Objective system and method for evaluating ocular changes including assessment of macular integrity and function
OwnerAlan H. Grantinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and method for objectively testing for ocular changes including age-related macular degeneration through reliance on involuntary physical reactions such as the fixation reflex and optokinetic nystagmus. A narrow band of visible blue light is beamed at the patient's eye through alternate apertures in a mask which are separated by a relatively small angle of subtendance at the entrance pupil. In the presence of a healthy macula, the blue light is filtered out and the fixation reflex is absent. Conversely, if the macula is in the process of degenerating by the progressive loss of protective pigments, then the impinging of the narrow band of visible blue light upon the macula, via the alternate apertures, will evoke the fixation reflex.
Claims32
A method for evaluating ocular function in a patient comprising the steps of:
- a) illuminating a first target and directing a first specific wavelength of light in a range of 300 to 450 nm toward an eye of the patient from said first target;
- b) reducing a luminance of said first target while substantially simultaneously illuminating a second target located at a distance from said first target and directing a second specific wavelength of light toward the eye of the patient;
- and
- c) observing the eye of the patient by an examiner to detect an involuntary reflex response of the eye to the previous steps.
A method for evaluating ocular changes in a patient comprising the steps of:
- a) illuminating a first target and directing only a first specific wavelength of visible blue light toward an eye of the patient from said first target, other wavelengths being blocked by a filter over said first target;
- b) reducing a luminance of said first target while substantially simultaneously illuminating a second target located at a distance from said first target and directing only a second specific wavelength of visible blue light toward the eye of the patient, other wavelengths being blocked by a filter over said second target;
- c) observing the eye of the patient by an examiner to detect an involuntary reflex response of the eye to the previous steps.
A method for evaluating ocular changes in a patient comprising the steps of:
- a) emanating from a first target only a first specific wavelength of light toward an eye of the patient;
- b) reducing a luminance of said first target while substantially simultaneously emanating from a second target located at a distance from said first target only a second specific wavelength of light toward the eye of the patient;
- and
- c) observing the eye of the patient by an examiner to detect an involuntary reflex response of the eye to the previous steps, wherein the first and second wavelengths being within a visible light spectrum of approximately 360-720 nm.
A system for evaluating ocular changes in an eye of a patient, comprising:
- a plurality of targets separated from one another by a distance, each target emanating a specified wavelength of visible blue light toward the eye of the patient, said plurality of targets being illuminated sequentially such that only one target is fully illuminated at any given point in time;
- a magnification system for observing the patient's eye by an examiner;
- and
- a stenopaic slit located on an end of said magnification system nearest the examiner for narrowing a lateral field of view of a vertical-line image perceived by said examiner;
- wherein the sequential illumination of said plurality of targets induces an involuntary reaction in the eye of said patient which is detectable by said examiner when said patient has at least some macular degradation and/or macular degeneration.
A method for evaluating ocular function in a patient comprising the steps of:
- a) illuminating a first target and directing a first specific wavelength of light toward an eye of the patient from said first target;
- b) reducing a luminance of said first target while substantially simultaneously illuminating a second target located at a distance from said first target and directing a second specific wavelength of light toward the eye of the patient;
- and
- c) observing the eye of the patient by an examiner to detect a fixation reflex response of the eye to the previous steps by:
- placing a stenopaic slit in front of an eye of the examiner, narrowing a lateral field of view of a perceived vertical-line image;
- viewing, by said examiner, said vertical-line image in response to inducement of the fixation reflex in the patient;
- and
- viewing, by said examiner, an absence of said vertical-line image in response to an absence of the fixation reflex in the patient.
A method for evaluating ocular changes in a patient comprising the steps of:
- a) emanating from a first target only a first specific wavelength of light toward an eye of the patient;
- b) reducing a luminance of said first target while substantially simultaneously emanating from a second target located at a distance from said first target only a second specific wavelength of light toward the eye of the patient;
- c) observing the eye of the patient by an examiner to detect an involuntary reflex response of the eye to the previous steps by:
- placing a stenopaic slit in front of an eye of the examiner, narrowing a lateral field of view of a perceived vertical line image;
- viewing, by said examiner, said vertical-line image in response to inducement of the involuntary reflex response in the patient;
- and
- viewing, by said examiner, an absence of said vertical-line image in response to an absence of said involuntary reflex response in the patient.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.