Optical alignment system for an ophthalmic instrument

Abstract: An optical alignment system using at least one CCD array (28) for positioning an instrument in a chosen relationship to an object (20) is disclosed. Means for "electronically" aligning the optical components and providing a macro view of the object on a CRT (66) without additional illumination are also disclosed. Alignment may be achieved manually, if the operator observes the position of symbols on the CRT that move in response to movement of the instrument by the operator using a joystick (6), or automatically using information provided by the array.

Description: The invention relates to an alignment system for an ophthalmic instrument, comprising illuminating means for illuminating an eye and detecting means for detecting rays reflected from an eye. Such a known alignment system is shown in EP-A-0183621 and in US-A-4665923. In this known system, means are provided for projecting target images and focussing light reflected from the eye to form focussed images at an alignment detector. This known system requires critical alignment as well as focussing lenses and mirrors. Such a system is thus complex in construction and operation. Such a known system is also known from US-A-4678297. In this known system, light from a target card is projected on to the eye and focussed by a lens on to a detector. Again, therefore, this system involves the use of a target and focussing optics. Another example of the known system is shown in DE-A-3138122 which again involves complex optics for focussing light on to the eye. The invention seeks to overcome these problems. According to the invention therefore, the known system is characterised in that the illuminating means are arranged such as to illuminate the eye with diverging rays from a light source and in that the detecting means comprises first detecting means and second detecting means, the first detecting means having a first light detecting area, said light detecting means including a first pinhole occluder to pass a small bundle of rays reflected from the eye for producing a first signal identifying the XY location of reflected light on said first area; said second detecting means having a second light detecting area, said second detecting means including a second pinhole occluder to pass a small bundle of rays reflected from the eye for producing a second signal identifying the XY location of reflected light on said second area; the system being further characterised by means evaluating said first and second signals for providing a third signal; and by automatic or manual positioning means to enable the instrument to be positioned relative to the eye in accordance with said third signal. According to the invention, the known system is also characterised in that the illuminating means comprises first illuminating means illuminating the eye with diverging rays from one side thereof, and second illuminating means illuminating the eye with diverging rays from the other side thereof; and in that the detecting means comprises light detecting means having a light detecting area, said light detecting means including an occluder having two spaced pinholes to pass two small bundles of rays reflected from the eye, one of said bundles comprising rays from said first illuminating means and the other of said bundles comprising rays from the second of said illuminating means for producing first and second signals identifying the XY location of reflected light passing through each of said pinholes on said area; the system being further characterised by means evaluating said signals for providing an output signal; and means for positioning the instrument relative to the eye in response to said output signal. In the invention, therefore, divergent light is used with pinhole occluders, thus avoiding the need for focussing lenses or mirrors. An embodiment of the invention, to be described in more detail below includes two light sources for reflecting spots from opposite sides of a spherical object, such as an eye. The reflected images are directed to at least one position sensitive detector, such as a CCD array. The signal produced by such a detector indicates the location of the image on the light sensitive area. Alignment of the optics may be achieved electronically by positioning the instrument in a predetermined location relative to the spherical object and storing the position of the spot as a reference location. The position of the instrument at any future time can then be presented relative to that stored reference location. Alternatively, the system can be aligned by moving each array normal to the light path until the spot is centered on both arrays when the instrument is properly positioned. In the latter case, the signal can simply be sent to a monitor to indicate the position of the instrument relative to the eye or other test object. In the former case, the signal is modified to treat the stored location as if it were the center of the CRT screen. In both cases, the signal sent to the CRT can also be evaluated electronically to verify that the instrument is correctly aligned before conducting a test. A separate image tube or CCD array is used for a macro image of the eye, if desired. The macro optical system is designed to provide an image of the eye which appears sharp and uniformly illuminated. Illumination reflected from the eye by the alignment system is usually sufficient for the macro imaging system when the system of the preferred embodiment is utilized. Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an ophthalmic instrument of a type suitable for use with the present invention; Fig. 2 is a diagrammatical view of a first embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 3 is a diagrammatical view of a second embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 4 is a diagrammatical view of a third embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 5 is an optical diagram of the first embodiment of the present invention; and Figs. 6 and 7 are block diagrams for explaining electronics supporting the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to Fig. 1, an ophthalmic instrument shown generally at 1, has a base 2 with a frame 3 to provide a steadying rest for the head of a patient. The test mechanism (not shown) of instrument 1 is contained within housing 4 movably mounted on base 2. Member 5 represents a portion of the instrument to be positioned in a predetermined relationship to the patient's eye. To accomplish this relationship, the operator uses joystick 6 to move housing 4 three dimensionally on base 2, while watching the resulting movement of symbols (not shown) relative to reticle 7 on screen 8. When the operator has achieved alignment by moving housing 4 until the symbols are contained within or superimposed on reticle 7, he presses button 9 on joystick 6 to initiate the desired test. Referring to Fig. 2, eye 10 is flooded with light on one side of its axis 12 by light from source 14 and on the other side of its axis with light from source 16. Sources 14 and 16 may conveniently be LEDs emitting light in the infrared region. The advantage of infrared illumination resides in the insensitivity of the human eye to the infrared region. This avoids any discomfort, when high levels of radiation are required. Center ray 18 from source 14 is reflected from cornea vertex 20 along path 22 and sequentially through pinhole occluder 24, and lens 26 to CCD array 28. Similarly, center ray 30 of source 16 is reflected from cornea vertex 20 along path 32 and sequentially through pinhole occluder 34 and lens 36 to CCD array 38. A small bundle of rays closely adjacent to center rays 18 and 30 will remain substantially parallel thereto and pass along with the respective center ray through the respective pinhole occluder. A portion of the remaining light from each of sources 14 and 16 is reflected toward lens 40 to produce an image of eye 10 on video image detector 44. In the case of a non-contact tonometer, lens 40 is located behind air-pulse discharge tube 42. The alignment system components may be conveniently mounted on plate 46 which has a plurality of mounting members 48 for holding sources 14 and 16; pinhole occluders 24 and 34; lenses 26 and 36; CCD arrays 28 and 38; objective lens 40 and video image detector 44. One advantage of the present invention which may be realized is that mounting members 48 do not require precise machining to close tolerances in order to provide exact angles and dimensions, since normal variations may be corrected electronically rather than optically. Electronic correction is achieved by positioning the instrument, containing the alignment system of the present invention, in the chosen relationship to the object such as a replica of a human eye. If the spot produced by occluders 24 and 34 is relatively close, e.g. .1mm, to the center of the respective arrays, the XY location of the spot is conveniently stored in a device such as an EEROM. However, gross errors may be compensated for by moving the CCD to a new position in a plane normal to the respective paths 22 and 32. The reference locations (the locations of the respective spots on the CCD arrays) are thereafter considered to be the "center" of the respective CCD array. Referring now to Fig. 3, another embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. Light from sources 14 and 16 is reflected back from corneal surface 120 in the same general direction from which it came along paths 122 and 132, respectively to CCD arrays 28 and 38. In other respects, this embodiment operates in substantially the same manner as the embodiment of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 illustrates still another embodiment. Light from sources 14 and 16 is reflected by the respective sides of cornea 120 along paths 222 and 232 toward objective 20. Beam splitter 250 diverts a portion of the light toward occluder 224 having two pinholes 252 and 254. Light passing through pinholes 252 and 254 is imaged by lens 226 on CCD