US 12,239,375 B2
Methods and apparatus for improving images during visualization of the retina
Melanie C W Campbell, Waterloo (CA); and Julia Zangoulos, Kitchener (CA)
Filed by Melanie C W Campbell, Waterloo (CA); and Julia Zangoulos, Kitchener (CA)
Filed on Apr. 18, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/722,772.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/175,915, filed on Apr. 16, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0330816 A1, Oct. 20, 2022
Int. Cl. A61B 3/10 (2006.01); A61B 3/00 (2006.01); A61B 3/12 (2006.01); A61B 3/14 (2006.01); G01J 9/00 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 3/1015 (2013.01) [A61B 3/0025 (2013.01); A61B 3/12 (2013.01); A61B 3/14 (2013.01); G01J 9/00 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for improving optical images of the retina or fundus, comprising the steps of:
a) choosing a wavelength of light for imaging
b) focusing the instrument on the feature of interest on the retina/fundus
c) deciding what metric of image quality resulting from imaging through the optics of the eye is most important to the purpose of imaging the retina or a portion of the retina (eg lateral versus depth resolution versus overall image quality metrics versus the contrast of features of a particular size);
d) choosing an additional parameter or parameter(s) to be adjusted as one or more of pupil size, pupil centration, and/or detector pinhole size;
e) determining which group(s) the individual falls into where the property defining said group(s) or subgroup(s) is known or suspected to change the optical quality of the eye and in turn the best values of the adjustable parameter(s) on the instrument and where groups may include but are not limited to one or more of age, the presence of diabetes, and the presence of cataract or pre-cataract;
f) with knowledge of the overall optical quality as described by the magnitude of the wavefront aberrations across the pupil of an individual's eye or of the eyes of a group into which the individual falls, consult the previously calculated value of an adjustable parameter of the fundus imaging system that will give the best value of the metric chosen in b) or estimate from the RMS of the wavefront aberration of individual the value of the adjustable parameter that will give the best value of that metric or calculate from the wavefront aberrations of the individual the value of the adjustable parameter that will give the best value of that metric;
g) adjust the adjustable parameter of the instrument in c)
h) repeat d) e) and f) for other adjustable parameters
i) perform a visual check of perceived image quality to determine any final adjustments.