Patent ID: 6540692
Filing Date: 2003-04-01
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
An optical characteristic measuring apparatus comprising:a light source which emits illuminating light rays an illuminating optical system capable of illuminating the eye selectively in a first illuminating state in which a minute region on the retina of the eye is illuminated with light rays emitted by the light source or in a second illuminating state in which a portion of the eye around the center of curvature of the cornea of the eye is illuminated with light rays emitted by the light source; a light receiving device; a reflected light guiding optical system for guiding reflected light rays reflected from the eye to the light receiving device in a first guiding state in which the reflected light rays are received at a position substantially conjugate with the retina of the eye or in a second guiding state in which the reflected light rays are received at a position substantially conjugate with the cornea of the eye; a converting device capable of converting the reflected light rays into at least seventeen light beams and giving the light beams to the light receiving device; and an arithmetic unit which determines the optical characteristics of the eye on the basis of an inclination of the light rays received by the light receiving device in the first illuminating state and the first guiding state, and determines the shape of the cornea on the basis of an inclination of the reflected light rays received by the light receiving device in the second illuminating state and the second guiding state.