array 228. In this embodiment, sources 14 and 16 are alternately strobed in order for CCD array 228 to identify which of sources 14 and 16 produced the spot being observed. Referring again to Fig. 2, signals identifying the XY location of the spots on CCD arrays 28 and 38 are delivered to CCD evaluating electronics 56 by leads 58 and 60. Electronics 56 compares the reported XY position of the spot to the stored reference location for each CCD array. An output from electronics 56 representing the location of the spot relative to the reference location is provided to display electronics 62 which in turn drives CRT 66 through leads 64 to provide symbols on CRT 66. The signal from video image detector 44 is similarly provided to display electronics 62 through lead 68 in order to provide a macro image of the eye on CRT 66. The location of the spot on a CCD array can be identified conveniently using a raster sweep of the CCD pixel signals. The signal and location values of the first pixel are stored until a higher signal value is encountered during the sweep. Each time a higher signal value is encountered, the new pixel signal and location values are stored replacing the values previously stored until the sweep is complete. The location values stored at the end of the sweep identify the center of the spot on the respective CCD array. If a minimum signal threshold is set, artifacts, such as glare spots that can result from illumination for the macro view, are ignored by the system. When an optical system of the type illustrated by Fig. 4 is used, the timing of the raster sweep of CCD array 228 is synchronized with the strobe of sources 14 and 16 in order that even raster sweeps relate to one source and odd raster sweeps to the other. A preferred optical system according to Fig. 2 is diagrammatically presented in Fig. 5 and has the following values: wherein, radii, R1 to R6, thicknesses, T1 to T5, spacings, S1 to S11, pinhole diameters, D1 and D2, are in mm; radii having their center of curvature on the eye 10 side of the lens are indicated by a minus (-) sign; and indexes of refraction, N1 to N3, are absolute values. The pinhole-lens combinations can be replaced by small diameter lenses if desired. The model Texas Instruments TC211 CCD array is suitable for practicing this invention. The amount of instrument movement necessary to obtain distance (S9) of object 10 from component 42 of the instrument being aligned can easily be calculated using the location value related to movement in a direction parallel to the plane containing the optical elements of the alignment system obtained from each CCD array. For example, if α = 45° and α′ = 42° and x and x′ are the relative locations in the directions indicated by the arrows labeled x and x′ in Fig. 5, ΔS9 = (x - X)-(x′ - X′) , where X and X′ are the reference locations for the respective CCD array. The amount of movement can be presented two dimensionally, for example on the CRT, by using one symbol for the horizonal (x) axis and another for the vertical (y) axis. The space between the symbols can be used to represent ΔS9. When ΔS9 = 0 , the two symbols are superimposed. A simpler and more user-friendly procedure is the use of a cursor which moves above the screen center, if the instrument is too far from the object and below the screen center, if the instrument is too close. The cursor type of presentation is preferred because it has several advantages. One advantage is the ease with which the user can recognize whether the instrument is too close or too far away. Another advantage is that the x and y positions can be displayed by means that do not require superimposition of symbols to indicate correct positioning. For example, a narrow vertical line can be used to represent the relative horizonal position and a narrow horizonal line to indicate the relative vertical position, while the cursor indicates the relative distance from the object. Prior art alignment systems did not permit a choice of display formats. Referring now to Fig. 6, signals from timing generator 350 drive x/y counters 352, the raster sweep of CCD array 354 and timing of A/D converter 358. Each pixel signal is amplified by amplifier 356, sent to A/D converter 358, whose output is evaluated by peak detector 360. The outputs of x/y counters 352 are stored by latches 362, each time peak detector 360 signals a new high for the pixel signals from CCD array 354. Obviously, each array requires an amplifier, A/D converter, peak detector and output latches. The outputs of latches 362 are evaluated at the end of each raster sweep by alignment and calibration electronics 364 which updates operator display 366. If an automatic alignment system is desired, motor controllers 368 and motors 370, 372 and 374 can be added as shown in Fig. 7. The value of Δz is determined as explained previously for the determination of ΔS9, while These Δ values are provided to motor controllers 368 by alignment and calibration electronics 364 to position the system until all three Δ's = 0.

