Active visual alignment stimuli in fundus photography

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12318142-B2
Application number	US-202318504961-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 8, 2023
Priority date	Oct 30, 2017
Publication date	Jun 3, 2025
Grant date	Jun 3, 2025

Abstract

The technology described herein is directed to a fundus camera and, more specifically, to a fundus camera having a display that projects active visual alignment stimuli onto an eye of an examinee via one or more components of an optimal assembly. The active visual alignment stimuli are dynamically adjusted to guide an examinee toward optical alignment for fundus imaging.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of operating a fundus camera, the method comprising:
projecting a fixation target onto an eye of an examinee;
dynamically adjusting the fixation target within a fixation zone for facilitating dilation of a pupil of the eye while guiding a line of sight of the eye toward fixation alignment, wherein the dynamically adjusting comprises animating the fixation target using fluid movements;
emitting one or more flashes onto the eye of the examinee; and
capturing, with the fundus camera, one or more images of a fundus of the eye during the one or more flashes.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fluid movements comprise movement of the fixation target along a path.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the path comprises a spiraling path.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the path comprises a direct path.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the fluid movements further comprise movement of the fixation target distinct from changes of a location of the fixation target in the fixation zone.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fluid movements comprise movement of a portion of the fixation target with respect to the remainder of the fixation target.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fluid movements comprise rotation of the fixation target about an axis.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fluid movements comprise progressively shrinking the fixation target.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the projecting the animated fixation target is for a preset duration.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
projecting an active alignment pattern and a reference alignment pattern onto the eye of the examinee;
dynamically adjusting the active alignment pattern relative to the reference alignment pattern based on a position of the eye relative to the fundus camera;
detecting pupil-to-camera alignment based on the active alignment pattern overlapping the reference alignment pattern; and
in response to detecting the pupil-to-camera alignment, stopping the dynamically adjusting the active alignment pattern.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the active alignment pattern comprises a first graphical image, the reference alignment pattern comprises a second graphical image, and the fixation target comprises a third graphical image.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein at least two of the first graphical image, the second graphical image, and the third graphical image are the same graphical image.

13. A method, comprising:
projecting, with an optical system, a fixation target onto an eye of an examinee;
dynamically adjusting, with a control system of the optical system, the fixation target within a fixation zone, wherein:
the dynamically adjusting is intended to facilitate dilation of a pupil of the eye while guiding a line of sight of the eye toward fixation alignment,
the dynamically adjusting comprises causing the fixation target to appear animated, and
the dynamically adjusting is based at least in part on responses of the eye detected by monitoring the eye;

emitting, with the optical system, one or more flashes onto the eye of the examinee; and
capturing, with a fundus camera of the optical system, one or more images of a fundus of the eye during the one or more flashes.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
monitoring a location or size of a pupil of the eye of the examinee.

15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
determining that the eye has reached the fixation alignment based on the monitoring, wherein the emitting the one or more flashes is in response to the fixation alignment.

16. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
illuminating the eye with an infrared illumination source;
capturing video of an iris of the eye with an iris camera; and
monitoring the eye by performing real-time object tracking of a pupil of the eye.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the causing the fixation target to appear animated comprises one of:
sliding the fixation target along a spiraling path toward a fixation point;
sliding the fixation target along a straight path toward a fixation point;
making at least of a portion of the fixation target appear animated without changing a location of the fixation target within the fixation zone;
rotating the fixation target about an axis;
progressively shrinking the fixation target; and
a combination thereof.

18. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
providing camera state indicators to the examinee.

19. An eye imaging system, comprising:
a display adapted to project a fixation target onto an eye of an examinee;
an illumination source adapted to emit one or more flashes onto the eye of the examinee;
a camera adapted to capture one or more images of a fundus of the eye during the one or more flashes; and
a control system operably coupled with the display, the illumination source, and the camera, the control system comprising:
one or more processors, and
a tangible non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions that, upon execution by the one or more processors, cause the eye imaging system to perform operations including:
dynamically adjusting the fixation target within a fixation zone by animating the fixation target such that the animation causes a pupil of the eye to dilate while guiding a line of sight of the eye toward fixation alignment.

20. The eye imaging system of claim 19 , wherein the operations further include:
animating the fixation target by at least one of:
sliding the fixation target along a spiraling path toward a fixation point;
sliding the fixation target along a straight path toward a fixation point;
making at least of a portion of the fixation target appear animated without changing a location of the fixation target within the fixation zone;
rotating the fixation target about an axis; or
progressively shrinking the fixation target.

Assignees

• Verily Life Sciences Llc

Inventors

• Kramer Ryan
• Kavusi Sam
• Glik Eliezer
• Lee Seung Ah
• Belthangady Chinmay

Classifications

• A61B3/0008

  provided with illuminating means (A61B3/117, A61B3/14 take precedence) · CPC title

• A61B3/032

  Devices for presenting test symbols or characters, e.g. test chart projectors (A61B3/036 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61B3/1225

  using coherent radiation · CPC title

• A61B3/145

  by video means · CPC title

• A61B3/113

  for determining or recording eye movement · CPC title