Wearable device and method for intraocular pressure remote optical monitoring

Abstract

Systems and methods for determining intraocular pressure (IOP) of an eye using a contact lens having a magnet placed on the cornea of the eye are described. A magnetic field is applied on the magnet of the contact lens and the magnet is displaced by the magnetic field. The system of the present disclosure determines the deflection of the cornea based on the magnetic displacement of the magnet and determines the IOP of the eye.

Description

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 62 / 966,798 (Attorney’s File No. 48675-709.101), filed January 28, 2020, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Technical Field

[0003] The technical field of this disclosure relates to remote optomechanical sensing. More specifically, the technical field relates to wearable sensor systems for measuring intraocular pressure. Background Technology

[0004] This disclosure pertains to the field of optomechanical technology. More specifically, this disclosure pertains to the field of intraocular pressure sensing using remote optical measurements of corneal concavity induced by magnetic force applied to a micromagnet embedded in or on a contact lens.

[0005] Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness worldwide. It is a multifactorial disease with numerous risk factors, among which intraocular pressure (IOP) is the most significant. IOP measurement is used for glaucoma diagnosis and patient monitoring. IOP fluctuates greatly between day and night and depends on body posture, so measurements taken occasionally by clinical eye care professionals can be misleading. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This disclosure describes a wearable optical device and reading method for measuring intraocular pressure in the eye.

[0007] In one embodiment, a contact lens device for measuring intraocular pressure may be included. The device has a body formed of an elastic material and at least one magnet embedded in or placed on the body. In some embodiments, the elastic material may be biocompatible. In some embodiments, the material may be transparent.

[0008] In one embodiment, a device for reading a contact lens with an embedded magnet may exist. The device has an excitation coil with a driver electrically connected to the excitation coil. The driver can control the parameters of the coil. A light source can illuminate the contact lens, and an optical sensor can detect the reflected light from the light source. A controller can synchronize the excitation of the coil with the collection of sensor images or data. The controller may also have a receiver for receiving external data.

[0009] In another embodiment, there is a method for determining IOP readings using a device for reading contact lenses with embedded magnets. This method involves exciting an excitation coil with electrical pulses, recording images over a predetermined time period, determining corneal deformation based on one or more corneal topography images, and calculating the IOP reading using the corneal deformation.

[0010] In another embodiment, a system for determining IOP readings may exist, having a base and an arm extending from the base. A motor may be attached to the arm to vibrate or move it. A magnet may be engaged at the distal end of the arm, and the magnet may generate a controlled magnetic field. A Hall sensor may be attached to the distal end of the magnet. The magnet may generate a directional magnetic field, and the Hall sensor may read the magnetic field, as well as any disturbances caused by the magnet within the contact lens.

[0011] The device may include a contact lens with an embedded magnet. A magnetic field can be used to apply force to the cornea. Changes in corneal morphology depend on the applied magnetic force, as well as corneal parameters and IOP. An external measuring device, which can be placed on the goggle, may include any one or more of the following: a patterned illuminator and an optical detector, such as a camera or orthogonal photodiodes. Changes in corneal morphology caused by the application of a time-varying magnetic field to the contact lens can be detected using an orthogonal photodetector or by analyzing an image of a point illuminator matrix. The mechanical response of the cornea can be measured with different magnetic excitation amplitudes, pulse shapes, or waveform frequencies, and the frequency response of the cornea can be measured remotely. Changes in corneal indentation depth and resonant frequency can be calculated using the collected data, and IOP can be determined. The method includes preliminary characterization of corneal thickness and morphology, where the radius of curvature and corneal thickness can be measured at known IOP values ​​obtained through conventional ophthalmic methods. A personalized dataset can then be used as input to a data processing algorithm that also uses continuous imaging measurements from the goggle to calculate IOP. The data may be connected to the cloud, and the goggles may also be equipped with a fogger that can dispense a controlled amount of medication, which can help reduce IOP. This disclosure describes a contact lens and wearable optical device that measures IOP by acquiring optical data from the magnetic excitation of the contact lens. Magnetic excitation of the contact lens can cause deformation of the underlying cornea. One or more light sources, along with a camera, can measure the response to the magnetic excitation, and use this data, along with reference data for a specific individual, to accurately determine the IOP. Attached Figure Description

[0012] Figure 1 A cross-section of a contact lens with an embedded magnet, according to an embodiment, is shown.

