Including Lens Selectively Insertable In Optical Path Patents (Class 351/216)
  • Patent number: 11911102
    Abstract: An ophthalmologic apparatus is provided, which is capable of more securely supporting left and right cheekbone portions of a subject in accordance with the size and shape of the subject's face allowing the subject to respond orally where the positions of the subject's eyes are fixed. The ophthalmologic apparatus includes a forehead contact portion coming into contact with the forehead of the subject, and a cheek contact portion coming into contact with the cheeks of the subject. The cheek contact portion includes a first cheek-contact body that supports one of the cheeks of the subject, a second cheek-contact body that supports the other one of the cheeks of the subject, and an opening/closing mechanism portion that opens and closes in a horizontal direction the first cheek-contact body and the second cheek-contact body in a direction of coming close to each other and a direction of separating from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Topcon Corporation
    Inventors: John Thomas Trefethen, Thomas Nuzzo, Akira Mizuno, Shigeru Okikawa, Yuta Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11850000
    Abstract: The stereoscopic effect of an image presented in accordance with an additional optical system is compensated for. There is provided an ophthalmic surgery microscope system including: a surgical microscope that observes an inside of an eye from a pupil, and magnifies and presents a real image; an additional optical system selectively arranged between the surgical microscope and the pupil; an imaging unit that acquires the real image presented by the surgical microscope as an image; a presentation unit that stereoscopically presents the image; and a control unit that changes a vertical magnification control value for adjusting a vertical magnification of the real image in accordance with a detection result of the additional optical system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Junichiro Enoki, Yoshio Soma, Tomoyuki Ootsuki
  • Patent number: 11583185
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for detecting the flow of blood or other fluids in biological tissue by illuminating the biological tissue with two or more beams of coherent light and detecting responsively emitted light. A difference in wavelength, coherence length, beam divergence, or some other property of the beams of illumination causes the beams to preferentially scatter from, be absorbed by, or otherwise interact with respective elements of the biological tissue. Flow properties in one or more regions of the biological tissue (e.g., a region with which both beams of light preferentially interact, a region with which only one of the beams preferentially interacts) could be determined based on detected responsively emitted light from the biological tissue. Variations in speckle patterns over time and/or space, Doppler shifts, or some other properties of the detected light could be used to determine the flow properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Verily Life Sciences LLC
    Inventors: Andrew Homyk, Jason Donald Thompson
  • Patent number: 10962791
    Abstract: A method may include bonding a deformable bounding element to a structural support element in which the deformable bounding element and a cavity-adjacent side of the structural support element define a cavity. The method may further include filling the cavity with a deformable medium by injecting the deformable medium past a cavity-opposite side of the structural support element and toward the cavity-adjacent side of the structural support element. The method may additionally include sealing an entry point of the injection of the deformable medium into the cavity. Various other apparatuses, systems, and methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Andrew J. Ouderkirk, Katherine Marie Smyth
  • Patent number: 10327630
    Abstract: A system determines the subjective refraction properties of an eye of a test subject perceiving a natural image. The system contains a memory in which at least one natural image is stored; a display device for displaying the at least one natural image from the memory; and a lens arrangement for adjusting various light-refracting elements in an optical path between the eye of the test subject and the display device. The lens arrangement is arranged at a predefined distance from the display device. A corresponding method and the use of a natural image for refraction determination are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Vision International GmbH
    Inventors: Arne Ohlendorf, Siegfried Wahl, Jesús-Miguel Cabeza Guillén
  • Patent number: 10281690
    Abstract: An imaging optical system including, in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens group having a negative refractive power, an aperture stop, a second lens group having a positive refractive power, is provided. The first lens group includes in order from the object side a first lens having a positive refractive power and a meniscus shape turning a convex surface to the object side, a second lens having a negative refractive power, and a third lens having a positive refractive power. A lens surface positioned closest to the image side in the first lens group is a concave surface to the image side, and a lens surface positioned closest to the object side in the second lens group is a concave surface to the object side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takahiro Nakayama, Hiroshi Nakanuma
  • Patent number: 10219689
    Abstract: A system determines the subjective refraction properties of an eye of a test subject perceiving a natural image. The system contains a memory in which at least one natural image is stored; a display device for displaying the at least one natural image from the memory; and a lens arrangement for adjusting various light-refracting elements in an optical path between the eye of the test subject and the display device. The lens arrangement is arranged at a predefined distance from the display device. A corresponding method and the use of a natural image for refraction determination are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Vision International GmbH
    Inventors: Arne Ohlendorf, Siegfried Wahl, Jesús-Miguel Cabeza Guillén
  • Patent number: 9895058
    Abstract: A binocular vision analyzer apparatus is used for determining a prescription of visual aids for the eyes of an individual. The apparatus includes first and second targets respectively corresponding to the first and second eyes of the individual and at least one illuminator unit for illuminating the targets. An optical system is configured to present respective virtual images of the first and second targets so as to be viewable by the respective first and second eyes. At least one beam splitter disposed in front of the first and second eyes directs the virtual images toward the respective eyes. The apparatus also includes first and second spherical correction devices and first and second cylindrical correction devices that respectively correspond to the first and second eyes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: CARL ZEISS MEDITEC AG
    Inventors: Christopher Baker, Tobias Buehren, James Foley
  • Patent number: 9551649
    Abstract: A system, method, and device for analyzing a sample using spectroscopy. The system includes a spectroscope, a sample vial with a swab removably sealable within a transparent enclosure, the swab including an absorbent collection substrate. The system further includes a sample vial adaptor configured to affix to the spectroscope, and a sample vial receptacle that receives the sample vial. The adaptor is configured to position the sample vial such that the transparent portion of the enclosure is between the swab and the laser of the Raman instrument, and such that the swab is positioned at the focal distance of the laser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: SRC, INC.
    Inventors: Stephen R. Houghton, Marc P. Roberts, Nicole J. Surace Clayton, James W. McLean, Robert M. Cannon
  • Patent number: 9332899
    Abstract: One embodiment is a method for finding, calculating and electronically marking a reference axis for astigmatism correction/neutralization of a patient eye during a refractive surgery. The reference axis for astigmatism correction/neutralization can be determined intra-operatively based on one or more eye property measurements together with simultaneous recording a live eye image. The determined reference axis of astigmatism correction/neutralization can be updated and registered with one or more land mark(s) of the recorded eye image(s); and overlaid onto a live image of the eye. Another embodiment is a method of calculating and displaying in real time compensated refractive errors of the eye under operation with refractive components due to temporary surgically induced factors removed and refractive components due to surgeon-induced factors added.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: CLARITY MEDICAL SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: William Shea, Yan Zhou
  • Patent number: 9268153
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a device that includes a host lens and a dynamic lens adapted to adjust its optical power based upon an input. The dynamic lens is in optical communication with the host lens. The device further comprises a photosensor, a controller electrically connected to the photosensor, and an actuator electrically connected to the controller. The actuator is also connected to the dynamic lens. The actuator provides an input interface to the dynamic lens, which is actuated based upon a signal received from the photosensor. The dynamic lens having a first zone of changeable optical power adapted to adjust its optical power within the range of ?0.75 D to +0.75 D and an “optional” second zone of changeable optical power adapted to adjust its optical power within the range of +50 D to +1.25 D.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald Blum, William Kokonaski
  • Patent number: 9022569
    Abstract: When an anterior segment photographing mode is selected, ease of operation by an inspector is improved. An ophthalmologic apparatus includes an area changing unit for changing a movement area of an optical unit including an optical path of measuring light, when an anterior segment photographing mode for photographing an anterior segment of an eye to be inspected is selected, to be different from a movement area when a mode other than the anterior segment photographing mode is selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Nakahara, Shigeaki Ono, Hiroki Uchida, Yukio Sakagawa
  • Patent number: 8939581
    Abstract: An ophthalmologic photographing apparatus includes an optical system, a pedestal, an auxiliary lens configured to be able to be inserted into and retracted from the optical system, a focusing lens, a focusing lens driving unit configured to move the focusing lens along an optical axis, a pedestal position detection unit configured to detect that the pedestal is away from the subject's eye by a predetermined distance, an auxiliary lens insertion detection unit configured to detect that the auxiliary lens is inserted into the optical system, a storage unit configured to store a position of the focusing lens, and a control unit configured to cause the focusing lens driving unit to move the focusing lens to a predetermined position stored in the storage unit based on outputs from the pedestal position detection unit and the auxiliary lens insertion detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Motoya Takai, Kyoji Sekiguchi, Hajime Nakajima
  • Patent number: 8915594
    Abstract: The present invention contemplates a refraction system facilitating for contact lens fitting via measuring the patient's refraction on the corneal plane and via introducing a conjugated plane of the corneal plane for insertion of a contact lens simulator or phase plate. The present invention also contemplates a refraction system to integrate the objective and subjective measurement into a single instrument. The present invention further contemplates a refraction system with open-field and binocular viewing to overcome instrument myopia and to measure accommodation. The present invention also further contemplates a refraction system employing a pair of optical trombones to eliminate the need of flipping plurality sets of trial lenses for defocus corrections. The present invention even further contemplates a multiple vergence acuity chart to facilitate patient's judgment of best corrected visual acuity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: MD Lasers & Instruments, Inc.
    Inventors: Ming Lai, Meijuan Yuan
  • Patent number: 8876289
    Abstract: The invention relates to an instrument for simulation of multifocal ophthalmic corrections, comprising two optical channels with different optical power values in the beams coming from the object observed, wherein at least one channel comprises a Badal system. This instrument simultaneously provides images of objects near and far focused. The system provides the same optical magnifications for each channel, regardless of the optical power thereof, and produces superimposed retinal images with different degrees of focus which, unlike other devices, are all of the same size. The instrument allows simulating different optical powers for near vision and different refractive corrections for distant vision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas
    Inventors: Carlos Dorronsoro Díaz, Susana Marcos Celestino
  • Publication number: 20140132930
    Abstract: An ophthalmologic apparatus includes a focusing lens provided in an optical path connecting a subject's eye and an imaging unit, a diopter correction lens provided in the optical path to be insertable and removable, and a position determination unit configured to determine a position of the focusing lens on the optical path in a state where the diopter correction lens is inserted, based on an in-focus state where the diopter correction lens is not inserted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2013
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Inventor: Hiraku Ogura
  • Patent number: 8573778
    Abstract: A method for producing an ophthalmic spectacle lens makes it possible to fit out a wearer of lenses in a manner which is customized as a function of a perception of blur by said wearer. The lens is selected so that the wearer has the impression of having a field of sharp vision which has a reference width. This reference width is determined on the basis of a first lens which complies with the wearer's ophthalmic prescription and a reference threshold value of the blur. It is thereafter associated within the lens which is provided for the wearer with a threshold value of the blur which is perceived by this wearer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Essilor International (Compagnie Generale d'Optique)
    Inventors: Björn Drobe, Guillaume Giraudet
  • Patent number: 8529064
    Abstract: Attachment module for a microscope, having an ophthalmoscopic lens (142; 242; 342) and an inverting device (140; 240; 340) for inverting an image of an object (143; 243; 343) that is to be observed generated by means of the ophthalmoscopic lens, wherein the inverter device comprises at least four deflection surfaces (146a, 146b, 146c; 246a, 246b, 246c; 346a, 346b, 346c, 346d) by means of which observation beam paths (102) which emanate from the object to be observed can be introduced into a main objective (110) of the microscope, at least two deflection surfaces being planar and at least two further deflection surfaces being non-planar, particularly spherical or in the shape of free-form surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Leica Microsystems (Schweiz) AG
    Inventors: Ulrich Sander, Lothar Knuenz
  • Patent number: 8511825
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an Illuminating device for an operating microscope in ophthalmic surgery, having at least one light source (151), at least one lens (152, 155), at least one luminous field diaphragm (153), and at least one optical deflector (156), wherein in order to provide an illumination beam path (119) light from the light source (151) is guided through a main objective (107) which is disposed between the deflector (156) and an eye (180) that is to be observed, and on to the eye that is to be observed, wherein a device (154) that can be introduced into the illumination beam path (119) for acting upon the illumination beam path (119) with a structure that comprises transparent and non-transparent or opaque regions such that this structure can be imaged on or close to the retina (180b) of the eye (180) that is to be observed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Leica Microsystems (Schweiz) AG
    Inventor: Ulrich Sander
  • Publication number: 20130188143
    Abstract: A method for determining parameters of the vision of an eye of a patient. The method comprises: constituting a part of a process of making a prescription for a corresponding lens via which the patient is expected to gaze in at least two different directions; and measuring in one of the two directions all of the following parameters of the eye's vision: sphere power, cylinder and cylinder axis, and measuring in the other of the two directions at least two of said parameters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2011
    Publication date: July 25, 2013
    Applicant: SHAMIR OPTICAL INDUSTRY LTD.
    Inventors: Yuval Carmon, Dan Katzman
  • Publication number: 20130135586
    Abstract: The present invention contemplates a refraction system facilitating for contact lens fitting via measuring the patient's refraction on the corneal plane and via introducing a conjugated plane of the corneal plane for insertion of a contact lens simulator or phase plate. The present invention also contemplates a refraction system to integrate the objective and subjective measurement into a single instrument. The present invention further contemplates a refraction system with open-field and binocular viewing to overcome instrument myopia and to measure accommodation. The present invention also further contemplates a refraction system employing a pair of optical trombones to eliminate the need of flipping plurality sets of trial lenses for defocus corrections. The present invention even further contemplates a multiple vergence acuity chart to facilitate patient's judgment of best corrected visual acuity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2012
    Publication date: May 30, 2013
    Inventors: Ming Lai, Meijuan Yuan
  • Patent number: 8437076
    Abstract: The present invention, among other things, relates to a front-lens attachment (20) for an optical observation device (10), in particular for a microscope. The front-lens attachment (20) has a retaining element (38) that has a retaining element (32), on which at least one lens element (33, 34) is disposed. Further, it provides a positioning device (21) for positioning the retaining element (32) and the at least one lens element (33, 34) disposed thereon, relative to the optical observation device (10), whereby retaining device (32) is disposed on positioning device (21). Finally, a fastening means (35) for fastening the retaining device (38) to the front-lens attachment (20) is provided. In order to be able to provide such a front-lens attachment (20) in a structurally simple and cost-effective manner, it is provided, for example, that positioning device (21) has at least two positioning components (22, 28), which are joined together via a joint (31).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Meditec AG
    Inventors: Fumio Takanashi, Markus Seesselberg, Andrè Mueller, Peter Reimer
  • Patent number: 8366270
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and system for the objective measurement of ocular accommodation. A double-pass ophthalmoscopic system is used which incorporates a periscope allowing the patient to binocularly see real objects in an open field and images of the retinal plane to be recorded on a CCD camera. The method includes obtaining, for different values of accommodation stimulation, a set of retinal images corresponding to different focal values in the retina, obtaining the different focal positions in the retina by moving the two lenses incorporated in the ophthalmoscopic system. The image with the best optical quality is obtained for each set of images and by associating the selected image with the known value of the accommodation stimulation it is possible to objectively measure the accommodation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya
    Inventors: Jaume Pujol Ramo, Sergio Oscar Luque, Mikel Aldaba Arévalo
  • Patent number: 8337018
    Abstract: A surgical microscope (10) comprises an image display module for displaying an image to be overlaid into an observation beam path of the microscope, and an image sensor for recording an image of an eye (30) of an observer looking through the microscope. According to the invention, the image display module and the image sensor are formed by a common electronic module (28) produced in integrated circuit technology. The module (28) preferably has an organic light-emitting diode, produced in OLED-on-CMOS technology, for displaying the image to be overlaid. The image sensor may be formed by CMOS-compatible photodetectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Wavelight GmbH
    Inventors: Armin Wellhöfer, Christof Donitzky
  • Patent number: 8113656
    Abstract: A monocular image of a fundus of an eye under examination is captured via a photographic stop for monocular photography, and two stereographically viewed images are captured with a parallax via two photographic stops for stereographic photography that are decentered from a photographic optical axis. Defocused images are captured in the stereographic photography due to the deviation of the photographic stops from the optical axis. A corrective lens is inserted into the photographic optical path in order to correct the defocus in the stereographic photography. This makes it possible to readily correct defocus generated by deviation of the photographic stops from the photographic optical axis even when switching between monocular and stereographic photography modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Kowa Company Ltd.
    Inventor: Takayoshi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8113658
    Abstract: A binocular wavefront measurement system for performing wavefront analysis on the eyes of a patient, the system comprising an optics system for providing an image to a first eye along a first optical path and an image to a second eye along a second optical path and a sensor system, said sensor system configurable in a first mode for performing a wavefront measurement of a first eye through a portion of the first optical path and configurable in a second mode for performing a wavefront measurement of a second eye through a portion of the second optical path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Ophthonix, Inc.
    Inventors: Laurence Warden, Andreas W. Dreher, Gary D. Mills, Shui T. Lai, William G. Foote, David G. Sandler, Keith J. Dillon
  • Publication number: 20120008094
    Abstract: A spectacle lens is disclosed. The disclosed lens provides a vision correcting area for the correction of a wearer's refractive error. The viewing correction area provides correction for non-conventional refractive error to provide at least a part of the wearer's vision correction. The lens has a prescription based on a wave front analysis of the wearer's eye and the lens can further be modified to fit within an eyeglass frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Applicant: E-Vision, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald D. Blum, William Kokonaski
  • Publication number: 20110292339
    Abstract: A control unit, if insertion of a diopter correction lens or retraction of the diopter correction lens is detected, moves a focusing lens to a position according to an insertion or retraction state of the diopter correction lens corresponding to a position of the focusing lens detected by a focusing lens position detection unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2011
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroshi Itoh
  • Publication number: 20110228225
    Abstract: Methods and devices are provided to obtain refractive correction with superior visual acuity (e.g., 20/10) by achieving an astigmatism-free customized refractive correction. The astigmatism-free customized refractive correction involves obtaining an objective and precise measurement of cylindrical power in a resolution between 0.01 D and 0.10 D in an eye using an objective aberrometer, reliably relating the cylindrical axis obtained from the objective aberrometer to that in a phoroptor, determining an optimized focus error of an eye through subjective refraction with a phoroptor, generating a customized refraction by combining the objective measured cylindrical power, the objective measured cylindrical axis, and the subjectively measured focus power, fabricating a custom lens with a tolerance finer than 0.09 D based on the generated customized refraction, and delivering an ophthalmic lens that can provide an astigmatism-free refractive correction for an eye.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2011
    Publication date: September 22, 2011
    Inventor: Junzhong Liang
  • Patent number: 7997733
    Abstract: An electro-active spectacle lens is disclosed. The disclosed lens includes a first lens optic. The disclosed lens also includes a first electro-active zone positioned in a cooperative relationship with the first lens optic. In certain embodiments, the electro-active lens includes a range finder positioned in a cooperative relationship with the electro-active lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: e-Vision, LLC
    Inventors: Ronald D. Blum, Dwight P. Duston, Dan Katzman
  • Publication number: 20110194073
    Abstract: Attachment module for a microscope, having an ophthalmoscopic lens (142; 242; 342) and an inverting device (140; 240; 340) for inverting an image of an object (143; 243; 343) that is to be observed generated by means of the ophthalmoscopic lens, wherein the inverter device comprises at least four deflection surfaces (146a, 146b, 146c; 246a, 246b, 246c; 346a, 346b, 346c, 346d) by means of which observation beam paths (102) which emanate from the object to be observed can be introduced into a main objective (110) of the microscope, at least two deflection surfaces being planar and at least two further deflection surfaces being non-planar, particularly spherical or in the shape of free-form surfaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2011
    Publication date: August 11, 2011
    Applicant: LEICA MICROSYSTEMS (SCHWEIZ) AG
    Inventors: Ulrich Sander, Lothar Knuenz
  • Patent number: 7988292
    Abstract: A system for mapping a three-dimensional structure includes a projecting optical system adapted to project light onto an object, a correction system adapted to compensate the light for at least one aberration in the object, an imaging system adapted to collect light scattered by the object and a wavefront sensor adapted to receive the light collected by the imaging system and to sense a wavefront of the received light. For highly aberrated structures, a number of wavefront measurements are made which are valid over different portions of the structure, and the valid wavefront data is stitched together to yield a characterization of the total structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: AMO Wavefront Sciences LLC.
    Inventors: Daniel R. Neal, Richard James Copland, David A. Neal
  • Patent number: 7988289
    Abstract: The invention provides methods for designing ophthalmic lenses, and lenses produced by this method, which lenses corrects both low order and high order wavefront aberrations of the lens wearer's eyes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc.
    Inventors: Khaled Chehab, Michael J. Collins, Jeffrey H. Roffman, Ross J. Franklin, Brett A. Davis, Xu Cheng
  • Patent number: 7959291
    Abstract: A telecentric lens optical system includes: a front lens group; a rear lens group having a front focal point coinciding with a rear focal point of the front lens unit; and diaphragm mechanisms, each of which is disposed at a position where the rear focal point of the front lens unit and the front focal point of the rear lens unit coincide with each other. One of the front lens group and the rear lens group is provided by a plurality of variable magnification lens groups. The diaphragm mechanisms are provided corresponding to the variable magnification lens groups, respectively. A magnification switching mechanism is provided to selectively move a pair of one of the variable lens groups and one of the corresponding diaphragm mechanisms to be disposed on an optical axis of the other of the front lens group and the rear lens group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Mitutoyo Corporation
    Inventors: Hitoshi Isobe, Katsuyoshi Arisawa
  • Patent number: 7909464
    Abstract: An improved diagnostic ophthalmic lens using extra-low dispersion material, defined by having an Abbe Number, Vd>80, is provided. Such a single element diagnostic ophthalmic lens may be used for examination of the eye in conjunction with either an Indirect Opthalmoscope or a Slit Lamp Biomicroscope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Volk Optical Inc.
