Instrument for eye examination and method

An optical instrument for examination of an eye retina comprising:

• a) a light source for producing visible light patterns to be projected on said retina,
• b) an optical system for projecting said light patterns on said retina and for producing images of said retina,
• c) an electronic camera for producing data signals of said images of said retina, and
• d) a computer control system,
• wherein said light source is a display being adapted to produce a variety of different patterns of selectable intensity, selectable position and selectable structure,
• that said instrument includes an input device whereby a patient can input a reaction during examination,
• that said instrument includes an IR light source for illuminating said retina via said optical system and that said electronic camera is an IR camera for producing data signals of live image sequences produced in said IR camera by said optical system, and that said instrument is adapted to perform, within one instrument, at least one of the following examinations:
• i) a perimetry examination in which said display is used to produce a fixation target pattern for eye fixation and light stimuli of fixed but selectable position and selectable intensity for stimulation of the eye, both to be projected on said retina, wherein said input device is used to detect a patient reaction if said patient can see said stimuli;
• ii) a microperimetry examination in which said display is used to produce a fixation target pattern for eye fixation and light stimuli of fixed but selectable position and selectable intensity for stimulation of the eye, both to be projected on said retina, wherein said input device is used to detect a patient reaction if said patient can see said stimuli;
• iii) a fixation stability examination in which said display is used to produce a fixation target pattern for eye fixation to be projected on said retina, wherein simultaneously said retina is imaged by said live image sequences, wherein said computer control system uses a correlation algorithm to collect fixation position movement data;
• iv) a scotoma boundary detection, wherein said display is used to produce moving light stimuli to be projected on said retina, said projected stimuli moving towards a scotoma boundary on said retina, and wherein said input device is used to detect a patient reaction responsive on whether the patient can see said stimuli;
• v) psychophysical examinations wherein said display is used to produce a psychophysical test pattern selectable from a variety of psychophysical test patterns, to be projected on said retina, and wherein said retina is imaged by said live image sequences simultaneously;
• vi) or a comparison examination wherein a first and a second perimetry or microperimetry examination of the same patient or a different patient performed at different times are carried out using the same pattern of said stimuli in both examinations and in which changes of the results of the second examination with respect to the first examination are determined for each position of the pattern of said stimuli.

A method of examining an eye comprising the steps of:

• a) producing visible light patterns by means of a light source,
• b) projecting said light patterns on a region of said eye to be examined by means of an optical system,
• c) illuminating said region and producing images of said region by means of said optical system, and
• d) producing data signals of said images of said region by means of an electronic camera,
• wherein said light patterns are produced by means of a LCD display of said light source.

A method of examining an eye retina comprising the steps of:

• a) producing visible light patterns by means of a light source,
• b) projecting said light patterns on said retina of said eye to be examined by means of an optical system,
• c) illuminating said region and producing images of said retina by means of said optical system, and
• d) producing data signals of said images of said retina by means of an electronic camera,
• wherein said light patterns are produced by means of a display of said light source, said display being adapted to produce a variety of different patterns of selectable intensity, selectable position and selectable structure, and wherein an IR light source is used for illuminating said retina via said optical system and said electronic camera is an IR camera and produces data signals of live image sequences produced in said IR camera by said optical system, and wherein an operator can select, using one and the same optical instrument, between at least one of the following examination types:
• i) a perimetry examination in which said display is used to produce a fixation target pattern for eye fixation and light stimuli of fixed by selectable position and selectable intensity for stimulation of the eye, both to be projected on said retina, wherein an input device is used to detect a patient reaction if said patient can see said stimuli;
• ii) a microperimetry examination in which said display is used to produce a fixation target pattern for eye fixation and light stimuli of fixed by selectable position and selectable intensity for stimulation of the eye, both to be projected on said retina, wherein an input device is used to detect a patient reaction if said patient can see said stimuli;
• iii) a fixation stability examination in which said display is used to produce a fixation target pattern for eye fixation to be projected on said retina, wherein simultaneously said retina is imaged by said live image sequences, wherein a computer control system uses a correlation algorithm to collect fixation position movement data;
• iv) a scotoma boundary detection, wherein said display is used to produce moving light stimuli to be projected on said retina, said projected stimuli moving towards a scotoma boundary on said retina, and wherein said input device is used to detect a patient reaction responsive on whether the patient can see said stimuli;
• v) psychophysical examinations wherein said display is used to produce a psychophysical test pattern selectable from a variety of psychophysical test patterns, to be projected on said retina, and wherein said retina is imaged by said live image sequences simultaneously;
• vi) or a comparison examination wherein a first and a second perimetry or microperimetry examination of the same patient or a different patient performed at different times are carried out using the same pattern of said stimuli in both examinations and in which changes of the results of the second examination with respect to the first examination are determined for each position of the pattern of said stimuli.