BR-202020016196-Y1 - APPARATUS FOR OPHTHALMOLOGICAL EXAMINATION OF THE ANTERIOR SEGMENT AND FUNDUS WITH MEANS FOR COUPLING AN ELECTRONIC APPARATUS WITH A CAMERA AND TOWER FOR COUPLING ACCESSORY ILLUMINATION

Abstract

APPARATUS FOR OPHTHALMOLOGICAL EXAMINATION OF THE ANTERIOR SEGMENT AND FUNDUS WITH MEANS FOR COUPLING AN ELECTRONIC APPARATUS WITH A CAMERA AND A TOWER FOR COUPLING ACCESSORY LIGHTING. This utility model, within the field of technologies related to mechanical apparatus for ophthalmological examinations, consists of an apparatus for ophthalmological evaluation of the anterior segment and fundus of a patient, comprising: a support for stabilizing (1) the patient's face, a support for an ophthalmic lens (2), a tower for coupling accessory lighting (3), a mobile base (5) with adjustment on the transverse and longitudinal axes considering the plane on a surface viewed from above, with adjustment on the vertical axis considering the plane on a surface viewed from the side, and means for coupling an electronic apparatus (4) with a camera, preferably a smartphone. The aforementioned device allows for fine adjustment of the focal length for the electronic camera device, by means of a bar with adequate flexibility. Furthermore, the presence of the tower allows for the attachment of a light source with adjustable illumination intensity, providing auxiliary illumination with a slit. The set of mechanical elements of the aforementioned device makes it possible to vary the magnification of the fundus image by zooming in/out (...).

Inventors

• Rodrigo Jorge
• IGOR FERNANDO ALMEIDA TEODORO
• CARLOS AUGUSTO SERVATO BORGES
• ANTONIO CALUZ DA SILVA NETO

Assignees

• VIEWMED INDÚSTRIA E COMÉRCIO DE PRODUTOS MÉDICOS LTDA - EPP
• UNIVERSIDADE DE SÃO PAULO - USP

Dates

Publication Date

20260310

Application Date

20200807

Claims (3)

1. 1. APPARATUS FOR OPHTHALMOLOGICAL EXAMINATION OF THE ANTERIOR SEGMENT AND FUNDUS OF THE EYE, comprising a face stabilization support (1), comprising a chin rest (1.1) and a forehead rest (1.2), wherein said chin rest (1.1) has freedom of vertical movement; and at least one ophthalmic lens holder (2) with height adjustment comprising an internal space (2.1) of variable diameter, and a hole (2.2) for inserting a locking pin for said lenses, characterized by further comprising: a tower arranged to provide accessory illumination with adjustable intensity (3) in the direction of the lens holder (2) operatively coupled to a beam-directing prism (3.1); a holder (4) for providing the fixation of an electronic device with a camera, by means of displacement of the movable stud (4.3) in relation to the fixed stud (4.5), with the aid of a lock (4.4); a hollow main arm (5), into which said holder (2) fits by means of the vertical axis (2.3); wherein said holder (4) further comprises a flexible arm (4.1); a fixing support (4.2); and at least one bearing (4.6), wherein said bearing (4.6) slidingly couples the support (4) to said main arm (5) by means of a transverse through square hole (4.6.1), so as to adjust a focal distance in relation to the ophthalmic lenses housed in the support (2), by means of said sliding.
2. 2. APPARATUS FOR OPHTHALMOLOGICAL EXAMINATION OF THE ANTERIOR SEGMENT AND FUNDUS OF THE EYE, according to claim 1, characterized in that said illumination supply tower with accessory intensity adjustment (3) further comprises a slit light coupling portion (3.1) with rotational mobility of up to 180° around its axis, an outer casing (3.2), a union joint (3.3) of the vertical axis (2.3) with the tower, an upper portion (3.4), a lower portion (3.5) and slit and filter adjustment means (3.6), wherein the union joint (3.3) rotates up to 180° around the vertical axis (2.3) of the support (2).
3. 3. APPARATUS FOR OPHTHALMOLOGICAL EXAMINATION OF THE ANTERIOR SEGMENT AND FUNDUS OF THE EYE, according to claim 1, characterized in that the slit and filter adjustment means (3.6) preferably provide a coupling of optoelectronic components for adjusting slit length, slit size and filter types preferably chosen from blue, green and neutral.