Claims: An alignment system for an ophthalmic instrument (1), comprising illuminating means (14,16) for illuminating an eye (10) and detecting means (28,38) for detecting rays reflected from an eye (10), characterised in that the illuminating means (14,16) are arranged so as to illuminate the eye (10) with diverging rays from a light source and in that the detecting means comprises first detecting means (28) and second detecting means (38), the first detecting means (28) having a first light detecting area, said light detecting means (28) including a first pinhole occluder (24) to pass a small bundle of rays reflected from the eye (10) for producing a first signal identifying the XY location of reflected light on said first area; said second detecting means (38) having a second light detecting area, said second detecting means (38) including a second pinhole occluder (34) to pass a small bundle of rays reflected from the eye (10) for producing a second signal identifying the XY location of reflected light on said second area; the system being further characterised by means (56) evaluating said first and second signals for providing a third signal; and by automatic or manual positioning means (6;368,370,372,374) to enable the instrument to be positioned relative to the eye in accordance with said third signal. A system according to claim 1, characterised in that said positioning means (368,370,372,374) includes manually operated means (6,9) for moving the instrument (1) and display means (8) for presenting a visual indication of the instrument position. A system according to any preceding claim, characterised in that said illumination means (14,16) includes two light paths (18,30), one of said two paths (18) directing light toward an eye (10) from one side and the other of said two paths (30) directing light toward the eye (10) from the other side. A system according to claim 3, characterised in that said illumination means (14,16) and said detecting means (28,38) are arranged such that said first detecting means (28) is irradiated by reflected light from said first light path (30) and said second detecting means (38) is irradiated by reflected light from said second light path (18). A system according to any preceding claim, characterised in that each of said first and second detecting means (28,38) includes a positive lens (26,36) adjacent said pinhole occluder (24). A system according to any preceding claim, characterised by electro-optical means (44) for producing a fourth signal representing a macro image of the eye (10). A system according to any preceding claim, characterised in that said evaluating means (56) includes storage means (362) for retaining information representing first and second reference locations on said first and second areas respectively, said reference locations symbolizing first and second locations irradiated by reflected light when the instrument is positioned at a chosen position relative to an eye (10) and said third signal includes a comparison of said first and second signals with said information. A system according to any preceding claim, characterised in that said positioning means includes electro-mechanical means (370,372,374) for moving the instrument (1). An alignment system for an ophthalmic instrument (1) comprising illuminating means (14,16) for illuminating an eye (10), and detecting means (228) for detecting rays reflected from the eye (10), characterised in that the illuminating means (14,16) comprises first illuminating means (14) illuminating the eye (10) with diverging rays from one side thereof, and second illuminating means (16) illuminating the eye (10) with diverging rays from the other side thereof; and in that the detecting means comprises light detecting means (228) having a light detecting area, said light detecting means (228) including an occluder (224) having two spaced pinholes (252,254) to pass two small bundles of rays reflected from the eye (10), one of said bundles comprising rays from said first illuminating means (14) and the other of said bundles comprising rays from the second of said illuminating means (16) for producing first and second signals identifying the XY location of reflected light passing through each of said pinholes (252,254) on said area; the system being further characterised by means (364) evaluating said signals for providing an output signal; and by means (368,370,372,374) for positioning the instrument (1) relative to the eye (10) in response to said output signal. A system according to claim 9, characterised in that said detecting means (228) includes a positive lens (226) adjacent said occluder (224). A system according to claim 9 or 10, characterised by electro-optical means (44) for producing a video signal representing a macro-image of the eye (10). A system according to any of claims 9,10 and 11, characterised in that said positioning means (368,370,372,374) includes manually operated means (6) for moving the instrument and display means (8) for presenting a visual indication of the instrument position. A system according to claim 12, characterised by beam splitter means (250) for producing a macro image of the eye (10) using a portion of the light from at least one of said first and second illuminating means (14,16). A system according to any of claims 9 to 13 characterised in that said positioning means includes electromechanical means (370,372,374) for moving the instrument (1).

Inventors: KRSTANOVIC SRDJAN, LUCE DAVID A, KRSTANOVIC, SRDJAN, LUCE, DAVID A.
Applicants: LEICA INC, LEICA INC.
Application year: 1989
Main classification: A61B3
IPC codes: A61B3