Patents Examined by John R. Sanders
-
Patent number: 7286227Abstract: A scanning laser polarimetry (SLP) system that measures in vivo retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) retardance (?N, ?N) in a single measurement without a variable corneal compensator (VCC). The diagnostic signal is biased so that the detected RNFL retardance orientation angles are sufficiently similar at adjacent pixels in the retinal polarimetric image to permit resolution of the orientation angle ambiguity in a single polarimetric image without repeating the measurement at another signal polarization state. With a simple bias retarder, the effects of anterior segment retardance (?C, ?C) can be removed from a single polarimetric image of the retina without a VCC. Alternatively, from two single polarimetric images obtained at two different bias retarder positions, the anterior segment retardance magnitude ?C and orientation ?C and the RNFL retardance magnitude ?N and orientation ?N can all be determined from the peripapillary RNFL image region alone.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2002Date of Patent: October 23, 2007Assignee: Carl Zeiss Meditec, Inc.Inventors: Qienyuan Zhou, Xiangrun Huang
-
Patent number: 7264356Abstract: Systems and methods for determining and addressing color-vision impairment by allowing a patient to compare multiple images of a scene wherein the color content of selected ones of the images has been manipulated by altering a portion of the color space that is less detectable to a person having a particular type of color vision impairment.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 2004Date of Patent: September 4, 2007Assignee: Tenebraex, Inc.Inventors: Peter W. J. Jones, Dennis W. Purcell
-
Patent number: 7198369Abstract: This invention discloses an achromatopsia inspection/correction method, comprising the following steps: displaying a plurality of groups of achromatopsia test charts for the examinee to identify, each group is corresponding to one type of achromatopsia; determining the types of achromatopsia based upon the inspection results; displaying at least one colored color-matching contrast chart, one area of said color-matching chart is in a predetermined color, another area is for the examinee to match colors; taking the color-matching result from the examinee; determining the achromatopsia scales of the examinee by comparing the color-matching results of the examinee with said predetermined three elementary colors; selecting the corresponding achromatopsia correction spectrum curves according to the determined types and scales of achromatopsia. Besides, this invention also discloses an achromatopsia inspection/correction apparatus for realizing this method.Type: GrantFiled: December 26, 2001Date of Patent: April 3, 2007Inventors: Xiaoguang Chen, Yan Chen
-
Patent number: 7195355Abstract: A method for isolating and quantifying impairments of a subject's gaze stabilization system is provided. A subject's static visual acuity is measured to arrive at an assessment. The subject's visual acuity is then measured when the subject's head is moving and a display object is fixed to arrive at a first dynamic measurement. The subject's visual acuity is also measured when the subject's head is fixed and the display object is moving to arrive at a second dynamic measurement. The assessment and the first and second dynamic measurements are then used to determine an impairment of the subject's gaze stabilization system.Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 2005Date of Patent: March 27, 2007Assignee: NeuroCom International, Inc.Inventor: Lewis M. Nashner
-
Patent number: 7175278Abstract: The present invention provides methods, systems and software for generating a wavefront elevation map using Fourier transformation algorithms. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a method of reconstructing optical tissues of an eye. The method comprises transmitting an image through the optical tissues of the eye. The surface gradients from the transmitted image are measured across the optical tissues of the eye. A Fourier transform algorithm is applied to the surface gradients to reconstruct a surface that corresponds to the optical tissues of the eye.Type: GrantFiled: June 20, 2003Date of Patent: February 13, 2007Assignee: Visx, Inc.Inventors: Dimitri Chernyak, Charles E. Campbell, Erik Gross, Seema Somani
-
Patent number: 7168807Abstract: Methods, systems and software for determine an optical surface model for an optical tissue system using Fourier transformation algorithms. A method of reconstructing optical tissues of an eye comprises transmitting an image through the optical tissues of the eye. The surface gradients from the transmitted image are measured across the optical tissues of the eye. A Fourier transform algorithm is applied to the surface gradients to reconstruct an optical surface model that corresponds to the optical tissues of the eye.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2004Date of Patent: January 30, 2007Assignee: VISX, IncorporatedInventors: Dimitri Chernyak, Charles E. Campbell, Erik Gross, Seema Somani, Guangming Dai
-
Patent number: 7159984Abstract: Disclosed is a subjective optometric apparatus in which the earpiece members and the nose pad member for attaching the main body of the device to the subject can be easily adjusted without involving any effort. The subjective optometric apparatus has a horizontal frame and an inner tube inserted into the horizontal frame, with a support bar for supporting a nose pad member being passed through the horizontal frame and the inner tube. In a state in which the inner tube is being biased by a spring, a rubber member provided in a through-hole of the inner tube abuts the peripheral surface of the support bar to lock the support bar, thereby bringing the nose pad member into a locked state. Further, when a push-button is pushed in against the biasing force of the spring, the inner tube is displaced and the rubber member is detached from the peripheral surface of the support bar, with the result that the nose pad member is released from the locked state and becomes capable of being displaced.Type: GrantFiled: August 13, 2003Date of Patent: January 9, 2007Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha TopconInventors: Yasufumi Fukuma, Yukihiro Noda, Yasuo Kato
