US 2006/0215113 A1 · Pupilometer for pupil center drift and pupil size measurements at differing viewing distances

Abstract

The present invention generally provides improved devices, systems, and methods for measuring characteristics of at least one eye, and particularly for measuring the physiological changes in eyes under different viewing conditions. An exemplary embodiment provides a pupilometer which measures any changes in location of a pupil center with changes in viewing distances. As the eye often moves significantly during viewing, the pupil center location will often be measured relative to a convenient reference of the eye such as an outer iris boundary. Pupil size may also be recorded, and the measurements from both eyes of a patient may be taken simultaneously. Exemplary embodiments may be configured so as to allow the vergence angle between the eyes to vary with differing viewing distances, regardless of whether one or both eyes are being measured.

Claims24

Dependent claims

A pupilometer comprising:

an optical sensor;
a sensing optical path coupling the sensor with an eye measurement location;
a variable distance viewing target system;
and
a processor coupled to the sensor and the viewing target so as to be capable of determining a relationship between changes in viewing distance between the eye location and the viewing target, and pupil center drift of a pupil of an eye disposed at the eye location.

2 more elements

A binocular pupilometer comprising:

an image capture system;
a first sensing optical path coupling the image capture system with a fist eye measurement location, the first optical sensing path having a first optical axis extending from the first eye location;
a second sensing optical path coupling the image capture system with a second eye measurement location, the second optical sensing path having a second optical axis extending from the second eye location;
a variable distance viewing target system having a target image, a first configuration, and a second configuration, the target system having a first viewing distance between the first and second eye locations and the target image when in the first configuration, and a second optical viewing distance between the target image and the first and second eye locations when in the second configuration, the second distance being greater than the first distance, a vergence angle between the first optical axis and the second optical axis varying when the target system changes between the first configuration and the second configuration;
and
a processor coupled to the image capture system and the viewing target system, the processor configured to determine a relationship between:
a change in viewing distance between the eye location and the viewing target;
and
a pupil drift of a pupil of an eye disposed at each eye location.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Pupilometer for pupil center drift and pupil size measurements at differing viewing distances

Life of this patent

Pupilometer for pupil center drift and pupil size measurements at differing viewing distances

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims24