51 results about "Applanation tonometer" patented technology

An apparatus for determining intraocular pressure includes a transducer assembly containing an applanation tonometer for the determination of a cornea applanation pressure and an ultrasonic pachymeter to determine the thickness of the cornea at the site of applanation. The assembly has a tip end which includes an applanation surface and an ultrasonic coupler surface, and an end cap membrane holder is adapted to fit over the tip end of the transducer assembly and hold a thin film membrane stretched over the applanation and ultrasonic coupler surfaces. The transducer assembly also has a detector for detecting the presence or absence of the end cap membrane holder, the detector may generate a signal to disable movement of the transducer assembly if the end cap is not detected.

A portable non-contact tonometer (2) for measuring Intra-Ocular Pressure (IOP) of subject's eye is presented. In its preferred embodiment tonometer (2) is designed to be operated by the subject himself. It is housed in a hand-held case (4) which contains compressed air source (40), eye alignment detectors (12, 14), cornea applanation detector system (8, 10), a pressure sensor (32) and optical system for presenting gaze target (48).The animated gaze target (48) advantageously draws subject's attention to itself and keeps his eye (62) in alignment long enough for the measurement to take place, while optionally displaying system status and operating instructions. An audio annunciation system (16) guides the subject in the operation of the tonometer and prepares him for the actual procedure. The timing of the air puff is randomized to prevent subject's conditioning. The overall operation of the tonometer is controlled by a built-in microprocessor (50) system.In one of the tonometer embodiments (2B) a 3-D map of cornea is computed and a technique to compute the IOP derived from the difference of 3-D corneal maps before and during the air puff application is disclosed.

An improved applanation tonometer for measuring the intraocular pressure of an eye is configured for use with a conventional slit lamp. This applanation tonometer has a force sensor that senses the force applied by an applanation probe to flatten the cornea of the eye, while the cornea is viewed through the probe using the slit lamp. The force sensor generates a signal that corresponds to the applanation force and transmits the signal to a display and / or a data storage device.

An applanation tonometry system, for measuring pressure within an eye, the tonometry system comprising: an applanation tonometer device for providing specific applanation pressure to a plurality of locations on an eye; an electrical process controller for measuring pressure within the eye; and a tonometer hands free holder adapted to secure the tonometer device over the eye whilst measuring the pressure within the eye.

A system for measuring intraocular pressure (IOP) of an eye, comprising a plurality of force sensors that are adapted to contact a surface of an eye, means for measuring the forces exerted on the force sensors when in contact with the eye surface, and processing means that is adapted to receive the measured forces and determine IOP of the eye as a function of the measured forces.

A fluid pump system of a non-contact tonometer is numerically simulated through its compression stroke by a simulation software program. System dynamic behavior is modeled for a variety of piston diameters, whereby an optimal piston diameter or range of piston diameters is selected in view of stoke length limitations and target applanation pressure requirements.

In a non-contact tonometer, puffing of air unnecessary for measurement of an eye to be inspected after driving of a solenoid is stopped is suppressed. In the non-contact tonometer including a corneal shape change unit configured to change the shape of the cornea by pressurizing and supplying a gas in a cylinder by a piston, and an eye pressure measuring unit configured to measure the eye pressure from the state of the shape change of the cornea, an opening portion configured to be formed in the outer wall of the cylinder and decide the internal volume of the cylinder when pressurizing the gas, and a pressurized gas volume change unit configured to change a position where the opening portion can connect the inside of the cylinder with the outside, and change the internal volume of the cylinder when pressurizing the gas.

The invention relates to a contact applanation tonometer. The contact tonometer comprises a probe, a light source, a first image sensor, a convex lens, a strain gauge, a microprocessor and a display memory. The probe is in a circular truncated cone shape with small bottom and large top, and is made from a transparent optical material; an inclined plane is arranged at the lateral surface of the probe; the width d of the inclined plane is 3-10 millimeters; an elastic beam is fixedly installed at the upper end of the probe; the external end of the elastic beam is fixedly connected with the lower end of a housing; the strain gauge is installed on the elastic beam; the light beams emitted by the light source are perpendicularly incident to the upper end of the probe after being collimated to be parallel beams by the convex lens; and after sequentially going through the total reflection on the lateral surface and the lower bottom surface of the probe, and the reflection on the inclined plane of the probe, the light beams directly enter the first image sensor. The contact tonometer can continuously and dynamically detect multiple intraocular tension values during measurement of the intraocular tension.

