Tracking of retinal traction through digital image correlation

A method for quantifying retinal traction on a retina of a patient eye during an ophthalmic procedure, the method comprising:

• receiving, via an electronic control unit (ECU), stereo image data of the retina from a stereo camera during the ophthalmic procedure, wherein the stereo image data includes stereo image pairs;
• assigning tracking points as coinciding pixels of the stereo image pairs;
• automatically performing a digital image correlation (DIC) process, via the ECU, using the stereo image pairs to thereby ascertain relative motion of the tracking points;
• associate relative motion of the tracking points with the retinal traction, using a traction map of the ECU, to thereby determine a numeric traction quotient indicative of magnitude of the retinal traction;
• and
• executing a control action via the ECU using an indicator device, based on the numeric traction quotient, wherein the control action is indicative of the retinal traction.

A system for quantifying retinal traction on a retina of a patient eye, comprising:

• a central processing unit (CPU);
• and
• computer-readable media on which is recorded instructions, wherein execution of the instructions by the CPU causes the CPU to:
• receive stereo image data from a stereo camera during an ophthalmic procedure, the stereo image data including stereo image pairs;
• assign tracking points as coinciding pixels within the stereo image pairs;
• automatically perform a digital image correlation (DIC) process using the stereo image pairs to thereby ascertain relative motion of the tracking points;
• associate relative motion of the tracking points with the retinal traction, using a traction map, as a numeric traction quotient indicative of magnitude of the retinal traction;
• and
• communicate a control signal to an external indicator device when the numeric traction quotient exceeds one or more calibrated traction thresholds.