[0013] Figure 2 A side view of the measurement system and contact lens according to an embodiment is shown.

[0014] Figure 3 A side view of applying a magnetic field to a contact lens with a magnet, according to an embodiment, is shown.

[0015] Figure 4 A graph is shown illustrating the changes in cross-sectional corneal morphology with and without an applied magnetic field, according to an embodiment.

[0016] Figure 5 A side view of a measurement system according to an embodiment and a contact lens with an embedded magnet is shown.

[0017] Figure 6 A side view of a measurement system according to an embodiment and a contact lens with an embedded magnet is shown.

[0018] Figure 7 An excitation and optical measurement device embedded in a goggle according to an embodiment is shown.

[0019] Figure 8 A magnetic excitation and optical measurement device embedded in a goggle according to an embodiment is shown.

[0020] Figure 9 The application of a magnetic field waveform applied to a contact lens according to an embodiment is shown.

[0021] Figure 10 The application of a periodic pulse train magnetic field waveform applied to a contact lens according to an embodiment is shown.

[0022] Figure 11 The application of a periodic pulse train magnetic field waveform applied to a contact lens according to an embodiment is shown, as well as the variation in the output of a position-sensitive photodiode.

[0023] Figure 12 The illustration shows the application of a single-pulse magnetic field waveform to a contact lens according to an embodiment.

[0024] Figure 13 A side view of the measurement system and contact lens according to an embodiment is shown.

[0025] Figure 14 A sensing measurement system integrated into goggles according to an embodiment is shown.

[0026] Figure 15 A side view of the measurement system according to an embodiment is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0027] This article describes an optical wearable imaging sensor that monitors intraocular pressure (IOP) while allowing the user to see through the device and continue their daily life. In implementation, the device uses pre-measured corneal characteristics and the user's anatomical parameters, along with measurements provided by a measuring device. The system's operation typically assumes that the corneal morphology responds to externally applied forces in a manner dependent on IOP and other corneal parameters, such as corneal thickness.

[0028] The device can operate by magnetic actuation of the cornea via a contact lens, which may have a small magnet embedded within it. The device can optically or electronically measure displacement as a function of one or more applied forces in terms of amplitude or frequency.

[0029] The device may include a substance applicator that can apply a drug to control IOP based on measurements taken by the device.

[0030] Now for reference Figure 1 The contact lens 1 is shown having an embedded magnet 2 of millimeter or micrometer size. The magnet 2 can be shaped like a disc, a rod, or have a complex shape. The shape can be a regular polygon or an irregular polygon. The magnet can have a hole or slot through it, thus creating a gap space. The magnet can be positioned in or on the contact lens in a manner that does not interfere with normal human vision. In some embodiments, the magnet can be shaped like a ring, so that the viewer's line of sight can pass through the hole. In some embodiments, one or more magnets can be used to provide different shapes of magnetic patterns in the contact lens. In some embodiments, a second or more additional magnets can be positioned at different locations in or on the contact lens to produce more than one displacement effect in the contact lens when a magnetic field can be applied to the magnets of the contact lens. In some embodiments, more than one magnetic field can be applied to one or more magnets of the contact lens.

[0031] In another embodiment, the contact lens 1 can be placed on the cornea 3, such as... Figure 2 As shown. The magnetic excitation coil 4 can be placed in close proximity to the contact lens. The magnetic excitation coil 4 can be controlled by the driver 100 using a computer-controlled waveform generator and power amplifier. One or more light sources 5 and a camera 6 can be used to illuminate and capture images of the contact lens 2 on the eye 1000, respectively.