Description

Field of application: [001] The present utility model falls within the field of technologies dedicated to mechanical devices for ophthalmological examinations, more specifically to allow the documentation of the anterior segment and fundus of the eye, this device being specially adapted to enable the capture of photographs of the eyes by means of the attachment of a cell phone. Fundamentals of the model: [002] Over the past few years, some solutions relating to the documentation of eye images, mainly concerning the fundus of the eye, have been developed focusing on optical devices and their optical properties without, however, being concerned with the stability of the camera at the moment of capturing images of the eye. [003] Some devices use their own lens system coupled to the phone's lens to enable specific magnifications that allow image capture. However, when using lenses attached to the phone without any mechanical support involved, the images are found to be of lower quality due to less stability. [004] Other types of devices routinely use fixed cell phones near indirect binocular ophthalmoscopes, or, in some cases, the cell phone itself as an ophthalmoscope with a magnifying lens and fundus focus. However, these types of devices lack mechanical stability, due to the fact that they are not associated with a specific support that allows the necessary degrees of freedom, thus limiting image acquisition. [005] There are also portable devices that have their own viewing screen, such as the mediWORKS FC 160 (Retina Times. 69: 36-39, 2017), in which the cell phone is the interface and image capture device. However, handling is very susceptible to vibrations and does not allow for obtaining very sharp images, especially of the fundus of the eye. [006] Having identified all the deficiencies addressed, a device was developed to couple an electronic device with a camera, so that it acts as a support for the movement of the electronic device, which promotes the fine alignment of the camera with the lens system. State of the art: [007] Some prior art documents describe devices for ophthalmological evaluation, mainly of the fundus of the eye, which allow the coupling of devices with a camera. [008] In documents BR202013030635-0 and BR202013030636-9, considered here as variations of each other, it is observed that there is an approach to the possibility of associating a monocular ophthalmoscope (120), containing a portable monocular slit lamp, comprising a “head” (121) containing the optical elements of the device; and a battery-carrying cable arranged coaxially, having a fitting for a cell phone. The similarities are evident in the appearance of a means for applying accessory lighting, however, when delving into the coupling characteristics, crucial differences in relation to the present utility model become apparent. [009] It is first noted that in the aforementioned documents there is no specific coupling mechanism for the slit light, that is, there is no tower coupled to a union joint (3.3) with the said lens support (2), which has adequate mobility (180°) to vary the direction of incidence of the light beam and improve the quality of the acquired images. [010] Associated with this characteristic, it is also noted that there is no bar that allows the necessary fine alignment between the cell phone camera and the lenses, and the absence of a headrest/support for the user, together with the absence of the bar, would not allow a technician to obtain an ideal centering of the light beam, while simultaneously acquiring images more quickly and practically. In other words, there is no possibility of moving the cell phone closer and further away in an aligned manner, which results in a lack of practicality and difficulty in focusing. [011] Document US2016296112 discloses a portable ocular imaging device and system employing a camera, processor and programming of a cell phone, tablet or other smart device coupled with optical elements and lighting elements that can be used to visualize eye structures in outpatient, medical care etc. [012] The device described in that document comprises: (a) an acquisition unit containing a first set of optical elements positioned and a proximal section of the unit, and a second set spaced distally relative to the first group and aligned along an optical axis; (b) an illumination unit of at least one light source configured to illuminate a target disposed along the optical axis of the second set; (c) a handheld imaging unit. As claimed in claim 13 (page 11), the second optical set comprises a range of lenses of various diopters. [013] The aforementioned invention attempts to use an external light source for fundus examination. The light projected onto the fundus does not come from the cell phone. And the external light source passes through lenses before reaching the patient's eye. [014] In the present model there are two possible light sources to be used due to the coupling on the towe