Ocular disease detection apparatus

Claim 2

An ocular disease detection device comprising: eye positioning apparatus for positioning eyes of a subject in a selected focal plane; a first, relatively broad, visual stimulus having at least a partially reflective character and generally positioned in front of said eye positioning apparatus at a first focal distance therefrom; a smaller, second, visual stimulus of varying character superimposed on said first visual stimulus and appearing at a second focal distance from said eye positioning apparatus, said first and second visual stimulus cooperating to defocus eyes of a subject; light beam generation means for generating a beam of light and directing said beam of light to said selected focal plane, illuminating eyes of a subject and producing eye reflections therefrom; and visual recording and display means having a lens positioned to receive said eye reflections, for recording and displaying an image of said eye reflections.

Claim 3

A detection device as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a third visual stimulus in a focal plane of said first visual stimulus, for providing a near fixation point for eyes of a subject.

Claim 4

A detection device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first visual stimulus comprises a beamsplitter.

Claim 5

A detection device as set forth in claim 1 wherein angular separation between said beam of light and said lens is from about 0° to 5°.

Claim 6

A detection device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said beam of light is reflected from said first visual stimulus to eyes of a subject.

Claim 7

A detection device as set forth in claim 5 comprising at least one mirror positioned to reflect said beam of light to said first visual stimulus.

Claim 8

A detection device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said second visual stimulus comprises a light emitting apparatus having an annular light emitting region, and said varying character is movement of a light about said annular region, providing an image of a circularly moving light.

Claim 9

A detection device as set forth in claim 7 wherein said lens receives said eye reflections through an interior region of said light-emitting region.

Claim 10

A detection device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said light beam generation means comprises: flash means for generating a momentary flash of light; focusing means for receiving a portion of said light and focusing said portion of said light into a beam of light; light intensity reduction means for reducing intensity of said beam of light; and reference means for providing a reference indicator in said beam of light, whereby said reference indicator is detectable in said eye reflections.

Claim 11

A detection device as set forth in claim 9 wherein said reference means further comprises horizontal and vertical references.

Claim 12

An ocular disease detection device comprising: eye positioning apparatus for positioning eyes of a subject in a selected focal plane; moving light generation means having an annular light emitting region, for providing an image of a circularly moving light; light beam generation means for providing a momentary beam of light; a beamsplitter in front of said eye positioning apparatus at a first focal distance therefrom and positioned to receive said beam of light and reflect a portion of said beam of light to said eye positioning apparatus and to receive said image of a circularly moving light and reflect said image to said eye positioning apparatus so that said image appears at a second focal distance from said eye positioning apparatus; and a CCD camera positioned off-axis with respect to said beam of light and focused to receive a reflected image of eyes of a subject from said beamsplitter through an interior region of said annular light emitting region; whereby said beamsplitter at said first focal distance and said moving light generation means at said second focal distance effect defocusing of eyes of a subject.

Claim 13

An ocular disease detection device comprising: eye positioning apparatus for positioning eyes of a subject in a selected focal plane; moving light generation means having an annular light emitting region, for providing an image of a circularly moving light; light beam generation means for providing a momentary beam of light; a beamsplitter in front of said eye positioning apparatus at a first focal distance therefrom and positioned to receive said beam of light and reflect a portion of said beam of light to said eye positioning apparatus and to receive said image of a circularly moving light and reflect said image to said eye positioning apparatus so that said image appears at a second focal distance from said eye positioning apparatus; and a CCD camera positioned off-axis with respect to said beam of light and focused to receive a reflected image of eyes of a subject from said beamsplitter through an interior region of said annular light emitting region; whereby said beamsplitter at said first focal distance and said moving light generation means at said second focal distance effect defocusing of eyes of a subject.

Claim 14

A detection device as set forth in claim 11 wherein said image of a moving light alternates between red and green wavelengths.

Claim 15

A detection device as set forth in claim 11 wherein said light beam generation means is adjustable to provide a diverging, collimated, or converging beam.

Claim 16

A detection device as set forth in claim 13 wherein said light beam generation means is adjustable to provide variable angular separation between said beam of light and said reflected image.

Claim 17

A detection device as set forth in claim 11 wherein said light beam generation means further comprises filter means for filtering said light of said beam.

Claim 18

A detection device as set forth in claim 11 wherein said light attenuation means comprises a beamsplitter.

Claim 19

A detection device as set forth in claim 16 wherein said beamsplitter reflects about 60% of incident light, reducing intensity of said beam of light.

Claim 22

A method as set forth in claim 18 further comprising the step of providing a fixation light in a focal plane closely proximate a focal plane of said flat, generally reflective surface, whereby second eye reflections focused on said fixation light are provided.

Claim 23

A method as set forth in claim 19 further comprising the step of comparing said first and second eye reflections, for determining if any difference of refractive power exists between the eyes in said first and second eye reflections.