Abstract: Method and apparatus is disclosed for mapping a corneal contour and thickness profile. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a set of narrow, collimated, parallel beams is projected onto a corneal surface at an angle with respect to a predetermined axis (“an instrument axis”) that is substantially aligned with a visual axis of an eye. The set of beams is rotated about the instrument axis. A CCD camera is disposed to view the cornea along the instrument axis. Traces of the rotating set of beams form a set of rings in images obtained by the CCD camera; wherein outer and inner edges of the rings correspond to intersections of the set of beams with anterior and posterior surfaces of the cornea, respectively. Next, a direct triangulation algorithm is used to determine spatial positions of data points along the outer edges of the rings, and these spatial positions are used to reconstruct the anterior surface profile of the cornea.

Abstract: In a digital fluorography system a television (TV) camera converts x-ray images to analog video signals that are converted to digital pixel words in an analog-to-digital converter (ADC). The sync signals for the TV camera and the sample clock signals for the ADC are derived from a novel resettable crystal controlled sync generator. A phase-locked loop provides an ac reference signal at one-half power line frequency which is equivalent to TV frame rate. The sync generator is reset to start a new frame and an ensuing sequence of crystal controlled horizontal sync pulses only in response to occurrence of ac reference signals so every frame is in registration. A digital video processor (DVP) subtracts a mask image from each image in a sequence of images that are acquired while an x-ray contrast medium is appearing in and disappearing from a blood vessel. The resulting difference images are stored in analog video signal format in an analog video disk recorder.