    Inventors: Steven D. Cech, Stephen Jon Lawn
  • Patent number: 7883209
    Abstract: An apparatus for measuring a distance between eye components includes an interference optical system including a light source, a beam splitter splitting light into first and second light, a projection optical system projecting the first and/or second light onto the eye, a photo-receiving optical system synthesizing the first light reflected from the eye and the second light, and an optical-path-length varying optical member disposed on one of light optical paths to be movable in an optical axis direction and adjusting a relationship between light optical path lengths, a mechanism obtaining a travel position of the member, and a unit controlling a driving unit to move the member toward one direction of the axis direction and toward the reverse direction, obtaining interference signals respectively while moving the optical member toward the directions, and calculating distances between the components based on the travel position where the signals are obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Nidek Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasuhisa Murakaimi
  • Publication number: 20110013140
    Abstract: An apparatus for determining spherical and cylinder components of subjective refraction of a patient's vision includes a wavefront measurement device that can produce a measure of quality of vision in a return beam from the patient's eye viewing a target through a corrective test lens in the apparatus. The corrective lenses may be varied and a plurality of measurements of quality of vision may be obtained and analyzed to determine the spherical and cylinder components. Accordingly, the eye examiner may conduct a refraction examination without a subjective response from the patient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2010
    Publication date: January 20, 2011
    Inventor: Shui T. LAI
  • Patent number: 7862175
    Abstract: An optometer for subjectively examining refractive power of an examinee's eye, comprises: a phoropter which selectively disposes an optical element in front of the examinee's eye; a controller having a switch panel for transmitting a signal to the phoropter and a horizontally extending rotation axis; a display rotatable about the rotation axis of the controller, orientation of the display being changeable by its rotation between a side with the switch panel and a side without the switch panel; and a control part which controls a display screen of the display to appear in a constant orientation irrespective of whether the display is reversed upside down by its rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Nidek Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Noritsugu Nozawa, Hirohisa Terabe
  • Patent number: 7815312
    Abstract: Stimulus light is projected from a stimulus light source onto an ocular fundus of an eye under examination to locally stimulate the retina in order to perform a biological examination. During a biological examination, first background light is projected from an illumination light source via an objective lens, and second background light is projected from a light source from the periphery of the objective lens onto the ocular fundus. During alignment prior to a biological examination, the first background light is turned off and the second background light is projected onto the ocular fundus. During observation of the ocular fundus, the first background light projected onto the fundus is blocked, so that fundus observation or eye fixation is not disturbed by the background light. This enables accurate alignment to be carried out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: Kowa Company Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazunori Matsumura, Tatsuya Fujii, Masaharu Mizuochi
  • Patent number: 7798640
    Abstract: The invention provides methods for designing ophthalmic lenses, and lenses produced by this method, which lenses corrects both low order and high order wavefront aberrations of the lens wearer's eyes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc.
    Inventors: Khaled Chehab, Michael J. Collins, Jeffrey H. Roffman, Ross J. Franklin, Brett A. Davis, Xu Cheng
  • Patent number: 7784947
    Abstract: A cataract surgery microscopy system is provided which comprises a microscopy optics for producing an image of an object plane of the microscopy optics and a pattern generator for generating a pattern superimposed on the image, said pattern generator being provided to generate a circular pattern having an adjustable diameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Surgical GmbH
    Inventors: Michel Pérez, Daniel Kolster, Gerhard Gaida, Peter Reimer
  • Patent number: 7766479
    Abstract: A gaze point detecting device 1 detects a gaze point of an object person by projecting a display image displayed by an LCD 8 to outside via a finder 4 and capturing an eye image of the object person by a CCD 11 in response to illumination light irradiated toward outside from the finder 4, and the device comprises an optical system 5 arranged spaced only a focal length apart from a display surface 8a on an optical path of an image displaying optical system between the LCD 8 and the finder 4; the optical system 5 being arranged on an optical path of an imaging optical system between the finder 4 and the CCD 11; a telecentric optical system including a diaphragm 9 arranged spaced only a focal length apart from the optical system 5 on the optical path; and a controller 3 that detects a position of the gaze point of the object person based on the eye image captured by the CCD 11.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: National University Corporation Shizuoka University
    Inventor: Yoshinobu Ebisawa
  • Patent number: 7690787