-
Patent number: 7156517Abstract: A subjective optometric apparatus comprises: right-eye and left-eye examination units, each including a test window and optical elements that are manually selectively disposed in the test window; an indicator provided in each examination unit, the indicator being arranged to indicate information on the optical element disposed in the test window and generate fluorescence by ultraviolet light; and an illumination unit which includes a light source and illuminates the indicator with the ultraviolet light.Type: GrantFiled: November 23, 2005Date of Patent: January 2, 2007Assignee: Nidek Co., Ltd.Inventor: Yoshinobu Hosoi
-
Patent number: 7156518Abstract: A method is disclosed for quantifying the extent a cataract impairs vision in an eye having a pupil, an ocular lens, and a retina. The method includes illuminating a localized region of the retina such that light is reflected from the localized region and is transmitted through the ocular lens. A portion of the reflected light is scattered by the cataract associated with the ocular lens. Light reflected from the localized region of the retina is collected, and the amount of scatter is measured so as to quantify the extent the scatter impairs vision of the eye.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 2004Date of Patent: January 2, 2007Assignee: Visual Pathways, Inc.Inventors: Tom N. Cornsweet, Paul Peterson
-
Patent number: 7147330Abstract: A portable eyes protector for preventing the user's eyes from becoming myopic includes a body and a brightness sensor mounted in the body and flush with an outer periphery of the body for sensing a brightness of the surrounding environment. A distance measurer is mounted to the body for measuring a distance between the user's eyes and a tabletop. whereby the brightness sensor is provided to confirm that the brightness of the surrounding environment is bright enough for reading and the distance measure is provided to remind the user to maintain a suitable pose during reading.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 2003Date of Patent: December 12, 2006Inventors: Cappi Ker, Min Chang Wu, Mulian Li
-
Patent number: 7147328Abstract: An ophthalmologic photographing apparatus including: an apparatus main body having an illumination system for illuminating an eye to be examined and an observation system for observing an image of the eye to be examined which is illuminated by the illumination system; a photographing device for taking a light flux from the eye to be examined from an optical path of the observation system, photographing the image of the eye to be examined and recording the image; a storage unit for storing a photographing condition related to the apparatus main body and a photographing processing condition related to the photographing device for each of plural kinds of photographing processing modes in photographing and storing the eye to be examined; a designating unit for designating a photographing processing mode for the eye to be examined; and a setting unit for reading out a photographing condition related to the apparatus main body and a photographing processing condition related to the photographing device for a corresType: GrantFiled: April 15, 2003Date of Patent: December 12, 2006Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha TopconInventors: Yuichi Sugino, Tomoyoshi Abe, Takanori Takeda, Taisaku Kogawa
-
Patent number: 7144111Abstract: A gonioscopic lens system which provides a real image of the anterior chamber angle of a patient's eye. The lens system includes a first lens group having a concave posterior surface configured to be placed on a patient's eye, a second lens group optically aligned with the first lens group; and a stop positioned between the first and second lens groups. An achromatic gonioscopic lens system which provides a real image of the anterior chamber angle of a patient's eye is also provided, as well as an ophthalmoscopy lens system for viewing both the anterior chamber angle and the retina of a patient's eye.Type: GrantFiled: October 20, 2003Date of Patent: December 5, 2006Inventors: Denwood F. Ross, III, Larry Jones
-
Patent number: 7144112Abstract: An optometric apparatus (2) includes a rotary prism (136a, 136b) disposed in front of the eye (E), for adding a prism degree to the eye (E); a rotation device including a pulse motor (181, 184) and a rotation transmitting mechanism (146, 147, 176, 176a, 177, 177a, 178, 179, 182, 183, 185, 186) for transmitting rotation of the pulse motor to the rotary prism, the rotation device being adapted for rotating the rotary prism to change the prism degree; a command device (43a, 43b) for generating a command signal to start and stop the rotation of the rotary prism; and a control unit (60) for controlling the rotation device to drive the pulse motor to rotate at a speed of 5 pulses/sec. or more when the control unit receives the rotation start command signal until when receives the rotation stop command signal, and, to change the prism degree at a speed of 0.1 to 1.0 prism/sec.Type: GrantFiled: January 27, 2004Date of Patent: December 5, 2006Assignee: Nidek Co., Ltd.Inventor: Hirohisa Terabe
-
