Method and system for topographic measurement by measuring the distance between a rigid reference member and a surface of an eye
US5521657A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 9, 1995 |
| Grant date | May 28, 1996 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 9, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61B3/107
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The invention is a system and method of measuring the shape of a surface. The corneal topographer specifically shown comprises a rigid reference member having a reference surface of a predetermined shape applied to the surface of the eye. The shape of the reference surface is correlated with the measured information to determine the shape of the corneal surface. Several specific designs are shown that use optical, acoustic, acousto-optic or capacitive techniques to determine a distance between the reference surface and the corneal surface over a multiplicity of data points sufficient in number and spacing to represent the local topography of the surface of the eye.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.