Eye examination apparatus and method for remote examination of a patient by a health professional

A method for remote eye examination of a patient by a health professional, said patient being remotely located from said health professional, comprising:

• providing a head-mounted display for wearing by said patient, said head-mounted display configured to receive image data and provide said image data to at least a first eye of said patient, and having first and second cameras for obtaining, respectively, a first video image of at least said first eye of said patient and a second video image of a second eye of said patient;
• generating image data for displaying to at least said first eye of said patient using said head-mounted display;
• transmitting both of said first and second video images over a communication link;
• and
• displaying said first and second video images received over said communication link at a location where said first video image of said first eye of said patient and said second video image of said second eye of said patient are displayed for viewing by said health professional.

Apparatus usable for eye examination of a patient comprising:

• a head-mounted display having at least a first image generator which provides an image to at least a first eye of said patient;
• an image source which provides an image to be generated by said image generator;
• first and second video cameras positioned to provide, respectively, a first video image of at least said first eye of said patient and a second video image of a second eye of said patient, said cameras being coupled to said head-mounted display;
• and
• wherein said patient is remotely located from a physician and further comprising a transmitter transmitting both said first video image and said second video image over a communication link to a location where both said video image of said first eye of said patient and said video image of said second eye of said patient are displayed for viewing by said physician.