[0032] In another embodiment, the contact lens 1 can be placed on the cornea 3, such as... Figure 3As shown. A magnetic excitation coil 4 can be placed near the contact lens and controlled by a driver 100. A computer-controlled waveform generator and power amplifier can be used to control the magnetic excitation coil 4. One or more point light sources 5 and one or more cameras 6 can be used to illuminate and image the contact lens on the eye. The coil 4 can be activated to generate a magnetic field 200 that can induce a force on the contact lens 1 or on a magnet inside the contact lens 1, resulting in a concavity 300 in the cornea 3. The camera 6 can record changes in corneal morphology and measure the concavity 300. The generation of the magnetic field 200 and the orientation of the magnet 2 can be predetermined so that the field 200 can cause repulsion in the magnet 2. In some embodiments, the magnetic field 200 can attract the magnet 2, which can provide measurements of the contact lens, cornea, or other aspects of the eye.

[0033] In the implementation, for IOP values ​​of 7.5 mmHg, 15 mmHg, and 30 mmHg ( Figure 4 The graph shows a cross-section of the corneal morphology. This graph illustrates corneal concavity with and without magnetism, where the concavity radius and the apex position of the cornea are modified differently by magnetism due to differences in IOP values. In some embodiments, negative micrometer values ​​(Y-axis) represent corneal concavity when the magnet of the contact lens can be repelled by a magnetic field. For low IOP values, similar magnetism may result in wider, smoother concavities. Alternatively, for high IOP values, the concavity may become less pronounced and may appear within a smaller radius. This difference can be used to determine the IOP value through optical or electronic measurements of changes in corneal morphology. Higher IOP values ​​may result in greater built-in strain and higher resistance to magnetic concavity. In some embodiments, higher IOP values ​​may result in smaller but sharper concavities compared to lower IOP values. The precise values ​​for concavity width and depth may also depend on corneal thickness. The relationship between concavity shape and depth can be established through simulations that can be based on measurements of corneal thickness.

[0034] In this embodiment, the contact lens 1 can be placed on the cornea 3. The magnetic excitation coil 4 can be placed near the contact lens, such as... Figure 5 As shown. The coil can be controlled by a driver 100, which has a computer-controlled waveform generator and power amplifier. A laser can be used as a light source 500 to illuminate the contact lens, and a camera 6 can be used for image capture. The cornea 3 can be concave due to the magnetic field of the coil, and the changes in the light reflection pattern before and after the application of the magnetic field can be recorded by the camera 6. Analysis of the changes in the reflection pattern can be used to extract concave width and depth information, which can be used to determine the IOP value.

[0035] In another embodiment, the contact lens 1 can be placed on the cornea 3, and the magnetic excitation coil 4 can be placed near the contact lens, such as... Figure 6 As shown. The coil can be controlled by a driver 100 using a computer-controlled waveform generator and power amplifier, a collimated laser source 500, and a position-sensitive photodetector 700, which can measure the deflection of the reflected laser beam 600. Through the magnetic field from the coil 4, the cornea 3 can be concave by the force applied to the magnet of the lens 1, and the change in the position of the reflected beam is recorded by the position-sensitive detector 700. Analysis of the beam reflection change can be used to extract the concave intensity, which may be related to the IOP value.

[0036] Integrating the measuring device into the goggles, such as Figure 7 As shown. In one embodiment, the light source 5, camera 6, and excitation coil 4 can be placed on the goggles 10000 together with the electronic controller 20 and the power supply / battery pack 30. In some embodiments, the goggles may also have a drug delivery device.

[0037] In another embodiment, the goggles may be combined with a laser source 500, a position-sensitive optical detector 700, an excitation coil 4, an electronic controller 20, and a power supply / battery pack 30, such as Figure 8 As shown.

