MULTIPURPOSE OPHTHALMOLOGICAL MEASURING DEVICE

An ophthalmological measuring device including an ocular measuring unit including a front face provided with a frame encircling a translucent plate the size and curvature of which are suitable for covering the ocular field of said patient, a device for providing uniform backlighting of the translucent plate, located behind the translucent plate, at least one camera equipped with an objective placed in line with a hole in the translucent plate, one or more point light sources in apertures on the edges of the translucent plate, for illuminating the eyes of the patient, and means for fastening one or more additional ophthalmological measuring devices to the translucent plate.

BACKGROUND

Field

The invention relates to the field of ophthalmological devices for performing measurements on the eyes of patients.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF RELATED DEVELOPMENTS

Ophthalmological devices with which patients have to look at a particular point while a practitioner observes their eyes are known.

To date, these ophthalmological devices do not provide any great versatility.

SUMMARY

The present application relates to an ophthalmological measuring device which is versatile in the sense that it groups together several types of measuring devices and can be used in several configurations.

More precisely, the present application proposes an ophthalmological measuring device which has an ocular measurement housing comprising a front face provided with a frame surrounding a translucent plate of a size and curvature suitable for covering the ocular field of said patient, a device for lighting the translucent plate from behind the translucent plate, at least one camera provided with a lens placed in line with a hole in the translucent plate, one or more point light sources in openings on the translucent plate in order to illuminate the eyes of the patient, and means for fixing one or more complementary ophthalmological measuring devices received on the translucent plate.

The present disclosure thus proposes a compact device provided with several measuring means for carrying out several different examinations.

Preferably, the device for lighting the translucent plate from behind the translucent plate comprises an integration box diffusing the light from a white and/or near infrared light source.

The lighting is thus homogeneous at the level of the translucent plate.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the point light sources comprise blue light emitting diodes.

Such diodes are suitable for examinations under fluorescein.

According to a particular embodiment, the ophthalmological measuring device of the application is equipped with a complementary examination device consisting of a translucent frame carrying a test pattern provided with at least one hole aligned with a said camera lens, said frame comprising fixing means complementing the fixing means of said ophthalmological measuring device.

According to a first embodiment, the housing comprises means for fixing to a helmet positioned on the head of a patient. The fixing means can in particular be arranged under a second upper cover of the device and are intended to cooperate with complementary fixing means of the helmet.

According to a second alternative or complementary embodiment, the housing comprises means for fixing to an ophthalmological table frame on which the patient leans.

The means for fixing the device to said ophthalmological table frame can comprise an upper cover provided with seats for receiving endings of uprights of the frame.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the housing comprises at least one electronic board with microprocessor comprising means for controlling the lighting means and the cameras, means for acquiring video or photographic data coming from the cameras, and calculation means comprising one or more measurement computer programs comprising computer processing of the acquired video or photographic data, a touch screen integrated into the device in order to control the device according to the measurement computer program(s) and to display results of ophthalmic measurements from the computer processing carried out by the electronic board.

The device of the present disclosure thus constitutes an autonomous and multipurpose examination apparatus.

The present disclosure further proposes, according to a first embodiment, an ophthalmological measuring assembly comprising an ophthalmological measuring helmet, positioned on the head of a patient, and an ophthalmological measuring device fixed to the helmet.

The present disclosure also proposes, according to a second embodiment, an ophthalmological measuring assembly comprising an ophthalmological table frame and an ophthalmological measuring device fixed to said frame.

The measuring device of the present disclosure can thus be used in two configurations by changing an interface plate.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The drawings and the description below contain, for the most part, elements of certain character. They may therefore not only serve for better understanding the present disclosure, but also contribute to its definition, where appropriate.

Reference is now made toFIG. 1. In this figure, corresponding to a first embodiment of an ophthalmological measuring assembly of the present disclosure, an ophthalmological measuring device43is mounted on an ophthalmological table frame47.

The frame comprises uprights44, a chin support45, and a support plate50. The uprights44have their lower ends fixed on the support plate50, a vertical part receiving arms45afor fixing the chin support45, and a curved upper part44aprovided with endings44bfacing downward and fitting into seats431on an upper cover43aof the ophthalmological measuring device, for example screwed onto the housing43.

The fixing of the uprights on the device can be achieved by various traditional means such as screws securing the endings of the uprights in the seats of said cover.

The ophthalmological measuring device comprises a housing43which will contain means for performing several types of ophthalmological measurements. These means consist in particular of devices for lighting the eyes. The device comprises a diffuse lighting means consisting of a curved translucent plate10abehind which there is a homogeneous backlighting device23such as an integration box shown schematically inFIG. 3, enclosed behind the housing43, and point lighting means46shown inFIG. 2and distributed here over an upper edge and a lower edge of the translucent plate in openings46a.

The backlighting device can comprise one or more LEDs23ain white light, near infrared light or other wavelengths, depending on the ophthalmological examinations that are to be carried out.

The point lighting means are in particular light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and comprise blue LEDs suitable for examinations with fluorescein.

The lighting means are switched on and off independently by means of an electronic board24in the housing.

Another important feature of the device is the presence of at least one camera and preferably two cameras in order to permit examinations on both eyes101of a patient100. According to the example inFIGS. 1 and 3, two cameras21a,22aare used. The cameras have their lenses21,22placed in holes14aformed in a middle part of the translucent plate10a.These cameras are positioned such that their lenses are in front of the eyes101of most patients, so as to be able to film them or photograph them.

The cameras are miniature cameras, for example cameras with ¼ CCD sensors with a resolution of 1920×1080, the lenses of which are compatible with holes14ameasuring from 10 mm to 15 mm.

The device is autonomous and the housing shown schematically inFIG. 3comprises for this purpose at least one electronic board with microprocessor24. This board comprises, according to the example:means for controlling the lighting means23,46and the cameras21,22,means of acquiring video or photographic data coming from the cameras,calculation means suitable for carrying out computer processing of the acquired video or photographic data,a touch screen25integrated into the device and connected to the electronic board in order to allow an operator to control the device and display results of ophthalmic measurements obtained from the computer processing of data from the cameras produced by the electronic board.

The electronic board with microprocessor24comprises in a known manner a processor, random access memory, permanent storage memory with a storage part of a device management program, a storage part of a measurement program, and storage part for patient measurement data.

The measurement programs integrated into the electronic board are programs for carrying out ophthalmic measurements using the various lighting means and the cameras in order to carry out eye examinations on the patients, such as corneal examinations, examinations of break-up of the tear film, or other examinations using the lighting means and the cameras.

According to the example, the electronic board comprises a Wi-Fi module with an antenna26making it possible to communicate with an appliance such as a computer tablet, for example programmed to provide a copy of the information present on the screen25. The board further comprises a computer port27such as a USB port which makes it possible, for example, to save measurements on a remote computer system or to update the program(s) on the board24.

In the helmet configuration, the housing can operate using an on-board battery, and, in the frame-mounted configuration, the housing can be connected to an external power supply.

FIG. 4shows a second embodiment of an ophthalmological measurement assembly of the present disclosure. According to this embodiment, the ophthalmological measuring device43is fixed to a helmet110intended to cover the head of the patient, which affords better monitoring of the eyes of the patient by the cameras. The helmet has a thumbwheel112actuating a tightening mechanism for the patient's head. The ophthalmological device is fixed to the helmet by fastening means51located under an upper cover43bof the housing, these means comprising tabs51athat fit into complementary grooves of the helmet in order to secure the device to the helmet.

Like the cover43a,the cover43bcan be screwed onto the housing.

According toFIG. 5, the device comprises means41for fixing a support of a complementary examination device. The support, in the example shown inFIG. 6, is a frame or a removable translucent plate16carrying a test pattern10provided with at least one hole14aligned with a said camera lens, said frame comprising fixing means18complementing the fixing means41. The fixing means18,41can be fixing means such as magnets or press-stud type fasteners. The support comprises gripping lugs17which allow it to be positioned and removed easily depending on the examination that is to be performed.

The ophthalmological measuring device of the present disclosure can therefore be manufactured in two configurations, a table-top configuration and a helmet configuration, on the basis of a standardized housing by using an interface plate suitable for mounting on a frame or on a helmet.

The measuring device of the present disclosure, which uses lightweight materials compatible with use on a helmet, is thus a modular device which groups together several examination systems. This device, which is the subject matter of the following claims, is not limited to the examples shown and, for example, the point light sources shown on the edge of the translucent plate can also be positioned around the through-holes of the cameras or elsewhere.