AUTOMATIC OPTICAL DEVICE FOR GENERATING DATA USEFUL FOR SCREENING AN IRIDO-CORNEAL ANGLE OPENING

Description

Automatic optical device for generating data useful for screening an angle opening iridocorneal FIELD OF INVENTION The present invention relates to a device for generating screening data of an opening of the iridocorneal angle and help to evaluate the risk of ocular disorders due to poor drainage of ocular fluid; specifically screening data are one or more images of the eyes that reflect a pre-defined light pattern. NOTE ART It is known to use the measurement of the iridocorneal angle through gonioscopy examinations using a lens. Goldman and optical tomography. However, these diagnostic techniques are invasive and require expensive equipment. BRIEF SUMMARY AND PURPOSES OF THE INVENTION The purpose of the present invention is to generate data useful for measuring the iridocorneal angle. in a non-invasive way and without requiring physical contact, making it also suitable for patients uncooperative people, such as the elderly and children. The purpose of the present invention is achieved by a device comprising: a structured light source, either RGB or with wavelength ranges with pre-amplitude defined, to project a predetermined pattern e.g. a line or a grid an optical splitter group, preferably a prism or galvanic mirror group, to split the pattern in a first pattern for a right eye and a second pattern for a left eye a right mirror and a left mirror, opposite the optical split group and receiving the first and second pattern respectively a support to carry the optical split group, the right mirror and the left mirror in a way to identify respective windows to frame the right eye and the left eye in use and corresponding optical axes via an image acquisition unit and capture an image of the right eye and the left eye while the corresponding images are projected onto the latter first and second pattern. In particular, this is achieved by distancing the right mirror and the left mirror. left from the optical split group so that the optical split group and the right and left do not at least partially cover the right and left irises as they are framed by the image acquisition device. A device as above, even coupled to a pre-existing acquisition unit suitably equipped with image processing software, it allows you to generate in non-invasive and rapid way, since data is generated, preferably one or more images, simultaneously for both eyes, thus reducing patient involvement times, and required components are readily available. In addition, the structured light source is detachably connected to optical devices so that it can be replaced e.g. in case of broken down. According to a preferred embodiment, an angular orientation of each of the mirrors right and left is adjustable. In this way, it is possible to adapt the conditions under which the optical measurement is performed. This is example obtainable through micro-mirror matrices and / or galvanic mirrors and / or mechanisms of translation, roto / translation or rotation of rigid monoblock mirrors. According to a preferred embodiment, the mirrors and / or the optical splitter device is configured to command the projection of the pattern along a predefined direction, preferably linear and even more preferably along a lateral direction considering a set of coronal, sagittal and transverse planes. In this way, temporal histories of images representing the movement are generated. of the pattern on the eyeball. According to a preferred embodiment, the device further comprises the unit optical acquisition to capture images of the right and left iris that are free from, i.e. not superimposed on, the right and left mirrors and the optical splitter group. In this way, the device can be made either as a block to be mounted on a structure with chin guard whose relative position and / or angular orientation with the mirrors and the device The optical split can be adjusted both manually and motorized. Alternatively, it can be made a support worn on the head of a patient who therefore has a free chin i.e. not supported on the chin guard, including the lock and appropriate adjustments e.g. to stabilize the position relative between the mirrors etc. and the patient's head. According to a preferred embodiment, the optical acquisition unit is connected in exchange data with an electronic processing device comprising a processor and a memory e.g. a computer, to receive a first time history of the patterns projected by the source structured light and or a second temporal history relating to the acquisitions of the right eye and left while the first time history was projected or a second time history of the right eye and a third temporal history of the left eye, the first temporal history being synchronized with the second time history or with the second and third time history. Based on the above, an electronic control of the capture unit captures an image when the pattern changes position. This way, the second and, if present, the third time history presents images captured when, based on the first time history, the pattern changes position. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention will now be described according to one or more non-limiting embodiments. whose description is supported by the following drawings: - Fig. 1: is a schematic view of a first embodiment of an optical device of measure according to the present invention; - Fig. 2: is a further embodiment of the present invention; - Fig. 3: is an image of an eye reflecting a diffracted linear pattern to allow a subsequent evaluation of the opening of the iridocorneal angle; this image is a frame contained in a time history of images generated by the device of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Figure 1 schematically illustrates a first embodiment of an optical device. measure 1 comprising a structured light source 2 for projecting a static pattern or dynamic, a 3-way optical splitter device e.g. a prism or a galvanic mirror assembly configured to receive a structured light beam from source 2 and split it to duplicate the pattern in a mirror-like manner towards a right eye and a left eye, and a right mirror and a left mirror left mirror 4, 5 to receive, each the pattern of source 2 and reflect it towards the corresponding eye of a user or patient. As illustrated in the drawing, in use, the optical axes A1, A2 of the user's eyes are transverse, on the same plane or on different planes, to corresponding right P1 and left P2 optical paths of the patterns between the splitter device 3 and the corresponding mirrors 4, 5. The light source