[0038] Now for reference Figure 9 An example measurement of magnetic concavity is shown. A magnetic field pulse 6000 can be applied to the contact lens via an excitation coil, while a camera can record one or more images 5000 of reflected light from a light source. The light source can be structured, with bright spots positioned in a two-dimensional array or matrix. The reflected light from the cornea can then be represented as a matrix. If the contact lens and cornea are concave due to the magnetic force, a distorted image 5100 of the stroma can be observed. The point positions can be derived from changes in the corneal apex of a reference image 5000. After the pulse 6000 ends, the points in the image can return to their original positions. By analyzing the differences in point positions, the concavity profile can be determined, and the IOP can be calculated. Typically, the point displacement caused by the applied magnetic field depends on several parameters of the cornea, such as thickness, radius, and imaging configuration, i.e., the position of the illumination point and the camera position, as well as focal characteristics. Ray tracing simulations and mechanical finite element analysis of corneal concavity can be used to estimate the displacement of points in the observed image.

[0039] Now for reference Figure 10An example of measuring magnetic concavity using a periodic magnetic excitation waveform is shown. In one embodiment, a periodic magnetic field pulse train 7000 can be applied to the contact lens via an excitation coil. A camera can record one or more images 5000 of reflections from one or more light sources from the cornea, which may be represented as a matrix. A distorted image 5200 can be observed when a concavity is induced by a periodic magnetic force at a given frequency. The point positions and their shapes can be derived from changes in the corneal apex of a reference image 5000. In some embodiments, rapidly changing corneal topography may cause changes in the shape of points in image 5200 due to a slow response of the camera 6. In some embodiments, the slow response of the camera may be intentional. After the pulse 7000 ends, the points in the image may return to their original positions. By analyzing the differences in point positions and their shapes, the concavity profile at the applied frequency can be inferred. Typically, the point displacement caused by the applied magnetic field may depend on multiple parameters of the cornea, such as thickness, radius, and imaging configuration, i.e., the position of the illumination point and the camera position and focus characteristics. Ray tracing simulations and mechanical finite element analysis of corneal concavity can be used to estimate the displacement of points in the observed image. Furthermore, for dynamic measurements, the time-dependent amplitude of corneal motion can be calculated using a finite element model of the eye. A frequency response map of the cornea can be generated by applying a series of frequencies and repeating the measurements. Using the frequency map and a predefined lookup table, the IOP can be calculated. The lookup table can be generated using experimental and computational studies that link corneal anatomy parameters to IOP values. In some implementations, frequency-dependent measurements can allow amplitude information to be relative rather than absolute, and IOP values ​​can be determined based on measurements of resonant frequencies rather than in the case of absolute deflection measurements, allowing for a more detailed analysis.

[0040] In the implementation, a graph showing the coil magnetic field versus time and a graph showing the quadrature photodiode output versus time are compared, such as... Figure 11 As shown. According to an embodiment, a periodic magnetic field pulse train 7000 with a known period 7100 can be applied to the contact lens via an excitation coil. A position-sensitive photodetector can measure the deflection of the reflected laser beam, generating a single voltage signal from the detector, and may not require full image capture. When the pulse train 7000 begins to excite the contact lens, an exponentially rising signal 8100 can be observed, causing a depression due to the periodic magnetic force at a given frequency. As the pulse train 7000 stops, the mechanical motion may decay rapidly, resulting in an exponentially decaying signal 8200. By analyzing the output signals 8000, 8100, and 8200 during different phases of the excitation pulse waveform, the mechanical response at the applied frequency can be inferred. By applying a series of frequencies and repeating the measurements, a frequency response map can be generated for the cornea. Using the frequency map and a predetermined lookup table, the IOP can be calculated.

