Patent · US Active

Ocular surface interferometry (OSI) devices and systems for imaging and measuring ocular tear film layer thickness(es)

US8215774B2 · kind B2 · utility

33Cited by
33References
35Claims
0Family size

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Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 1, 2010
Grant dateJul 10, 2012
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 17, 2030

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06T2207/30041
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Ocular surface interferometry (OSI) devices, systems, and methods are disclosed for measuring a tear film layer thickness (TFLT) of the ocular tear film, including lipid layer thickness (LLT) and/or aqueous layer thickness (ALT). The measured TFLT can be used to diagnosis dry eye syndrome (DES). In certain disclosed embodiments, a multi-wavelength light source can be controlled to illuminate the ocular tear film. Light emitted from the multi-wavelength light source undergoes optical wave interference interactions in the tear film. An imaging device can be focused on the lipid layer of the tear film to capture optical wave interference interactions of specularly reflected light from the tear film combined with a background signal(s) in a first image. The imaging device can also be focused on the lipid layer of the tear film to capture a second image containing the background signal(s) present in the first image. The second image can be subtracted from the first image to reduce and/or eliminate the background signal(s) in the first image to produce a resulting image. The resulting image can be processed and analyzed to measure a tear film layer thickness (TFLT), including lipid layer…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.