Abstract: The invention relates to a device and a method for examining the retinal vascular endothelial function of the vessels of the retina at the fundus (F) of a patient's eye. Using a fundus camera, the vessels of the retina are stimulated with flicker light during a stimulation phase and sequences of images of areas of the fundus (F) are recorded, from which vascular parameters are derived which describe the retinal vascular endothelial function of the vessels. By imaging a macula stop (MB), which covers the macula, onto the fundus (F), the fundus (F) can be illuminated with a higher light intensity, which improves the stimulation effect and the image quality and/or reduces the strain on the patient.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device and a method for examining the retinal vascular endothelial function of the vessels of the retina at the fundus (F) of a patient's eye. Using a fundus camera, the vessels of the retina are stimulated with flicker light during a stimulation phase and sequences of images of areas of the fundus (F) are recorded, from which vascular parameters are derived which describe the retinal vascular endothelial function of the vessels. By imaging a macula stop (MB), which covers the macula, onto the fundus (F), the fundus (F) can be illuminated with a higher light intensity, which improves the stimulation effect and the image quality and/or reduces the strain on the patient.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device and a method, by which the intraocular pressure in a patient's eye is changed by artificially applying a variable stimulation pressure causing, upon reaching specific intraocular pressure values, the presence of characteristic measurement criteria in the retina of the eye, which allow global and local retinal blood pressure values to be derived from the intraocular pressure value. Based on the retinal blood pressure values, which are determined online or preferably offline, local retinal perfusion pressure values (rPP) can be computed and represented in an image of the retina as a pressure mapping image.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device and a method for examining the retinal vascular endothelial function of the vessels of the retina at the fundus (F) of a patient's eye. Using a fundus camera, the vessels of the retina are stimulated with flicker light during a stimulation phase and sequences of images of areas of the fundus (F) are recorded, from which vascular parameters are derived which describe the retinal vascular endothelial function of the vessels. By imaging a macula stop (MB), which covers the macula, onto the fundus (F), the fundus (F) can be illuminated with a higher light intensity, which improves the stimulation effect and the image quality and/or reduces the strain on the patient.

Abstract: A method and a device for examining the neurovascular coupling at the eye (A) of a patient, wherein an imaging method is used to record an image sequence of images of the fundus of the eye (A), preferably over a baseline phase (BP), a stimulation phase (SP) in which the fundus is stimulated with a flickering light, and a posterior phase (NP). Signals, in particular an averaged quotient signal (Q(t)) representing a vessel response of the vessels of the capillary vessel region to the stimulation, are derived from the image sequence for at least one capillary vessel region of the fundus. The absolute or percentage maximum change (Qmax) of the averaged quotient signal (Q(t)) is then used as an evaluation criterion for the neurovascular coupling.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and to a device suitable therefor, for examining the metabolic autoregulation of the retinal vessels in a patient's eye. Over a baseline phase (BP), a stimulation phase (SP), in which the individual retinal perfusion pressure in the eye is decreased in a normalized manner by the targeted application of a stimulation pressure to the eye, and a posterior phase (NP), a video sequence of images of the retina is captured, from which images signals describing the local vascular perfusion can be derived, from which signals metabolic vascular reactions are derived and recorded in order to examine the vascular reactions of the large retinal vessels e.g. on the basis of vessel diameter signals (D(t,x,y) and in order to examine the capillary vessels e.g. on the basis of spectrally normalized quotient signals.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device and a method, by which the intraocular pressure in a patient's eye is changed by artificially applying a variable stimulation pressure causing, upon reaching specific intraocular pressure values, the presence of characteristic measurement criteria in the retina of the eye, which allow global and local retinal blood pressure values to be derived from the intraocular pressure value. Based on the retinal blood pressure values, which are determined online or preferably offline, local retinal perfusion pressure values (rPP) can be computed and represented in an image of the retina as a pressure mapping image.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device and a method for examining the retinal vascular endothelial function of the vessels of the retina at the fundus (F) of a patient's eye. Using a fundus camera, the vessels of the retina are stimulated with flicker light during a stimulation phase and sequences of images of areas of the fundus (F) are recorded, from which vascular parameters are derived which describe the retinal vascular endothelial function of the vessels. By imaging a macula aperture (MB), which covers the macula, onto the fundus (F), the fundus (F) can be illuminated with a higher light intensity, which improves the stimulation effect and the image quality and/or reduces the strain on the patient.

Abstract: It is the object of a method and apparatus for retinal vessel analysis based on digital images to enhance the ability to discriminate between healthy vessel states and at-risk vessel states while reducing manual effort and saving time in order to allow individual vascular risk, particularly stroke risk, to be determined in a more reliable manner and with fewer subjective systematic and random errors. The vessel segment diameter, type of vessel and the image coordinates are determined for a series of adjoining vessel segments along vessel portions in a measurement zone surrounding the papilla and are stored by vessel segment with reference to the evaluated image, to a reference image recorded with a time offset, and to a displacement vector that is determined for the vessel segment between the reference image and an evaluated comparison image. Comparison measurements are carried out only on identical vessel segments already measured in the reference image.

Abstract: It is the object of a method for measuring the vessel diameter of optically accessible blood vessels to measure vessel diameters of optically accessible blood vessels in a simple manner based on digital images and with high accuracy even when the vessel diameter is on an order of magnitude at which the determination of the diameter by image point counting is associated with an unacceptably high error. According to the invention, the vessel diameter is determined photometrically from the logarithmized ratio of the intensities of the reflection of the vessel-free environment of the blood vessel and of the reflection of the blood vessel, which intensities are determined in a first monochromatic image.