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to an arrangement by which the image field of the illumination components and irradiation components of ophthalmic instruments for diagnosis and therapy is improved. In the arrangement according to the invention, one or more diffractive optical elements is/are arranged additionally in the illumination beam path for deliberate shaping of the image plane in the eye to be irradiated. These diffractive optical elements can be located on the surface of other optical elements, swiveled into the illumination beam path, and their wavelength changed by filters. The image plane can be adapted to the spherical contour of the eye so that the projected characters and structures have a uniformly high image quality in the center and in the edge area of the eye. The present invention is applicable for variable illumination for diagnosis and treatment of the eye, in particular for irradiation of the eye lens and other parts of the eye such as the cornea or retina.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Meditec AG
    Inventors: Ingo Koschmieder, Hans-Juergen Dobschal
  • Patent number: 7593156
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a microscope with at least one optical element (21a, 21b) for optional deflection and/or splitting of a beam path passing through the microscope, wherein the at least one optical element (21a, 21b) is fashioned as a micro-mirror array (80) having a number of individually controllable and adjustable micro-mirrors (82).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: Leica Microsystems (Schweiz) AG
    Inventor: Ulrich Sander
  • Publication number: 20090180178
    Abstract: A microscopy system method for inspecting a retina of an eye including generating an inverted intermediate image of the retina using an opthalmoscopic lens; detecting a left image of the intermediate image from a left viewing direction and detecting a right image of the intermediate image from a right viewing direction; and displaying an inverted representation of the detected left image to a right eye of a user and displaying an inverted representation of the detected right image to a left eye of the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2008
    Publication date: July 16, 2009
    Inventors: Christian LUECKE, Alfons Abele, Dirk Brunner, Frank Rudolph, Fritz Straehle, Joachim Steffen, Michael Wirth
  • Patent number: 7553022
    Abstract: A system for mapping a three-dimensional structure includes a projecting optical system adapted to project light onto an object, a correction system adapted to compensate the light for at least one aberration in the object, an imaging system adapted to collect light scattered by the object and a wavefront sensor adapted to receive the light collected by the imaging system and to sense a wavefront of the received light. For highly aberrated structures, a number of wavefront measurements are made which are valid over different portions of the structure, and the valid wavefront data is stitched together to yield a characterization of the total structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2009
    Assignee: AMO Wavefront Sciences, LLC
    Inventors: Daniel R. Neal, Richard James Copland, David A. Neal
  • Publication number: 20090161070
    Abstract: An apparatus for determining the objective refraction of a patient's eye includes a transparent window and a wavefront measurement device that determines aberrations in a return beam from the patient's eye after the beam passes through a corrective test lens in the apparatus. The wavefront measurement device outputs an instant display representative of the quality of vision afforded the patient through the test lens. The display can be a representation of a Snellen chart, convoluted with the optical characteristics of the patient's vision, an overall quality of vision scale or the optical contrast function, all based on the wavefront measurements of the patient's eye. The examiner may use the display information to conduct a refraction examination and other vision tests without the subjective response from the patient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2009
    Publication date: June 25, 2009
    Applicant: Ophthonix, Inc.
    Inventors: Shui T. LAI, Andreas W. Dreher
  • Patent number: 7549744
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for testing the visual response of a patient is disclosed. The apparatus comprises image generation means (16), image presentation means (12), and detection means (13,14). The image generation means (16) and image presentation means (12) are arranged, in use, to generate and present an image before an eye of the patient at variable predetermined intensity levels. The detection means (13,14) is arranged under the control of a controller (11) to detect a stimulus response to the presented image occurring in the brain of the patient and to display an image of the response of the patient's eye on a monitor (15).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: Brigantia Software Limited
    Inventor: Gordon Bradley
  • Patent number: 7533992
    Abstract: A new light source (e.g. LEDs) enables new designs in all or some key elements within diagnostic instruments. New light sources allow improvements in life of light source, infra red emitted, power consumption, color temperature, light flux directionality, simplification of optics design, adaptation of light flux directionality, and overall constructional simplification. The new light source allows for the replacement of some or all of the components designed for incandescent filament bulbs. The improved light source may allow for either an entirely new design of all or some core modules of the instrument, or by alteration of pre-existing modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2009
    Assignee: WJW Ltd.
    Inventor: William James Williams
  • Publication number: 20090079938
    Abstract: An electro-active spectacle lens is disclosed. The disclosed lens includes a first lens optic. The disclosed lens also includes a first electro-active zone positioned in a cooperative relationship with the first lens optic. In certain embodiments, the electro-active lens includes a range finder positioned in a cooperative relationship with the electro-active lens.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2008
    Publication date: March 26, 2009
    Applicant: E-Vision, LLC
    Inventors: Ronald D. Blum, Dwight P. Duston, Dan Katzman