A portable non-contact tonometer (2) for measuring Intra-Ocular Pressure (IOP) of subject's eye is presented. Tonometer (2) is designed to be operated by the subject himself. It is housed in a hand-held case (4) which contains compressed air source (40), eye alignment detectors (12, 14), cornea applanation detector system (8, 10), a pressure sensor (32) and optical system for presenting gaze target (48). The animated gaze target (48) advantageously draws subject's attention to itself and keeps his eye (62) in alignment long enough for the measurement to take place, while optionally displaying system status and operating instructions. An audio annunciation system (16) guides the subject in the operation of the tonometer and prepares him for the actual procedure. The timing of the air puff is randomized to prevent subject's conditioning. The overall operation of the tonometer is controlled by a built-in microprocessor (50) system. A 3-D map of cornea is computed and a technique to compute the IOP derived from the difference of 3-D corneal maps before and during the air puff application is disclosed.

A device for cleaning optic gauges (6), which have an eye surface contact area, and in particular applanation tonometer gauges or ophthalmic contact lenses for diagnostic purposes or laser treatment is described. The device comprises: a liquid filling and emptying top-opening cleaning unit (11); one or more liquid reservoirs (1,2), connectable to the cleaning unit (11) so that fluids contained in the liquid reservoirs (1,2) can be dispensed into the cleaning unit (11); a waste water repository (3), connectable to the cleaning unit (11) so that liquid can be drained from the cleaning unit (11) into the waste water repository (3); a receptacle (5) to hold at least one optic gauge (6), that is either in a fixed position or positionable, so that an optic gauge (6) inserted into the receptacle (5) from above, eye surface contact area first, at least partially extends into the cleaning unit (11).

A system for measuring intraocular pressure (IOP) of an eye, comprising a plurality of force sensors that are adapted to contact a surface of an eye, means for measuring the forces exerted on the force sensors when in contact with the eye surface, and processing means that is adapted to receive the measured forces and determine IOP of the eye as a function of the measured forces.

The invention relates to a contact-type applanation tonometer calibrating apparatus and method, and belongs to the field of tonometer detection. The contact-type applanation tonometer calibrating apparatus comprises a horizontal base, an electronic scale, a three-dimensional adjusting base and an L-shaped balance support; a fixing column and a horizontal installation table are arranged at the positions, close to the left edge and the right edge of the horizontal base, of the horizontal base respectively, the electronic scale is placed on the horizontal installation table, and the L-shaped balance support is placed on the fixing column and the electronic scale in a stretching-across mode; a door-shaped supporting table stretches across a horizontal rod of the L-shaped balance support, and the three-dimensional adjusting base is placed on the door-shaped supporting table. The L-shaped balance support is liner contact with the fixing column and is in point contact with the electronic scale, and a tonometer is calibrated according to the moment balance principle. By means of the contact-type applanation tonometer calibrating apparatus and method, the calibrating accuracy stage is high, and the good long-term stability and the good repeatability are achieved.

An excessive amount of pressurized air is inhibited from being blown to an eye of a patient during measurement of a corneal shape deformation amount. In a non-contact tonometer having a piston, a driving unit to drive the piston, a fluid ejection unit to blow air pressurized by driving the piston toward a cornea of an eye to be inspected, and an intraocular pressure measuring unit to detect a deformed state of the cornea and measure an intraocular pressure, there are provided a piston displacement restricting unit that restricts a displacement amount when the piston pressurizes the air, and a changing unit to change the displacement amount to be restricted by the piston displacement restricting unit.

A tool for calibrating a non-contact tonometer (NCT) comprises a body having a mating feature configured for removably mounting the body on the nosepiece or on the measurement head of the NCT, a pressure sensor carried by the body and arranged to receive an air pulse discharged by the NCT to provide a pressure signal in response to the air pulse, and a radiation emitter carried by the body, wherein the radiation emitter provides a pseudo-applanation event when the pressure signal reaches a predetermined level that is detectable by the NCT as though an actual corneal applanation had taken place. In one embodiment, the mating feature includes a mounting orifice for receiving a portion of the nosepiece. In another embodiment, the mating feature includes a pair of mounting pins sized for receipt by a corresponding pair of mounting holes in the measurement head of the NCT.

There is disclosed herein an applanation tonometer and more particularly a new form of disposable tip cover therefor. The tonometer includes a fiber optic array cylinder. A disposable tip cover comprising a translucent and light diffusing film is used on the exterior tip of the cylinder. The tip cover can be retained on the cylinder by sandwiching the cover between a pair of inner and outer flexible rings, the inner ring being attachable to the tip of the fiber optic array cylinder.

The invention relates to a contact applanation tonometer. The contact tonometer comprises a probe, a light source, a first image sensor, a convex lens, a strain gauge, a microprocessor and a display memory. The probe is in a circular truncated cone shape with small bottom and large top, and is made from a transparent optical material; an inclined plane is arranged at the lateral surface of the probe; the width d of the inclined plane is 3-10 millimeters; an elastic beam is fixedly installed at the upper end of the probe; the external end of the elastic beam is fixedly connected with the lower end of a housing; the strain gauge is installed on the elastic beam; the light beams emitted by the light source are perpendicularly incident to the upper end of the probe after being collimated to be parallel beams by the convex lens; and after sequentially going through the total reflection on the lateral surface and the lower bottom surface of the probe, and the reflection on the inclined plane of the probe, the light beams directly enter the first image sensor. The contact tonometer can continuously and dynamically detect multiple intraocular tension values during measurement of the intraocular tension.

A system for measuring intraocular pressure (IOP) of an eye, comprising a plurality of force sensors that are adapted to contact a surface of an eye, measuring the forces exerted on the force sensors when in contact with the eye surface, and processing the measured forces to determine the 10P of the eye as a function of the measured forces.

The invention discloses a measuring head and a non-contact tonometer calibrating device and method. The measuring head comprises a shell substrate, and an air inlet, a light guide column, a pressure sensor, a light-emitting device and a reflector which are arranged on the shell substrate; an air path is arranged in the air inlet and connected with the pressure sensor in a sealed mode, and the pressure sensor is used for detecting an air pressure signal of airflow sprayed by the non-contact tonometer; the light guide column is installed in the center of the air inlet and used for guiding light,and the curvature radius of the front end surface of the light guide column is matched with the curvature radius of the front surface of a real human cornea; the light-emitting device is installed onthe inner side of the light guide column and connected with the light guide column in the air inlet direction, light beams emitted by the light-emitting device are conducted out through the light guide column and received by the tonometer, and the light beam emitting time is related to the numerical value of an air pressure signal; and the reflector is arranged on the side edge of the air inlet and used for assisting in adjusting the angle of the measuring head. Good consistency of performance of the calibrating device is guaranteed, and long-term stability and accuracy of the calibrating device are improved.

Apparatus and methods for subjecting a patient to an slit lamp microscopy and / or Goldmann tonometry eye examination are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the patient is in a side-lying down position at a time of the examination. In some embodiments, it is possible to examine an upper and / or lower eye—for example, a lower eye slightly above a supporting surface. Related apparatus are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the apparatus includes a bed and / or a headrest and / or a face immobilization assembly are disclosed herein.

The invention discloses an ophthalmology testboard and a tonometer. The ophthalmology testboard comprises two sets of symmetrically arranged supporting frames, and a head supporting plate arranged between the two sets of supporting frames in a crossing manner. A movable eyelid opening device is further arranged above each set of supporting frame, the head supporting plate is movable, the head supporting plate and the eyelid opening devices are connected through a driving mechanism, and when the head of a to-be-detected ophthalmology patient is placed on the head supporting plate and eyes correspond to the eyelid opening devices and the head presses the head supporting plate downwards and forcibly, the eyelid opening devices are driven to open the eyes of the patient. On one hand, the patient can be forced to open the eyes for detection, on the other hand, the size of the eyes can be opened according to reality, and pressure can be properly exerted on the head supporting table according to feelings.

A contact tip for a contact tonometer has a body including a contact surface, and a coating applied to the contact surface. The coating includes a light-activated material and a biocompatible water soluble adhesive for adhering the coating to the contact surface. The water soluble adhesive dissolves upon contact with the corneal tear film during a tonometric measurement, thereby releasing the light-activated material into the tear film. The present disclosure further provides a single-use tonometer contact tip product which includes a sterilized contact tip having the mentioned contact surface coating, and an opaque package containing the sterilized contact tip.

The proposed combination device combines any tonometric metrology with a drug application to administer glaucoma medication on an eye. Several technical concepts are proposed and exemplary embodiments for rebound tonometry and air-puff tonometry are shown. However other methods such as optical coherence elastography (OCE) could also be used. The Solutions provide home care tonometry offerings which host the capability to administer glaucoma medication.

An ophthalmological analysis system, comprising: an air-puff generating device configured to apply an air-puff to a user's at least one eye; and at least one sensors board configured to detect and record deformation of a cornea of the user during the air-puff; wherein the detection is a three dimensional (3D) active stereo detection; the sensors board further configured to find two applanation points and hysteresis of the cornea and to calculate intraocular pressure in the user's at least one eye accordingly.

An apparatus for measuring a performance metric of a heart includes a housing, a tactile sensor, a finger clamp, a linear actuator, and a controller. The tactile sensor measures blood pressure pulsatility in a digital artery of a finger via applanation tonometry and outputs pulsatility signals indicative of the blood pressure pulsatility. The finger clamp extends from the housing to clamp the finger against the tactile sensor with the digital artery aligned over the tactile sensor. The linear actuator drives the finger clamp with a clamping force directed along a linear path. The controller is coupled to the tactile sensor and the linear actuator to control the clamping force and to generate pulsatility data, based upon the pulsatility signals, from which the performance metric of the heart may be determined.

An applanation tonometer (I) for measuring intraocular pressure (IOP) is provided, so that the health of a human or animal eye can be determined. The applanation tonometer (I) includes a prism (9) having a contact rip (10) at one end to be moved into contact with and lightly touched against the cornea of the eye. Incident laser light (76) is transmitted inwardly through the prism to the contact tip (10) at which some of the light (82) is decoupled and lost through the contact tip depending upon the area of contact between the contact tip arid the cornea. The remaining light (84) is reflected by the contact tip outwardly through the prism. A photo detector (64) which is responsive to the light (84) reflected by the contact tip (10) of the prism (9) and a force detector (44) which is responsive to the pressure at the area of contact between the contact tip and the cornea generate paired force and area data pairs that are processed to measure IOP.

Provided herein are systems and methods to measure the intraocular pressure, ocular tissue geometry and the biomechanical properties of an ocular tissue, such as an eye-globe or cornea, in one instrument. The system is an optical coherence tomography subsystem and an applanation tonometer subsystem housed as one instrument and interfaced with a computer for at least data processing and image display. The system utilizes an air-puff and a focused micro air-pulse to induce deformation and applanation and displacement in the ocular tissue. Pressure profiles of the air puff with applanation times are utilized to measure intraocular pressure. Temporal profiles of displacement and / or spatio-temporal profiles of a displacement-generated elastic wave are analyzed to calculate biomechanical properties.

The invention discloses a Goldmann applanation tonometer which comprises a transparent housing with a cylindrical through hole, a transparent annular sliding sleeve, a driving mechanism, a double image prism, an elastic mechanism, a pressure reading pointer, a light source module and a mobile image acquisition device. Sight glass is arranged at one end of the cylindrical through hole, the transparent annular sliding sleeve is located in the cylindrical through hole, the driving mechanism is arranged on the side wall of the transparent housing, the base end of the double image prism is locatedin the transparent annular sliding sleeve, the elastic mechanism is arranged on the inner wall of the transparent annular sliding sleeve, the tail end of the pressure reading pointer is fixed to the base end of the double image prism, a reading through groove is axially formed in the side wall of the transparent annular sliding sleeve, a pressure scale is arranged on the side wall of the reading through groove, and the light source module is arranged in the transparent housing. The Goldmann applanation tonometer can be hand-held for measurement, is small in size, convenient to move, and convenient for mobile medical treatment, visiting treatment and remote medical treatment.

A tonometer for continuously monitoring arterial blood pressure of a patient, including a bracelet, a detection group mounted on the bracelet and arranged to detect a pressure signal. The detection group has a plurality of pressure sensors arranged to detect a pressure signal associated with the blood pressure wave of the patient. A pressure sensor is positioned in proximity of the radial artery of the patient, at the opposite side of the radial bone. A touching group is interposed between the detection group and the radial artery, and equipped with a plurality of protuberant members, each of which is associated with a pressure sensor, and arranged to be positioned into contact with the skin of the patient, in such a way to exert a predetermined force on the radial artery.

An improved apparatus and method of intraocular pressure determination is disclosed in which applanation tonometry is done with an ultrasonic transducer. The method allows for increased accuracy of intraocular pressure determination based upon adjustment of applanation tonometry for subjacent corneal thickness. The device allows for the operator to view the corneal surface and the pattern of dye to determine the precise endpoint of applanation.