Integrated Retinal Imager And Method

A method for use in imaging the patient's retina, the method comprising producing light of multiple different wavelengths emitted by a light emitting diode (LED) arrangement;

• passing the emitted light through a light guide arrangement configured for coupling light from the LEDs and providing one or output light beams of a desired shape;
• directing said output light towards a region of the retina and collecting light returned from the illuminated region through the same objective lens arrangement;
• imaging the collected returned light onto an image detector unit, while controllably operating the image detector unit to selectively detect the retina image by a different image detector.

A light source unit for use in an imaging system, the light source unit comprising at least one assembly comprising multiple light emitting diodes (LEDs) arranged for producing a ring-like shaped light beam, each LED being coupled to one end of its dedicated optical fiber or fiber bundle, the other ends of the fibers or fiber bundles being attached to and arranged along a ring-like member, the light source unit thus allowing to use a central hole of the ring-like member as an imaging channel for passing therethrough light returned form an illuminated region.

A light source unit for use in an imaging system, the light source unit comprising at least two LED based assemblies emitting light of different wavelength ranges;

• a wavelength-selective combiner arrangement comprising at least one wavelength-selective combiner accommodated in optical paths of illuminating light portions produced by said at least two LED based assemblies, respectively, for combining said light portions into a single illuminating light path;
• at least one wavelength selective filter unit accommodated in the optical path of light emerging from the at least one LED assembly;
• and a mask configured to selectively define a different pattern in said combined optical path to affect the light impinging thereon to produce therefrom a desired ring-like shaped light beam.

A light source unit for use in an imaging system, the light source unit comprising a support assembly configured for supporting at least one first LED based unit emitting light of a first wavelength range;

• at least two second LED based units emitting light of at least two different second wavelength ranges;
• the LED based unit comprising one or more LED associated with a dedicated light guide configured to produce from light emitted by the respective LED a desirably shaped light beam;
• the second light guide extending along an axis intersecting with an axis defined by the first light guide thereby allowing to combine optical paths of the light beams generated by the first and second LEDs, the second light guides being mounted on a member rotatable with respect to the first light guide, thereby enabling to selectively locate a selected one of the second LED units in an operative position to combine optical paths of light emerging from the first light guide and light emerging from the selected second light guide.

An imaging system for use in imaging the patient's retina, the system comprising:

• (a) a first camera operable with pulse mode illumination;
• (b) a second camera operable with continuous mode illumination;
• and (c) a control system connectable to the first and second cameras and configured for controlling the operation thereof by analyzing either pulse mode or continuous images or both of them and utilizing reference data indicative of the images corresponding to certain exposure parameters and determining optimal exposure parameters for either the pulse of continuous illumination or both of them.

An imaging system for use in imaging the patient's retina, the system comprising:

• a first LED-based light source assembly for producing exciting light for an FA mode, and a second LED-based light source assembly configured for producing exciting light for an ICG mode, and a control system configured for operating the first and second light source assemblies to provide concurrent or quasi-concurrent acquisition of the FA and ICG images of the retina.

A method for controlling the operation of a fundus camera, the method comprising:

• providing predetermined exposure settings for flash light illumination and continuous light illumination;
• providing data indicative of images acquired by a still image camera and a continuous mode camera;
• analyzing said data based on said predetermined exposure settings, and determining a new exposure settings to the flash light control and the continuous light control, thereby enabling to utilize the continuous light measured data to predict amount of light exposure to be used in the flash light illumination.