US-12622585-B2 - Ophthalmic system for imaging the interior of an eye

US12622585B2US 12622585 B2US12622585 B2US 12622585B2US-12622585-B2

Abstract

In certain embodiments, a system generates image data for an image of the interior of an eye. The system includes a camera apparatus and patient interface. The camera apparatus includes a camera stem, sensor, processor, and communication interface. The camera stem has illuminators that emits light and an objective lens system that receives light. The sensor generates a signal in response to detecting light received by the objective lens system. The processor generates image data from the signal, and the communication interface outputs the image data. The patient interface includes a contact portion and a sleeve. The contact portion is shaped to conform to an anterior eye surface of the eye. The sleeve is shaped to receive the camera stem. The sleeve directs light from the illuminators towards the eye interior, and directs light reflected from the eye interior towards the camera apparatus.

Inventors

Alan Andrew Norman
Michael Griffin Hunt
Eric Alan Packwood

Assignees

PES INNOVATIONS, LLC

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20220919

Claims (18)

1 . A system configured to generate image data for an image of an interior of an eye, comprising: a camera apparatus comprising: a camera stem having a distal end comprising a set of one or more illuminators and an objective lens system, an illuminator configured to emit light, the objective lens system configured to receive light; a sensor configured to generate a signal in response to detecting light received by the objective lens system; a processor configured to generate the image data from the signal; and a communication interface configured to output the image data; and a patient interface comprising: a contact portion with an anterior interface surface and a posterior interface surface, the posterior interface surface shaped to conform to an anterior eye surface of the eye; and a sleeve disposed outwardly from the anterior interface surface, the sleeve configured to: receive the camera stem; direct light from the set of illuminators towards the interior of the eye; and direct light reflected from the interior of the eye towards the objective lens system of the camera apparatus, the camera apparatus configured to generate the image data for the image of the interior of the eye; a posterior end of the sleeve having a ball shape; and the anterior interface surface of the contact portion forming a socket shaped to receive the ball-shaped posterior end of the sleeve.
2 . The system of claim 1 , the contact portion comprising a circular ridge disposed within the socket, the circular ridge circumscribing the opening.
3 . The system of claim 1 , a central portion of the contact portion forming an opening between the anterior interface surface and the posterior interface surface.
4 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a lens disposed within a central portion of the contact portion, the lens configured to: transmit light from the set of illuminators towards the interior of the eye; and transmit light reflected from the interior of the eye towards the objective lens system of the camera apparatus.
5 . The system of claim 4 , the lens comprising a wide-angle lens with an angle of view in a range of 64 to 84 degrees.
6 . The system of claim 4 , the lens comprising an ultrawide-angle lens with an angle of view in a range of 84 to 180 degrees.
7 . The system of claim 1 , the contact portion comprising a cuff disposed outwardly from the anterior interface surface, the cuff forming a receptacle configured to receive a depressor for depressing a peripheral retina.
8 . The system of claim 1 , the camera apparatus further comprising a handle coupled to the camera stem, the handle configured to be held by hand.
9 . The system of claim 8 : the handle having a handle axis; and the camera stem having a stem axis, the stem axis at an angle in the range of 0 to 45 degrees relative to the handle axis.
10 . The system of claim 8 , the handle comprising one or more user controllers, a user controller configured to: receive a user instruction to perform an action; and provide the instruction to the processor to perform the action.
11 . The system of claim 1 , the communication interface comprising an interface for a wired communication link.
12 . The system of claim 1 , the communication interface comprising an interface for a wireless communication link.
13 . A method for generating image data for an image of an interior of an eye, comprising: conforming, by a posterior interface surface of a contact portion of a patient interface, to an anterior eye surface of the eye; receiving, by a sleeve having a ball shape posterior end of the patient interface, a camera stem of a camera apparatus, the sleeve disposed outwardly from an anterior interface surface of the contact portion forming a socket shaped to receive the ball-shaped posterior end of the sleeve, the camera stem comprising a set of one or more illuminators configured to emit light and an objective lens system configured to receive light; emitting, by the set of illuminators, light; directing, by the sleeve, light from the set of illuminators towards the interior of the eye; directing, by the sleeve, light reflected from the interior of the eye towards the objective lens system of the camera apparatus; generating, by a sensor of the camera apparatus, a signal in response to detecting light received by the objective lens system; generating, by a processor of the camera apparatus, the image data for the image of the interior of the eye from the signal; and outputting, by a communication interface of the camera apparatus, the image data for the image of the interior of the eye.
14 . The method of claim 13 , the contact portion comprising a circular ridge disposed within the socket, the circular ridge circumscribing the opening.
15 . The method of claim 13 , a central portion of the contact portion forming an opening between the anterior interface surface and the posterior interface surface.
