US 6,709,108 B2 · OPHTHALMIC INSTRUMENT WITH ADAPTIVE OPTIC SUBSYSTEM THAT MEASURES ABERRATIONS (INCLUDING HIGHER ORDER ABERRATIONS) OF A HUMAN EYE AND THAT PROVIDES A VIEW OF COMPENSATION OF SUCH ABERRATIONS TO THE HUMAN EYE

Abstract

An improved ophthalmic instrument for in-vivo examination of a human eye including a wavefront sensor that estimates aberrations in reflections of the light formed as an image on the retina of the human eye and a phase compensator that spatially modulates the phase of incident light to compensate for the aberrations estimated by the wavefront sensor Optical elements create an image of a fixation target at the phase compensator, which produces a compensated image of the fixation target that compensates for aberrations estimated by the wavefront sensor. The compensated image of the fixation target produced by the phase compensator is recreated at the human eye to thereby provide the human eye with a view of compensation of the aberrations the human eye as estimated by the wavefront sensor. The phase compensator preferably comprises a variable focus lens that compensates for focusing errors and a deformable mirror that compensates for higher order aberrations. The optical elements preferably comprise a plurality of beam splitters and a plurality of lens groups each functioning as an afocal telescope. In addition, instruments and systems are provided that exploit these capabilities to enable efficient prescription and/or dispensing of corrective optics (e.g., contact lens and glasses).

Claims37

Dependent claims

An ophthalmic instrument, for in-vivo examination of a human eye comprising:

a wavefront sensor for estimating aberrations in reflectigns of incident light formed as an image on the retina of a human eye;
a phase compensator, operably coupled to said wavefront sensor, for spatially modulating the phase of said incident light to compensate for said aberrations estimated by said wavefront sensor;
a fixation target;
and
optical elements for creating an image of said fixation target at said phase compensator, so as to produce a compensated image of said fixation target that compensates for aberrations estimated by said wavefront sensor, and for recreating at the human eye the compensated image of the fixation target produced by said phase compensator, thereby providing the human eye with a view of compensation of the aberrations of the human eye as estimated by said wavefront sensor;
wherein said optical elements include a first beam splitter and a first lens group disposed along a first optical path between said wavefront sensor and the human eye;
wherein said optical elements further include a second beam splitter and a second lens group disposed along a second optical path between said first beam splitter and said phase compensator;
and
wherein said second beam splitter is disposed along said second optical path between said fixation target and said phase compensator.

6 more elements

An ophthalmic instrument for in-vivo examination of a human eye comprising:

a wavefront sensor for estimating aberrations in reflections of incident light formed as an image on the retina of a human eye;
a phase compensator. operably coupled to said wavefront sensor, for spatially modulating the phase of said incident light to compensate for said aberrations estimated by said wavefront sensor;
a fixation target;
optical elements for creating an image of said fixation target at said phase compensator, so as to produce a compensated image of said fixation target that compensates for aberrations estimated by said wavefront sensor, and for recreating at the human eye the compensated image of the fixation target produced by said phase compensator, thereby providing the human eye with a view of compensation of the aberrations of the human eye as estimated by said wavefront sensor;
an image processor for performing the following functions
(i) analyzing said first image to identify positions of spots in the first image plane;
(ii) identifying a test pixel subaperture corresponding to spots in the first image based upon said positions of such spots;
(iii) analyzing said second image to identify positions of spots in the second image plane;
(iv) for a plurality of pairs of corresponding spots in the first and second image planes, if a ray passing through positions of a given pair of spots intersects the plane of a lenslet array within a predetermine tolerance from center for a given lenslet, then associating the given lenslet with a test pixel aperture corresponding to the first image spot of the given pair;
and
(v) identifying the lenslets that are associated with a unique test pixel subaperture;
wherein said wavefront sensor further includes a beam splitter operably disposed between said lenslet array and multiple imaging devices,
wherein said lenslet array forms a first array of spots, and said multiple imaging devices captures multiple images of said first array of spots for use in estimating said aberrations;
and
wherein said multiple images include at least a first image of said first array of spots at best focus and a second image of said first array of spots near best focus;
and
a reference sources distinct from said wavefront sensing illumination source, for producing light directed to said lenslet array, and forming a second array of spots,
wherein said multiple imaging devices capture at least a first image of said second array of spots at best focus and a second image of said second array of spots near best focus.

15 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Ophthalmic instrument with adaptive optic subsystem that measures aberrations (including higher order aberrations) of a human eye and that provides a view of compensation of such aberrations to the human eye

Life of this patent

Ophthalmic instrument with adaptive optic subsystem that measures aberrations (including higher order aberrations) of a human eye and that provides a view of compensation of such aberrations to the human eye

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims37