Standardized Fundus Imaging via Aiming Beam Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for monitoring diabetic retinopathy (DR) are time-consuming, inconvenient for patients, and prone to variations in recording examination results, making it difficult to objectively track disease progression, especially in underserved areas where regular eye care is challenging.
Innovation Solution
A system using a mobile device/funduscope that allows patients to capture standardized, high-definition fundus photographs at home, utilizing an aiming beam to align anatomic landmarks and a method for image acquisition to create consistent images, enabling longitudinal comparison and analysis of retinal changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If dilated eye exams are performed using traditional ophthalmoscope and slit lamp in the office, then diagnostic accuracy is improved, but patient convenience and follow-up rates deteriorate due to time consumption and discomfort
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables patients to perform their own fundus imaging at home using a portable device. The patient positions the device against their eye and captures fundus images independently, eliminating the need for office-based examinations by an ophthalmologist. This self-service approach maintains diagnostic quality while dramatically improving patient convenience and accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the complex mechanical examination system (ophthalmoscope, slit lamp, dilating drops) with a simplified portable imaging device that uses electronic sensors and automated image capture. This substitution eliminates the need for mechanical dilating procedures and complex optical alignment, making the examination process faster, less uncomfortable, and suitable for home use.
2Reliability
If traditional office-based fundus examination methods are used, then comprehensive fundus assessment is achieved, but variations in recording examination results occur, making longitudinal comparison difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The system standardizes multiple imaging parameters including resolution (4K or higher), color depth (24-bit or higher), and field of view (at least 45 degrees). By fixing these parameters across all examinations, the system eliminates variations in image quality that would otherwise prevent accurate longitudinal comparison of fundus changes over time.
Solution Approach 2:
The portable device is designed to perform multiple functions: capturing high-resolution color fundus images, storing images with metadata (date, time, patient information), and enabling both immediate and longitudinal analysis. This universal design ensures consistent comprehensive assessment across all examination settings and time points.
3Reliability
If patients travel to hospitals for regular eye care, then professional ophthalmologic examination is received, but accessibility deteriorates in medically underserved areas with sparse hospitals and resources
Solution Approach 1:
The system empowers patients in remote areas to perform their own fundus examinations at home without needing to travel to distant hospitals. The portable device contains all necessary imaging capabilities, allowing patients to maintain eye health monitoring regardless of geographic location or availability of specialized eye care facilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The device is designed as a universal solution that can be used by any patient with a smartphone or basic imaging device, requiring no specialized equipment or infrastructure. This universality enables deployment in medically underserved areas where hospitals are sparse, making professional-quality eye examination accessible to anyone with the device.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a method to consistently and continuously monitor an individual's ocular fundus via the acquisition of standardized fundus images longitudinally, especially for (but not limited to) individuals with diabetic retinopathy. Briefly, the key points of the present invention include: (a) using an aiming beam to target anatomic landmarks of the ocular fundus; (b) using normal anatomic landmarks as registration points; (c) providing a method of image acquisition to create standardized images.