Optical coherence tomography assisted ophthalmologic surgical microscope
AssigneeCarl Zeiss AG
InventorsJay Wei, Thomas Hellmuth
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Ophthalmologic surgical microscope which is combined internally with an optical coherence tomography ("OCT") apparatus wherein auto-focusing is provided by driving a motorized internal focusing lens of the ophthalmologic surgical microscope with a signal output from the OCT apparatus. An embodiment of the inventive ophthalmologic surgical microscope includes: (a) an optical coherence tomography ("OCT") apparatus; (b) a beamcombiner for internally coupling output from the OCT apparatus into the ophthalmologic surgical microscope; and (c) a motor for moving an internal focusing lens of the ophthalmologic surgical microscope in response to a signal from the OCT apparatus, whereby the ophthalmologic surgical microscope is auto-focused.
Claims19
Ophthalmologic surgical apparatus for examining an object which comprises:
- an ophthalmologic surgical microscope;
- an optical coherence tomography (OCT) apparatus;
- means for internally coupling optical output from the OCT apparatus into the ophthalmologic surgical microscope so that it impinges upon the object and for coupling at least a portion of the optical output which is reflected from the object into the OCT apparatus;
- in response to the at least a portion of the optical output, the OCT apparatus outputting detection signals;
- and
- analysis means for analyzing the detection signals output from the OCT apparatus to identify and locate one or more features of the object;
- the analysis means further comprising means responsive to a location of at least one of the one or more features for moving internal focusing means of the ophthalmologic surgical microscope so that the ophthalmologic surgical microscope is focused on one of the one or more features.
An ophthalmologic surgical apparatus for examining an eye which comprises:
- an ophthalmologic surgical microscope;
- an optical coherence tomography (OCT) apparatus;
- means for internally coupling optical output from the OCT apparatus into the ophthalmologic surgical microscope so that it impinges upon the eye and for coupling at least a portion of the optical output which is reflected from the eye into the OCT apparatus;
- wherein the internal coupling means comprises raster scanning means for raster scanning the optical output from the OCT apparatus;
- in response to the at least a portion of the optical output, the OCT apparatus outputting detection signals;
- and
- analysis means:
- (a) for causing the OCT apparatus to scan a chamber of the eye along a longitudinal axis which extends into the eye;
- (b) for analyzing the detection signals output from the OCT apparatus to identify and locate one or more surfaces of the chamber;
- and (c) for providing a contour map of the one or more surfaces of the chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.