[0041] In another embodiment, magnetic depression can be measured using a single broadband magnetic excitation waveform. Figure 12 As seen in the image, the broadband magnetic excitation waveform can be measured using a laser beam and a position-sensitive photodetector. A single short magnetic field pulse 6000, whose duration may be shorter than the typical period of the corneal resonant frequency, can be applied to the contact lens via an excitation coil. The position-sensitive photodetector can measure the deflection of the reflected laser beam. A wide frequency range can be excited simultaneously while the lens is concave due to the short pulse magnetic force. When the pulse train 6000 excites the magnet of the contact lens, an exponentially rising and falling signal 8200 can be observed. As the pulse 6000 stops, the mechanical motion may decay, resulting in an exponentially decaying signal 8200. By analyzing the output signals 8000 and 8200 during different phases of the excitation pulse waveform using time-series acquisition and Fourier analysis, the mechanical response at all frequencies within the excitation band can be determined. By applying a series of pulses and repeating the measurement, the signal-to-noise ratio can be improved, and a frequency response map of the cornea can be generated. Using the frequency map and a predetermined lookup table, the IOP can be calculated. The generation of the lookup table may involve studies that link corneal anatomical parameters with IOP values.

[0042] In one embodiment, motion can be detected by magnetic induction in the reading coil. In one aspect, a single coil can be used for both excitation and pickup. Alternatively, multiple coils can be used for both excitation and pickup. According to one embodiment, motion of the magnet can induce a current at the pickup coil 777, and an electronic amplifier 888 can generate a signal proportional to the displacement of the magnet 2 in the contact lens 1. In some embodiments, this reading method can eliminate the need for optical components. The time-dependent signal generated by the inductive pickup method may be proportional to the instantaneous velocity of the magnet during its oscillation.

[0043] According to another embodiment, electronic readings of corneal motion can be integrated into a pair of goggles, such as... Figure 14 As shown. In the implementation method, Figure 14 The pickup coil 777 and excitation coil 4 shown can be positioned in front of the goggles 10000 in a generally visible manner. Driving electronics and an electronic amplifier 888, as well as a microcontroller 20 for processing signals, can be integrated and housed on the goggles. The system can be powered by an external power source or by a battery pack 30 placed on the goggles 10000. In some embodiments, the microcontroller 20 can be a chip, a processor, or a computing device programmed with software to read and analyze data from the magnetic field coils, image sensors, and any other data inputs, which can be used to calculate the IOP of the tested eye, either overall or in part. The microcontroller can be any electronic device suitable for this purpose and can include a wired or wireless connection to another computing device, such as a smartphone, tablet, laptop, desktop computer, or cloud computer.

[0044] In implementation, a system for measuring electronic readings of corneal movement may exist, such as... Figure 15 As shown. In this embodiment, a magnetic field gradient from magnet 123888 can induce corneal movement. The magnet can be a permanent magnet or an electromagnet. Magnet 123888 can be polarized such that a field emanates from its end and applies a nonlinear force to one or more magnets 2 in or on contact lens 1. The magnetic field can induce movement within the contact lens that may be associated with IOP. Hall sensor 123777 can be mounted on magnet 123888. If magnet 123888 and Hall sensor 123777 move together, the output of Hall sensor 123777 can remain constant. In this embodiment, magnets 2 on contact lens 1 may be close to Hall sensor 123777, the magnetic field may be disturbed, and controller 123333 may record signal changes. Magnet 123888 and Hall sensor 123777 can be mounted on movable arm 123555, which can be vibrated or otherwise moved by a motion source 123444, such as a galvanometer motion element, and the movement can be controlled by controller 123333. Corneal displacement can be indirectly measured by recording the field in Hall sensor 123777 and the movement applied to movable arm 123555. This measurement can be analyzed and converted into IOP readings.

[0045] In this implementation, a system for determining IOP readings may exist. This system includes a base, an arm, a motor, a magnet, a Hall sensor, and a controller. In this implementation, the arm may have a proximal end and a distal end. The proximal end may be mechanically engaged with the base. The motor may be attached to the arm and capable of transmitting motion to the arm. The magnet may be mechanically engaged with the distal end of the arm. The magnet may be capable of generating a controlled magnetic field. The magnet may have a proximal end and a distal end mechanically engaged with the arm. A Hall sensor may be fixedly attached to the distal end of the magnet. The magnet may generate a directional magnetic field, and the Hall sensor may read the magnetic field generated by the magnet. Changes in the magnetic field caused by contact lenses with magnets may also be read. The determination of IOP and the control of any electronic devices may be performed by the controller.