16 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising a lens disposed within a central portion of the contact portion, the method further comprising: transmitting, by the lens, light from the set of illuminators towards the interior of the eye; and transmitting, by the lens, light reflected from the interior of the eye towards the objective lens system of the camera apparatus.
17 . The method of claim 13 , the contact portion comprising a cuff disposed outwardly from the anterior interface surface, the cuff forming a receptacle, the method further comprising: receiving, by the receptable, a depressor for depressing a peripheral retina.
18 . The method of claim 13 , the camera apparatus further comprising a handle coupled to the camera stem, the handle comprising one or more user controllers, the method further comprising: receiving, by a user controller, a user instruction to perform an action; and providing the instruction to the processor to perform the action.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates generally to ophthalmic imaging systems, and more particularly to an ophthalmic system for imaging the interior of an eye. BACKGROUND Certain ophthalmic diseases can be diagnosed by examining the retina. For example, the retina of a prematurely born baby can be examined to detect retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). ROP is characterized by the disorganized growth of retinal blood vessels, which can result in scarring, retinal detachment, or even blindness. To examine the retina, an image, e.g., a photograph or video, of the retina may be recorded. In some cases, the image can be sent to a location away from the patient to allow for remote diagnosis of the disease. However, taking an image of the retina may be uncomfortable or even scary for the patient, especially for a baby. BRIEF SUMMARY In certain embodiments, a system generates image data for an image of the interior of an eye. The system includes a camera apparatus and patient interface. The camera apparatus includes a camera stem, sensor, processor, and communication interface. The camera stem has a distal end comprising a set of one or more illuminators and an objective lens system. An illuminator emits light, and the objective lens system receives light. The sensor generates a signal in response to detecting light received by the objective lens system. The processor generates the image data from the signal, and the communication interface outputs the image data. The patient interface includes a contact portion and a sleeve. The contact portion has an anterior interface surface and a posterior interface surface, where the posterior interface surface is shaped to conform to the anterior eye surface of the eye. The sleeve is disposed outwardly from the anterior interface surface and shaped to receive the camera stem. The sleeve directs light from the set of illuminators towards the interior of the eye, and directs light reflected from the interior of the eye towards the objective lens system of the camera apparatus, which generates the image data for the image of the interior of the eye. Embodiments may include none, one, some, or all of the following features: The posterior end of the sleeve has a ball shape. The anterior interface surface of the contact portion forms a socket shaped to receive the ball-shaped posterior end of the sleeve. The contact portion may have a circular ridge disposed within the socket, the circular ridge circumscribing the opening.A central portion of the contact portion forms an opening between the anterior interface surface and the posterior interface surface.A lens is disposed within a central portion of the contact portion. The lens transmits light from the set of illuminators towards the interior of the eye, and transmits light reflected from the interior of the eye towards the objective lens system of the camera apparatus. The lens may be a wide-angle lens with an angle of view in a range of 64 to 84 degrees or an ultrawide-angle lens with an angle of view in a range of 84 to 180 degrees.The contact portion has a cuff disposed outwardly from the anterior interface surface. The cuff forms a receptacle shaped to receive a depressor for depressing the peripheral retina.The camera apparatus further includes a handle coupled to the camera stem. The handle has a handle axis, and the camera stem has a stem axis. The stem axis may be at an angle in the range of 0 to 45 degrees relative to the handle axis. The handle may have one or more user controllers. A user controller receives a user instruction to perform an action, and provides the instruction to the processor to perform the action.The communication interface has an interface for a wired communication link.The communication interface has an interface for a wireless communication link. In certain embodiments, a method for generating image data for an image of the interior of an eye includes conforming, by a posterior interface surface of a contact portion of a patient interface, to the anterior eye surface of the eye. A camera stem of a camera apparatus is received by a sleeve of the patient interface. The sleeve is disposed outwardly from an anterior interface surface of the contact portion. The camera stem includes a set of one or more illuminators that emit light and an objective lens system that receives light. Light is emitted by the set of illuminators. Light from the set of illuminators is directed by the sleeve towards the interior of the eye. Light reflected from the interior of the eye is directed by the sleeve towards the objective lens system of the camera apparatus. A signal is generated by a sensor of the camera apparatus in response to detecting light received by the objective lens system. Image data for an image of the interior of the eye is generated by a processor of the camera apparatus from the signal. The image data is output by a communication interface of the camera apparatus. Embodiments may include none,