Apparatus and method for capture and processing of ocular and retinal images

Claim 3

The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: means for injecting a fluorescent dye into the ocular or retinal vasculature and synchronizing the recording means; a fluorescent dye having known absorption and fluorescence wavelengths; an exciter filter which receives the generated light energy and passes only light energy corresponding to the absorption wavelength of the fluorescent dye; and a barrier filter which receives at least one of the light energies corresponding to the absorption wavelength of the fluorescent dye reflected from the eye to be tested and the fluorescence wavelength of the fluorescent dye, and passes only the fluorescence wavelength of the fluorescent dye.

Claim 4

The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said filtering means further comprises an electronic circuit which transmits generated light energy having a wavelength substantially corresponding only to an absorption wavelength of a fluorescent dye injected into the eye to be tested, and passes only received light energy substantially corresponding to a fluorescent wavelength, of the fluorescent dye, emitted from the eye to be tested.

Claim 5

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said recording means further comprises an electronic camera which records optical light energy as at least one of analog or digital signals on a recording medium.

Claim 6

The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said electronic camera further comprises an electronic camera electronically coupled to a recorder/reader for electromagnetically recording analog signals onto a magnetic medium.

Claim 7

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said viewing means further comprises at least one of an analog or digital video display.

Claim 8

An optical apparatus for combined indirect ophthalmoscopy and angiography of the eye fundus, comprising: a light generator for generating non-coherent light of a wavelength capable of generating fluorescence radiation from a fluorescent material circulating in blood vessels of an eye fundus of a person to be tested; a portable light director for aiming light into the fundus of the eye of a person to be tested; a light receiver for receiving light emitted from the eye fundus of a person to be tested; a photo-electric converter for converting light signals received by the light receiver to electrical signals; an electronic circuit switchable to pass all electrical signals, for indirect ophthalmoscopy, and to filter the electrical signals such that only electrical signals corresponding to the optical wavelength of the fluorescence pass through the electronic circuit, for angiography; and a recorder/player for recording the filtered electronic signals onto an archival recording medium and providing an output signal for viewing the recorded signals on a video display.

Claim 9

An optical apparatus for combined indirect ophthalmoscopy and angiography of the eye fundus, comprising: a light generator for generating non-coherent light of a wavelength capable of generating fluorescence radiation from a fluorescent material circulating in blood vessels of an eye fundus of a person to be tested; a portable light director for aiming light into the fundus of the eye of a person to be tested; a light receiver for receiving light emitted from the eye fundus of a person to be tested; a photo-electric converter for converting light signals received by the light receiver to electrical signals; an electronic circuit switchable to pass all electrical signals, for indirect ophthalmoscopy, and to filter the electrical signals such that only electrical signals corresponding to the optical wavelength of the fluorescence pass through the electronic circuit, for angiography; and a recorder/player for recording the filtered electronic signals onto an archival recording medium and providing an output signal for viewing the recorded signals on a video display.

Claim 10

The optical apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said recorder/player further comprises an electronic camera which records optical light energy as at least one of analog or digital signals on a recording medium.

Claim 11

The optical apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said electronic camera further comprises an electronic camera electronically coupled to a recorder/reader for electromagnetically recording analog signals onto a magnetic medium.

Claim 12

The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the video display further comprises at least one of an analog or digital video display.

Claim 15

The method of claim 11, wherein said step of exposing the eye to be tested to a portable, non-coherent light source further comprises the step of generating fluorescence radiation from a fluorescent material circulating in a blood vessel of an eye fundus of a person to be tested.

Claim 16

The method of claim 12, wherein said step of processing the electronic signals further comprises the step of selecting electronic signals corresponding to a peak optical wavelength of the fluorescence radiation, and filtering non-selected electronic signals, thereby allowing said selected electronic signals to pass to said recorder.

Claim 17

The method claim 11, wherein said step of receiving light emitted from the eye to be tested further comprises the step of providing an electronic camera which records optical light energy as at least one of analog or digital signals on a recording medium.