[0046] Advantages of this disclosure include, but are not limited to, a robust process for measuring corneal responses via remotely stimulated micro-concave measurements using a contact lens that houses a magnet and reading optics and / or electronics.

[0047] The embodiments of the subject matter and operations described herein can be implemented in digital electronic circuits or computer software, firmware, or hardware, including the structures disclosed herein and their structural equivalents, or in a combination of one or more of them. Embodiments of the subject matter described herein can be implemented as one or more computer programs, i.e., one or more computer program instruction modules encoded on one or more computer storage media for execution by or control of the operation of a data processing device (e.g., processing circuitry). A controller or processing circuit, such as a CPU, can include any digital and / or analog circuit components configured to perform the functions described herein, such as microprocessors, microcontrollers, application-specific integrated circuits, programmable logic, etc. Alternatively or additionally, program instructions can be encoded on artificially generated propagating signals, such as machine-generated electrical, optical, or electromagnetic signals, which are generated to encode information for transmission to a suitable receiver device for execution by the data processing device.

[0048] Computer storage media can be or are contained in computer-readable storage devices, computer-readable storage substrates, random or serial access memory arrays or devices, or combinations thereof. Furthermore, while computer storage media are not propagating signals, they can be a source or destination of computer program instructions encoded in artificially generated propagating signals. Computer storage media can also be or be contained in one or more separate components or media (e.g., multiple CDs, disks, or other storage devices). Therefore, computer storage media are both tangible and non-transitory.

[0049] The operations described in this specification can be implemented as operations performed by a data processing apparatus on data stored on one or more computer-readable storage devices or received from other sources. The terms "data processing apparatus" or "computing device" encompass all types of means, devices, and machines for processing data, including, for example, programmable processors, computers, systems-on-a-chip, or combinations of the aforementioned means. The apparatus may include special-purpose logic circuitry, such as FPGAs (Field-Programmable Gate Arrays) or ASICs (Application-Specific Integrated Circuits). In addition to hardware, the apparatus may also include code that creates an execution environment for the computer program in question, such as code constituting processor firmware, protocol stacks, database management systems, operating systems, cross-platform runtime environments, virtual machines, or combinations thereof. The apparatus and execution environment can implement a variety of different computing model infrastructures, such as network services, distributed computing, and grid computing infrastructures.

[0050] Computer programs (also known as programs, software, software applications, scripts, or code) can be written in any programming language, including compiled or interpreted languages, declarative or procedural languages, and can be deployed in any form, including as standalone programs or as modules, components, subroutines, objects, or other units suitable for use in a computing environment. A computer program may, but does not necessarily, correspond to a file in a file system. A program may be stored as part of a file containing other programs or data (e.g., one or more scripts stored in a markup language document), a single file dedicated to the program in question, or multiple coordination files (e.g., files storing one or more modules, subroutines, or portions of code). Computer programs can be deployed to execute on a single computer or on multiple computers located at a site or distributed across multiple sites and interconnected via a communication network.

[0051] The processes and logic flows described in this specification can be executed by one or more programmable processors, which execute one or more computer programs to perform actions by manipulating input data and generating output. The processes and logic flows can also be executed by dedicated logic circuitry, and the device can be implemented as dedicated logic circuitry, such as an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) or an ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit).

