Ophthalmologic Apparatus Eye Motion Alignment Error Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ophthalmologic apparatuses face challenges in acquiring tomographic images of the eye with high reproducibility due to eye motion, leading to misalignment and inaccurate measurement of refractive power, especially in the peripheral visual field.
Innovation Solution
An ophthalmologic information processing apparatus that acquires multiple tomographic images of the eye using optical coherence tomography (OCT), analyzes these images to obtain shape data, and specifies true shape data through statistical processing, thereby reducing alignment errors and improving reproducibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If multiple tomographic images are acquired to improve measurement reliability, then measurement precision improves, but alignment errors due to eye motion increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing registration processing on multiple tomographic images before extracting shape data. The registration aligns the images based on corresponding anatomical landmarks (such as the optic disc and macula) before measurement, thereby eliminating misalignment errors caused by eye motion. This preliminary alignment ensures that subsequent measurements are taken from properly registered images, resolving the contradiction between acquiring multiple images for precision and maintaining alignment accuracy.
2Measurement precision
If statistical processing is applied to specify true shape data, then measurement precision improves, but processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs feedback by using statistical processing to determine the true shape data from multiple registered tomographic images. The system analyzes variations in shape measurements across multiple images and uses statistical methods (such as mean or median calculation) to identify the most accurate representation of the true shape. This feedback mechanism refines the measurement by comparing multiple data points and selecting the statistically most reliable value, thereby improving measurement precision while maintaining manageable processing complexity through systematic statistical approaches.
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
The apparatus effectively reduces the influence of alignment errors, enabling the specification of the eye's tissue shape with high reproducibility and accuracy, which is crucial for precise measurement of refractive power, particularly in the peripheral regions.
Implementation Method 1
OCT unit 30 that acquires a plurality of tomographic images of a subject's eye
Data Source
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AI summary
An ophthalmologic information processing apparatus includes an acquisition unit, a tissue specifying unit, and a specifying unit. The acquisition unit is configured to acquire a tomographic image of a subject's eye. The tissue specifying unit is configured to acquire first shape data representing shape of a tissue of the subject's eye by performing segmentation processing on each of a plurality of tomographic images acquired by the acquisition unit. The specifying unit is configured to obtain second shape data representing shape of the tissue based on the plurality of first shape data acquired by the tissue specifying unit.