structure 2 comprises for example LED or laser sources coupled to suitable optical devices for both focusing the light beam (e.g. lenses) and generating patterns e.g. diffractive optical elements capable of generating one or more lines from a point beam vertical i.e. parallel to the sagittal plane and perpendicular to the transverse plane, which also pattern movement, preferably linear movement in lateral direction, in the transition zone between iris and pupil. As illustrated in the figure, an optical axis A3 of the light source 2 is movable and / or the mirrors 4, 5 are movable. Preferably, the optical axis A3 and / or the mirrors 4, 5 are movable both during the measurement execution that before the measurement to adapt the configuration and make in so that the patterns reach the user's eyeballs in the right direction. For example, the optical path of each pattern from the corresponding mirror 4, 5 to the eye is 60° with respect to to the optical axis of the eye, preferably while the eye is looking at a fixed frontal target during the movement of the pattern from right to left (or vice versa) on the eyeball. The shape, The intensity, color, and dynamics of the pattern movement can be set manually or automatically to take into account the different reflectivity of the patient's iris and its position is controlled in such a way as to scan the surface of the eye starting from the temporal region to the nasal one or vice versa. The inclination of the optical path between mirrors 4, 5 and the optical axes of the eyes is such as to obtain, in the case of a vertical line pattern moving in a direction perpendicular to itself, a first reflection due to the external surface of the cornea, a second reflex due to the internal surface i.e. bathed by aqueous humor (normally, since the thickness of the cornea can be consider fixed and relatively low, the first and second reflections are very close together) and a third reflex located on the inner edge of the iris (figure 3). Through an elaboration of the image showing these three lines (in case the pattern is a vertical line) is it is then possible to estimate a level of openness, usually on a 4-level scale, and / or calculate the iridocorneal opening angle according to known methods. According to an embodiment not illustrated, the device 1 is installed on a support from medical office including a chin rest on which a user rests a patient's head; the medical personnel performs the calibration of the vertical and / or angular position of mirrors 4, 5 for get the correct angle of the optical path of the patterns towards the eyeballs e.g. 60° illustrated in figure; calibration also includes focusing the pattern on the eyeballs e.g. via the edge optics of the light source 2. Alternatively, in another embodiment not illustrated in the figure, the device 1 is encased in a head-worn mount. When the light patterns hit the corresponding irises, a recording is made. image via an optical acquisition unit 6 to generate a time history representative of the iris during the projection of the patterns by the light source 2. This last one also stores a time history of e.g. through an electronic controller. pattern projection. These time histories are synchronized in a known way so that at each frame of the projection time history corresponds to a frame of the time history representative of the iris. In the embodiment of Fig. 1 a single acquisition unit 6 frames the eyeballs via an additional optical split device 7 eg a prism and corresponding right and left mirrors left 8, 9. This way a single timeline is generated in which the frames include images of both eyes. In the embodiment of Fig. 2, unlike in figure 1, each eye is framed by a corresponding to an acquisition unit 6, 6', preferably comprising a sensor array CMOS optics, each of which generates a time history of acquisition of its own eye, so overall a temporal history of the right eye and a temporal history of the left eye. According to another embodiment, only the left eye and the right eye are synchronized with each other. second and third time history of images captured, each, by the corresponding unit of acquisition 6, 6'. In both embodiments, the eye images in the time history frames acquired have no interference from mirrors 4, 5 and, if present, 8, 9 as well as of the light source 2, of the optical splitter device 3 and, if present, of the splitter device optician 7. Preferably, the optical path of the pattern projection and the optical axes of the eyeballs are coplanar.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. Automatic optical device (1) comprising: a structured light source (2) for projecting a predetermined light pattern an optical split group (3) for dividing the pattern into a first pattern for a right eye and a second pattern for a left eye a right mirror and a left mirror (4, 5), opposite the optical split group (3) and receiving the first and second patterns respectively a support for carrying the optical split group (3), the right mirror and the left mirror (4, 5) so as to identify respective windows for framing in use the right eye and the left eye and the corresponding optical axes (A1, A2) by means of an image acquisition unit and capturing an image of the right eye and the left eye while the corresponding first and second patterns are projected onto the latter.

2. Optical device according to claim 1, comprising an electronic controller programmed to control at least one of the optical split group (3), the right and left mirrors (4, 5), an edge optics of the structured light source (2) and move the first and second patterns on the corresponding right and left corneas along a predefined, preferably linear, direction.

3. An optical device according to one of claims 1 or 2, further comprising an electronic image acquisition unit (6; 6, 6') configured to frame the right eye and the eye while the first and second patterns are projected.

4. An optical device according to claims 2 and 3, wherein the electronic image acquisition unit (6; 6, 6') is programmed to generate a time history of images of both the right and left eye or, synchronized with each other, a time history of images of the right eye and a time history of images of the left eye, wherein the device is programmed, by synchronizing the electronic controller and the electronic image acquisition unit, to capture images of the eyes as the pattern changes position.

5. An optical device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the pattern is a line or a grating.

6. Device according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that it is wearable on the head of a user.