[0052] Processors suitable for executing computer programs include, for example, general-purpose microprocessors and special-purpose microprocessors, as well as any one or more processors in any type of digital computer. Typically, a processor receives instructions and data from read-only memory or random access memory, or both. The basic components of a computer are a processor for performing actions according to instructions and one or more memory devices for storing instructions and data. Typically, a computer will also include, or be operatively coupled to, receiving data from or transferring data to one or more mass storage devices (e.g., magneto-optical, magneto-optical, or optical discs) for storing data. However, a computer does not necessarily need to have such devices. Furthermore, a computer can be embedded in another device, such as a mobile phone, personal digital assistant (PDA), mobile audio or video player, game console, GPS receiver, or portable storage device (e.g., a Universal Serial Bus (USB) flash drive). Devices suitable for storing computer program instructions and data include all forms of non-volatile memory, media, and storage devices, such as semiconductor storage devices like EPROM, EEPROM, and flash memory devices; disks, such as internal hard disks or removable disks; magneto-optical disks; and CD-ROM and DVD-ROM disks. Processors and memory can be supplemented by or integrated into dedicated logic circuits.

[0053] To provide interaction with the user, embodiments of the subject matter described in this specification can be implemented on a computer having a display device (e.g., a CRT (cathode ray tube) or LCD (liquid crystal display) monitor, OLED (organic light-emitting diode) monitor, or other form of display for showing information to the user) and a keyboard and / or pointing device (e.g., a mouse or trackball through which the user can provide input to the computer). Other types of devices can also be used to provide interaction with the user; for example, feedback provided to the user can be any form of sensory feedback, such as visual feedback, auditory feedback, or tactile feedback; and input from the user can be received in any form, including sound, speech, or tactile input. Furthermore, the computer can interact with the user by sending and receiving documents from the device used by the user; for example, in response to a request received from a web browser, by sending a webpage to the web browser on the user's client device.

[0054] Although this specification contains numerous details of specific embodiments, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of any embodiment or claimable content, but rather as descriptions of features specific to particular embodiments. Certain features described in the context of individual embodiments may also be implemented in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features described in the context of a single embodiment may also be implemented individually or in any suitable sub-combination in multiple embodiments. Furthermore, although the foregoing features may be described as functioning in certain combinations, and even initially claimed in this way, in some cases, one or more features from the claimed combination may be removed from the combination, and the claimed combination may be for sub-combinations or variations thereof.

[0055] Similarly, although operations are depicted in a specific order in the accompanying drawings, this should not be construed as requiring such operations to be performed in the specific order shown or sequentially, or to perform all shown operations to achieve the desired result. In some cases, multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous. Furthermore, the separation of various system components in the above embodiments should not be construed as requiring such separation in all embodiments; it should be understood that the described program components and systems can generally be integrated into a single software product or packaged into multiple software products.

[0056] A reference to "or" can be interpreted as including, such that any term described using "or" can refer to any one of the single, multiple, and all described terms.

[0057] Therefore, specific embodiments of this subject matter have been described. Other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims. In some cases, the actions described in the claims can be performed in a different order and still achieve the desired result. Furthermore, the processes described in the drawings do not necessarily require the specific order or sequence shown to achieve the desired result. In some embodiments, multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous.

[0058] Some implementations of the methods and systems have been described, and it will now be apparent to those skilled in the art that other implementations incorporating these concepts can be used. It should be understood that the systems described above can provide any one or more of these components, and these components can be provided on a standalone machine, or in some implementations, on multiple machines in a distributed system. The systems and methods described above can be implemented as methods, apparatus, or articles of art using programming and / or engineering techniques to produce software, firmware, hardware, or any combination thereof. Furthermore, the systems and methods described above can be provided as one or more computer-readable programs embodied on or within one or more articles of art. As used herein, the term "article of art" is intended to encompass code or logic accessible and embedded in one or more computer-readable devices, firmware, programmable logic, storage devices (e.g., EEPROM, ROM, PROM, RAM, SRAM, etc.), hardware (e.g., integrated circuit chips, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), etc.), electronic devices, computer-readable non-volatile storage units (e.g., CD-ROMs, floppy disks, hard disks, etc.). Articles of art can be accessed from a file server providing access to a computer-readable program via network transmission lines, wireless transmission media, signals propagating through space, radio waves, infrared signals, etc. The artifact can be a flash memory card or magnetic tape. The artifact includes hardware logic and software or programmable code embedded in a computer-readable medium executed by a processor. Typically, the computer-readable program can be implemented in any programming language, such as LISP, PERL, C, C++, C#, PROLOG, or any bytecode language (e.g., JAVA). The software program can be stored as object code on or within one or more artifacts.

