Method and system for topographic measurement

A system for determining information concerning the topography of a portion of interest of the exterior surface of an eye, the system comprising:

• (a) a reference member having a rigid reference surface of predetermined shape;
• said reference surface being positionable in close proximity to and directed toward the exterior surface of the eye,
• (b) a conformable substance capable of assuming conformation of surfaces against which it is engaged and adapted to fill the space between said surface of the eye and said reference surface of said reference member to conform to the respective surfaces, said conformable substance comprises a constituent which substantially absorbs radiation passing through the reference member and is contained within a pliable barrier having a surface exposed to the eye formed by a diffusive reflector that produces diffused radiation when illuminated,
• (c) means for determining thickness data regarding said conformed substance filling said space over a multiplicity of data points sufficient in number and spacing to represent desired information concerning the topography of the surface of the eye, and
• (d) means for determining the desired information concerning the topography of said surface of the eye from said thickness data in reference to said predetermined shape of said reference surface.

A system for determining information concerning the topography of a surface of interest of an object comprising

• (a) a reference member having a rigid reference surface directed toward said object, said reference surface being of predetermined shape and said reference member being transparent to radiation,
• (b) a conformable substance capable of assuming conformation of surfaces against which it is engaged, said conformable substance comprising a constituent which fluoresces when illuminated by radiation passing through said reference member, such that intensity of fluorescent emissions from points in said substance are dependent upon the thickness of said substance at said points, said conformable substance being attached to and movable with said reference member,
• (c) means for pressing said reference member relatively against the surface of said object in the manner that said conformable substance conforms, on one side, to the surface of said object, and on the other side to said reference surface of said reference member,
• (d) a radiation source for irradiating said conformable substance, when conformed to said object and said reference surface with radiation passing through said reference member,
• (e) a detector for detecting the intensity of fluorescent radiation emitted from a multiplicity of points in said conformable substance sufficient to represent desired information concerning the topography of the surface of interest, said detector receiving radiation from said conformable substance through said reference member, and
• (f) means for determining the topography of the surface of said object from thickness data of said conformable substance in reference to said predetermined shape of said reference surface.

A system for determining information concerning the topography of a surface of interest of an object comprising

• (a) a reference member having a rigid reference surface directed toward said object, said reference surface being of predetermined shape and said reference member being transparent to radiation,
• (b) a conformable substance capable of assuming conformation of surfaces against which it is engaged, said conformable substance comprising a constituent which substantially absorbs radiation, said constituent being contained within a pliable barrier having a surface exposed to the surface of said object, said barrier being formed by a diffusive reflector,
• (c) means for pressing said reference member relatively against the surface of said object in the manner that the conformable substance conforms, on one side, to the surface of said object, and on the other side to said reference surface of said reference member,
• (d) a radiation source for irradiating said conformable substance, when conformed to the surface of said object and said reference surface with radiation passing through said reference member,
• (e) a detector for detecting the intensity of diffuse radiation from a multiplicity of points distributed over said pliable barrier sufficient to represent desired information concerning the topography of the surface of interest, said detector receiving radiation from said multiplicity of points through said reference member, intensities of said detected radiation being dependent upon the thickness of said conformable substance at the respective points and constituting said thickness data, and
• (f) means for determining the topography of the surface of said object from thickness data of said conformable substance in reference to said predetermined shape of said reference surface.

A method for determining information concerning the topography of a portion of interest of the exterior surface of an eye comprising:

• (a) providing a reference member having a reference surface of a predetermined shape;
• said reference surface being directed closely toward the exterior surface of the eye,
• (b) providing between said reference surface and the surface of the eye a conformable substance capable of assuming the conformation of surfaces against which it is pressed, said conformable substance being attached to and movable with said reference member,
• (c) holding said reference member stationary to the surface of the eye in the manner that the conformable substance fills the space and conforms, on one side, to the surface of the eye and, on the other side, to the reference surface of said reference member,
• (d) determining thickness data regarding the thickness of the resultant conformed substance over a multiplicity of data points sufficient in number and spacing to represent desired information concerning the topography of said portion of interest, and
• (e) determining the desired information concerning the topography of said portion of interest of the eye from said thickness data in reference to said predetermined shape of said reference surface.

A method for determining information concerning the topography of a surface of interest of an object comprising

• (a) providing a reference member having a rigid reference surface directed toward said object, said reference surface being of predetermined shape and said reference member being transparent to radiation,
• (b) providing between said reference surface and said object a conformable substance contained by a pliable barrier comprising a constituent which fluoresces when illuminated by radiation passing through said reference member, such that intensity of fluorescent emissions from points in said substance are dependent upon the thickness of said substance at said points,
• (c) pressing said reference member relatively against the surface of said object in the manner that said conformable substance conforms, on one side, to the surface of said object, and on the other side to said reference surface of said reference member,
• (d) irradiating said conformable substance, when conformed to said object and said reference surface with radiation passing through said reference member,
• (e) detecting the intensity of fluorescent radiation emitted from a multiplicity of points in said conformable substance sufficient to represent desired information concerning the topography of the surface of interest, said detection being conducted with a detector that receives radiation from said conformable substance through said reference member, and
• (f) determining the topography of the surface of said abject from thickness data of said conformable substance in reference to said predetermined shape of said reference surface.

A method for determining information concerning the topography of a surface of interest of an object comprising

• (a) providing a reference member having a rigid reference surface directed toward said object, said reference surface being of predetermined shape and said reference member being transparent to radiation,
• (b) providing between said reference surface and the surface of said object a conformable substance capable of assuming the conformation of surface against which it is engaged, said conformable substance comprising a constituent which substantially absorbs radiation, said constituent being contained within a pliable barrier having a surface exposed to the surface of said object, said barrier being formed by a diffusive reflector,
• (c) pressing said reference member relatively against the surface of said object in the manner that the conformable substance conforms, on one side, to the surface of said object, and on the other side to said reference surface of said reference member,
• (d) irradiating said conformable substance, when conformed to the surface of said object and said reference surface with radiation passing through said reference member,
• (e) detecting the intensity of diffuse radiation from a multiplicity of points distributed over said pliable barrier sufficient to represent desired information concerning the topography of the surface of interest, said detection being conducted with a detector receiving radiation from said multiplicity of points through said reference member, intensities of said radiation being dependent upon the thickness of said conformable substance at the respective points and constituting said thickness data, and
• (f) determining the topography of the surface of said object from thickness data of said conformable substance in reference to said predetermined shape of said reference surface.