Patent ID: 8562530

Claim:
A system for determining the onset of glaucoma which comprises: an imaging unit for creating a first image of an Optical Nerve Head (ONH) of a patient at a first pressure, and a second image of the ONH at a second pressure; an evaluator for assessing the first image and the second image created by the imaging unit to establish data of stress-strain characteristics for tissue of the ONH at each of a plurality of locations in the ONH; a Finite Element Model (FEM) of an ONH, based on data from the imaging unit and from the evaluator, the FEM has elements respectively representative of a Lamina Cribrosa (LC), Prelaminar Neural Tissue (PrNT), Postlaminar Neural Tissue (PoNT), and Sclera, wherein each element of the FEM is defined by mathematical parameters based on the data; and a computer connected to the FEM for varying parameters of the FEM to obtain a profile for the ONH of the patient and connected to the evaluator for evaluating the profile in comparison with empirical statistics to predict an onset of glaucoma.