Ophthalmic Imaging System Anterior Segment Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
OCT imaging in ophthalmology is hindered by eye movements during image acquisition, leading to inaccuracies and artefacts in retinal images, particularly in longer imaging protocols like OCT-A, where involuntary eye movements cause noise and distortions.
Innovation Solution
An ophthalmic imaging system that includes a light source, an imaging device for capturing anterior segment images, and a controller to adjust the light beam's angle of incidence based on detected movements of the anterior segment, ensuring the beam tracks the target on the retina, thereby compensating for eye movements and improving image quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If OCT imaging protocol duration is increased to improve image quality, then measurement precision is improved, but eye movement artefacts increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs a feedback mechanism where the SLO imaging system continuously monitors retinal position and provides real-time feedback to the OCT imaging system. This feedback loop enables dynamic adjustment of the OCT imaging beam to track eye movements, allowing longer acquisition times for improved image quality without suffering from eye movement artefacts.
Solution Approach 2:
The SLO imaging system acts as an intermediary that bridges the gap between the OCT imaging system and the moving retina. By using the SLO system to detect retinal position and mediate the tracking adjustments, the OCT system can maintain accurate imaging of the moving target without direct mechanical intervention in the imaging path.
2Reliability
If separate SLO imaging system is added to track eye movements, then eye movement compensation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The SLO imaging system serves multiple functions: it acts as both a standalone imaging modality for viewing the retina and as a tracking system for the OCT imaging. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated tracking devices, thereby limiting the increase in overall system complexity while maintaining reliable eye movement compensation.
3Measurement precision
If multiple b-scans are taken for OCT-A imaging, then measurement precision is improved, but imaging time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The real-time feedback from the SLO tracking system enables the OCT imaging to maintain accurate targeting throughout extended multi-b-scan acquisition. This allows the system to accumulate sufficient scans for accurate angiography without the image quality degrading due to eye movements, thereby achieving high measurement precision without excessive time loss.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enhances the signal-to-noise ratio and significantly reduces artefacts in retinal images by accurately tracking and compensating for eye movements in real-time, resulting in higher quality imaging of the posterior segment and retina.
Implementation Method 1
a light source configured to emit a light beam towards the target location on the retina
Implementation Method 2
an imaging device configured to capture images of an anterior segment of the patient's eye
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects of the present invention relate to an ophthalmic imaging system for imaging a target on a posterior segment of a patient's eye, the imaging system comprising: a light source configured to emit a light beam for imaging the target; an imaging device for tracking a position of an anterior segment of the patient's eye; and a controller configured to determine a movement of the target in dependence on the tracked position of the anterior segment of the patient's eye; wherein the controller is further configured to adjust an angle of incidence of the light beam that contacts the posterior segment in dependence on the determined movement of the target.