Claims

1. An apparatus for reading a contact lens having an embedded magnet, the apparatus comprising: Magnetic excitation coil; A driver, which is electrically connected to the magnetic excitation coil, controls the parameters of the magnetic excitation coil; A light source, positioned to illuminate the contact lens, wherein illuminating the contact lens produces reflection or refraction of light; An optical sensor, wherein the optical sensor detects the reflected light or the refracted light from the contact lens; and A controller, wherein the controller synchronizes the excitation of the magnetic excitation coil and the collection of sensor data, the controller further includes a receiver for receiving information from a first external source. The magnet is configured to cause a depression in the contact lens and cornea with a predetermined amount of force when a magnetic field is applied by the magnetic excitation coil, and the intraocular pressure of the eye is measured based on the depression profile of the cornea caused by the predetermined amount of force applied by the magnet.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light source is a laser.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the optical sensor is a camera.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an amplifier and a digital converter.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller further processes one or more of the following: integrated magnetic excitation, optical sensor data collection, program instructions received from the external source, and data received from the external source.

6. A method for determining an intraocular pressure reading of an eye using a device for reading a contact lens having an embedded magnet, the device having a controller, the method comprising: The magnetic excitation coil is excited by an electric current pulse, thereby using the embedded magnet to cause the contact lens and cornea to be concave with a predetermined amount of force; Record images within a predetermined time period; Determine corneal deformation based on one or more corneal topography images; and The intraocular pressure reading is calculated using the corneal deformation, wherein the intraocular pressure is determined based on the concave profile of the cornea caused by the predetermined amount of force applied by the embedded magnet.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the excitation of the coil is accomplished using a periodic current pulse train having at least one frequency.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the corneal morphology image further comprises distortion of an image generated by a light source at one or more frequencies.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein determining the corneal deformation further comprises generating a frequency response curve based on a plurality of corneal deformation images captured at a plurality of frequencies.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the calculation of the intraocular pressure reading further comprises using a computational algorithm to recover a set of corneal frequency response data.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein determining the corneal deformation further comprises measuring the signal amplitude at the output of a position-sensitive photodetector at each frequency.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein determining the corneal deformation further comprises measuring the signal amplitude at the output coil at each frequency.

13. The method of claim 6, further comprising generating a frequency response curve of the cornea.

14. The method of claim 6, further comprising using a Fourier transform to convert the time-domain response into a frequency-domain response.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising calculating the deformation of the corneal morphology based on the signal amplitude at each frequency of the Fourier transform.

16. A system for determining intraocular pressure readings of an eye, the system comprising: Base; An arm having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end being mechanically engaged with the base; An electric motor, which is attached to the arm, is capable of transmitting motion to the arm; A first magnet, which is mechanically engaged with the distal end of the arm; The first magnet is capable of generating a controlled magnetic field, and the first magnet has a proximal end and a distal end that are mechanically engaged with the arm; A Hall sensor, which is fixedly attached to the distal end of the first magnet; The first magnet generates a directional magnetic field, and the Hall sensor reads the magnetic field generated by the first magnet; and At least one contact lens having a second magnet, wherein the contact lens having the second magnet is situated within the directional magnetic field. The directional magnetic field is configured to cause concavity of the at least one contact lens and the cornea of ​​the eye by using the second magnet with a predetermined amount of force, and the intraocular pressure is determined based on the concavity profile of the cornea caused by the predetermined amount of force applied by the second magnet.

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