Abstract: The system of the present invention allows the interior of the eye to be viewed and simultaneously treated with a laser without the use of an optic in contact with the eye. The system scans illumination light into the eye so that the interior of the eye can be observed and includes an integral treatment laser that can be directed to a desired position in the interior of the eye including the fundus. Light reflected from the patient's eye and received by the system may be observed directly by the physician via an eyepiece lens. In a preferred embodiment, however, the reflected light is applied to an image detector that is coupled to a display for displaying an image of the interior of the patient's eye. Because the physician can view the interior of the eye via the display during treatment, unwanted reflections of the treatment laser to the physician's eye via the viewing system are prevented.

Abstract: A scanning laser ophthalmoscope with a wide field of view provides a color image of an interior portion of a patient's eye at varying depths while the patient is simultaneously presented with a fixation target designed to probe his visual function. The scanning laser ophthalmoscope includes an illumination system, a capturing and detection system and a target image generating system wherein the optical paths of each of these systems is separated by one or more beam splitters to prevent a chief ray from the patient's eye from being blocked so as to eliminate shading off effects in the captured image. A simplified scanning system is employed that includes only one scanner with a moveable reflective surface. A passive, stationary optical element is employed to generate a line of light from a point of light that impinges on the optical element, the line of light being scanned in a direction perpendicular to the line by the single scanner.

Abstract: A portable scanning laser ophthalmoscope with a wide field of view permits a clinician to directly view the interior of the patient's eye without the use of an external monitor or display. The portable scanning laser ophthalmoscope includes a housing that is sufficiently small to be carried and held by a clinician. The housing contains a source of laser light that is scanned by a scanning system for generating a two-dimensional area of illumination. The housing also includes a battery for providing power to the scanning system. An optical system contained in the housing directs illumination from the scanning system to the patient's eye to illuminate the fundus and also intercepts light reflected by the patient's eye to generate a magnified image of the interior of the patient's eye. The optical system also includes an eyepiece lens through which a clinician looks to directly view the magnified image of the interior of the patient's eye.

Abstract: The system of the present invention allows the fundus of an undilated eye to be viewed extremely easily and without the need for the viewer to align a hand held unit with a head mounted unit. The system for viewing the fundus of an undilated eye in accordance with the present invention includes a number of point sources of light that are individually actuable and arranged in a linear array. A lens converts each point of light to a line of light. The point sources of light are sequentially actuated, i.e. turned on and off in sequence, so as to scan the fundus of the undilated eye with lines of light that are directed from the lens to the eye by an optical system. The optical system directs light reflected from the fundus to an image generating apparatus that is responsive to the reflected light to provide an image of the fundus that can be viewed.