processor to compare the visual stimulus from the visual display and the retinal image to provide the locus of the target on the retina, known as the locus of fixation and in other fields as the preferred retinal locus;
(d) wherein the processor determines from a sequence of retinal images, provided by the NIR or long visible wavelength imaging device, the variation of the locus of fixation over time;
(e) wherein the processor analyzes the retinal image based on image processing and reports the status of the retinal and subretinal structures at the locus of fixation according to imaging parameters;
(f) a wavefront measurement system to assess visual function being tested based on the deviations in the plane of the pupil of the eye of the wavefront for the light reaching the retina at the location of the visual stimulus;
(g) wherein the processor determines wavefront errors resulting from the optics of the eye from the wavefront measurements;
(h) a control mechanism to control one or more adaptive optics components to correct the wavefront errors of the visual display to achieve an improved focus of the visual stimulus on the retina;
(i) wherein the processor adjusts the focus of the visual stimulus on the retina based on the wavefront measurements and assesses corrected and uncorrectable wavefront aberrations;
(j) a response mechanism to record judgements about the visual stimulus;
(k) wherein the control mechanism controls one or more parameters of the visual stimulus of the visual wavelength display;
(l) wherein the processor computes the parameters to be used in the visual display or the final output, according to the results of b, c, d, e, g, i, and j.

9 more elements

A method to measure visual function, while quantifying or minimizing factors that negatively affect vision but are unrelated to the status of the retina, comprising:

a) projecting light through the pupil of the eye and onto the retina, and passing the majority of the light through the pupil to eliminate individual differences while transmitting a visual stimulus accurately including at high spatial frequencies or low contrast;
(b) imaging the retina and subretinal structures with NIR or long visible wavelength light to provide details about the health of the retina and locations of retinal structures;
(c) comparing the visual stimulus received from the visual display and the retinal image to provide the locus of the target on the retina, known as the locus of fixation and in other fields as the preferred retinal locus;
(d) determining from a sequence of retinal images the variation of the locus of fixation over time, known as fixation stability;
(e) analyzing the retinal image and reporting of the status of the retinal and subretinal structures at the locus of fixation according to imaging parameters;
(f) measuring the wavefront aberrations to assess the deviations in the plane of the pupil of the eye of the wavefront for the light reaching the retina at the location of the visual stimulus;
(g) determining the focus on the retina of the optics of the eye from the wavefront measurements;
(h) correcting the wavefront errors of the visual display to achieve better focus of the visual stimulus on the retina;
(i) reporting corrected and uncorrectable wavefront aberrations to an operator and using this information to interpret the visual function measurements;
(j) recording judgements by the patient about the visual stimulus;
(k) controlling one or more parameters of the visual stimulus based on the patient's response or a predetermined sequence;
(l) computing the parameters to be used in the visual display or the final output, according to the results of b, c, d, e, g, i, and j, and a model of the visual function being measured including prior data, all working together to specify the visual function that could potentially be reached by a given eye, wherein the measurement quantifies factors negatively affecting vision that are unrelated to retinal status, and optimized to produce metrics of central tendency and variability that describe the status and potential status of the retina.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/554,703Filed 17 Dec 2021
Granted: 5 Jul 2022
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification11 codes

A61B 3/1015
Objective types, i.e. instruments for examining the eyes independent of the patients' perceptions or reactions: for wavefront analysis
A61B 3/103
Objective types, i.e. instruments for examining the eyes independent of the patients' perceptions or reactions: for determining refraction, e.g.…
A61B 3/0008
Apparatus for testing the eyes; Instruments for examining the eyes: provided with illuminating means
A61B 3/0025
Operational features thereof: characterised by electronic signal processing, e.g. eye models