Patent number: 7140730Abstract: An eye examination instrument is presented that can perform multiple eye tests. The instrument includes an illumination optical path and an imaging optical path, wherein a focus element in the illumination optical path is mechanically coupled to a focus element in the imaging optical path. In some embodiments, the eye examination instrument can perform a visual eye test, a fundus imaging test, and an optical coherence tomography test.Type: GrantFiled: October 28, 2005Date of Patent: November 28, 2006Assignee: Optovue, Inc.Inventors: Jay Wei, Yonghua Zhao
-
Patent number: 7128416Abstract: Methods and systems for measuring optical aberrations of an eye are provided. In one embodiment, the present invention provides transmitting light from the eye along an optical path to an aberration sensor. An adaptive optic is disposed along the optical path between a target optical system and the aberration sensor. Aberrations of the adaptive optic can be adjusted in response to a signal generated by the aberration sensor so as to provide a desired sensed aberration. The shape of the adjusted adaptive optic can be determined with the aberration sensor by transmitting an adaptive optic configuration measurement beam along the optical path.Type: GrantFiled: February 16, 2005Date of Patent: October 31, 2006Assignee: VISX, IncorporatedInventor: Charles E. Campbell
-
Patent number: 7130447Abstract: A system for tracking a gaze of an operator includes a head-mounted eye tracking assembly, a head-mounted head tracking assembly and a processing element. The head-mounted eye tracking assembly comprises a visor having an arcuate shape including a concave surface and an opposed convex surface. The visor is capable of being disposed such that at least a portion of the visor is located outside a field of view of the operator. The head-mounted head tracking sensor is capable of repeatedly determining a position of the head to thereby track movement of the head. In this regard, each position of the head is associated with a position of the at least one eye. Thus, the processing element can repeatedly determine the gaze of the operator, based upon each position of the head and the associated position of the eyes, thereby tracking the gaze of the operator.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2005Date of Patent: October 31, 2006Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: John H. Aughey, Michael V. Rohr, Steven D. Swaine, Carl J. Vorst
-
Patent number: 7128418Abstract: A method for testing a plurality of regions in a color space to identify any of, or a subcombination of, the following color vision deficiencies: protanopia, deuteranopia, tritanopia, and related anomalies. A set of distractor colors is distributed across a region of color space such that the confusion line through a single target color intersects approximately the middle of the set. The distractor set spans a region extending in both chromaticity and luminance, which provides leeway for display errors since the confusion line will intersect the set even if colors do not render exactly as specified, and color deficient observers would still not be able to identify the target. A web-based implementation enables remote testing of subjects.Type: GrantFiled: September 20, 2004Date of Patent: October 31, 2006Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyInventor: Wendelin L. Sachtler
-
Patent number: 7125119Abstract: The invention provides a universal gonioscope-contact lens system suitable for diagnostics and intraocular laser surgery. The device consists of a hollow gonioscope body with a plurality of mirrors on the inner walls of the body and a contact lens. The front part of the lens is intended for contact with the eye cornea, while the rear part of the lens has a tapered shape with flat portions arranged perpendicular to the beams reflected from the gonioscope mirrors. The tapered portion of the lens can be conveniently used for manipulating the lens and for arranging optical lens components such as a concave lens and convex lens.Type: GrantFiled: November 1, 2005Date of Patent: October 24, 2006Inventor: Arkadiy Farberov
-
Patent number: 7121666Abstract: An apparatus and method for the kinetic analysis of tear interference is disclosed. The apparatus includes a light source for illuminating a tear film of a cornea, an optical train for modifying the light before it reaches the cornea and after it is the carrier of an image from the cornea, an image recorder to record a series of images of the illuminated tear film, and an image output for providing the series of images to a display; the series of images illustrating a tear film dispersion pattern indicative of a tear stability condition. The method includes the steps of illuminating the film on a cornea of said eye with light, recording a series of images of the illuminated film, and outputting the series of images to a display. The series of images illustrating at least one of a lipid film spread and a tear film dispersion pattern indicative of a tear stability condition.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2002Date of Patent: October 17, 2006Inventors: Scheffer C. G. Tseng, Eiki Goto
-
Patent number: 7118216Abstract: A scanning laser ophthalmoscope incorporates adaptive optics to compensate for wavefront aberrations in the eye. Light from a light source is scanned onto the retina. Light reflected from the retina is detected for imaging and is also used for wavefront sensing. The sensed wavefront aberrations are used to control an adaptive optic device, such as a deformable mirror, disposed in the path of the light from the source in order to compensate for the aberrations.Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 2005Date of Patent: October 10, 2006Assignee: University of RochesterInventor: Austin Roorda