Abstract: The object of an apparatus and a method for the analysis of retinal vessels is to improve the reproducibility of individually determined artery-to-vein ratios and to reduce the measurement uncertainty in determining the artery-to-vein ratio in order to substantially increase the individual validity of the determined values for vessel diagnosis. At least two images are recorded successively as an image sequence in a predetermined timed sequence adapted to the vasomotricity of the vessels and are evaluated such that a mean artery-to-vein ratio is formed from artery-to-vein ratios that are determined on the basis of the at least two images.

Abstract: The invention relates to an illumination system comprising at least one beam path with means for simultaneously illuminating the test object within at least one reference wavelength range and at least one data wavelength range, each of which is coordinated with one respective color channel of an imaging recording system. The at least one data wavelength range is used for detecting a medically relevant piece of information while the at least one reference wavelength range is at least nearly invariant in relation to said medically relevant piece of information. The inventive method combines the image values of evaluation windows or individual pixels of simultaneously recorded images into secondary images and image sequences while generating location-resolved dynamic characteristic values which are combined into function images.

Abstract: It is the object of a method and apparatus for retinal vessel analysis based on digital images to enhance the ability to discriminate between healthy vessel states and at-risk vessel states while reducing manual effort and saving time in order to allow individual vascular risk, particularly stroke risk, to be determined in a more reliable manner and with fewer subjective systematic and random errors. The vessel segment diameter, type of vessel and the image coordinates are determined for a series of adjoining vessel segments along vessel portions in a measurement zone surrounding the papilla and are stored by vessel segment with reference to the evaluated image, to a reference image recorded with a time offset, and to a displacement vector that is determined for the vessel segment between the reference image and an evaluated comparison image. Comparison measurements are carried out only on identical vessel segments already measured in the reference image.

Abstract: It is the object of a method for measuring the vessel diameter of optically accessible blood vessels to measure vessel diameters of optically accessible blood vessels in a simple manner based on digital images and with high accuracy even when the vessel diameter is on an order of magnitude at which the determination of the diameter by means of image point counting is associated with an unacceptably high error. According to the invention, the vessel diameter is determined photometrically from the logarithmized ratio of the intensities of the reflection of the vessel-free environment of the blood vessel and of the reflection of the blood vessel, which intensities are determined in a first monochromatic image.

Abstract: A universal ophthalmic examination device and an ophthalmic examination method have the object of combining in an inexpensive apparatus in a simple manner the device-related requirements for image generation, measurement and functional imaging for carrying out visual stimulation and highly time-resolved and highly spatially resolved image documentation using continuous illumination and flash mode and the requirements for measurements in the infrared spectral region and visible spectral region with a time regime that can be freely selected to a great extent.

Abstract: The object of an apparatus and a method for the analysis of retinal vessels is to improve the reproducibility of individually determined artery-to-vein ratios and to reduce the measurement uncertainty in determining the artery-to-vein ratio in order to substantially increase the individual validity of the determined values for vessel diagnosis. At least two images are recorded successively as an image sequence in a predetermined timed sequence adapted to the vasomotricity of the vessels and are evaluated such that a mean artery-to-vein ratio is formed from artery-to-vein ratios that are determined on the basis of the at least two images.

Abstract: Apparatuses whose system parameters and operation can be adapted in particular to a wide range of applications for imaging, testing, stimulating, measuring and treating the eye for carrying out a wide variety of examination tasks or treatment tasks substantially without taking technical steps in the manufacturing process through the control of beam manipulation units—EMS whose elements are independently controllable and which are in marked planes of the optical arrangement of the apparatus; methods for operating apparatuses of this type.

Abstract: The invention relates to a spectral photometry method for determining the oxygen saturation of the blood in optically accessible blood vessels, by determining the intensity of the reflection of the blood vessels and of their environment that is devoid of vessels, using at least two spectrally diverse images. The aim of the invention is to reduce the stress on the patient during the capture of the spectrally diverse images, achieving at the same time an improved signal-to-noise ratio. In addition, the improved method aims to guarantee a clear association of arteries and veins in the images and to deliver more meaningful values for the oxygen saturation.

Abstract: It is the object of an arrangement and a method for the recording and reproduction of images of an object to be examined to record the images of the object to be examined with reduced light stress and lower expenditure on adjustments and to generate secondary images which are substantially independent from brightness, are highly suitable for spectrometric studies of metabolism and microcirculation at the eye as well as for functional imaging, and can be adapted to the medical inquiry and make it possible to provide complex secondary image information while also enabling simple, practicable and extremely economical constructional variants. An illumination system contains at least one beam path with a device for simultaneous illumination of the object to be examined by at least one reference wavelength region and at least one information wavelength region, each of which is adapted, respectively, to a color channel of an image-generating recording system.

Abstract: A universal ophthalmic examination device and an ophthalmic examination method have the object of combining in an inexpensive apparatus in a simple manner the device-related requirements for image generation, measurement and functional imaging for carrying out visual stimulation and highly time-resolved and highly spatially resolved image documentation using continuous illumination and flash mode and the requirements for measurements in the infrared spectral region and visible spectral region with a time regime that can be freely selected to a great extent.