IP Library › Granted Patent US 12697063
Granted Patent B2
US 12697063 · App. 17/473,144 · Granted Aug 4, 2026

System and method for providing four ring visual electrophysiology stimulus

Inventor: Jeffrey D. Farmer (Chelmsford, MA)
Assignee: Diagnosys LLC
A61B5/398A61B3/10A61B5/297A61B5/4848A61B5/7225A61B2560/02
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12697063
App. No.
17/473,144
Granted
Aug 4, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system for testing different regions of the retina of a subject for retinal function, said system comprising: a monitor configured to display a visual electrophysiology stimulus to the subject, wherein the visual electrophysiology stimulus comprises a four ring visual electrophysiology stimulus; at least one active electrode; at least one reference electrode; and a computer configured to receive electrical signals from said at least one active electrode and said at least one reference electrode, and process the electrical signals.

Claims (57)

1 . An ophthalmic electrophysiology system for testing different regions of the retina of a subject for retinal function, said system comprising:

a monitor configured to display:

a first visual electrophysiology stimulus consisting of a single flash of light in the form of a central first ring to stimulate the fovea region of the retina;

a second visual electrophysiology stimulus consisting of a second ring disposed concentrically relative to the central first ring, wherein the second ring is configured to display a single flash of light to stimulate the parafovea region of the retina;

a third visual electrophysiology stimulus consisting of a third ring disposed concentrically relative to the second ring, wherein the third ring is configured to display a single flash of light to stimulate the perifovea region of the retina; and

a fourth visual electrophysiology stimulus consisting of a fourth ring disposed concentrically relative to the third ring, wherein the fourth ring is configured to display a single flash of light to stimulate a reference region of the retina;

at least one active electrode;

at least one reference electrode; and

a computer configured to:

control said monitor to display each of the single flashes of light sequentially in order to stimulate the corresponding region of the retina; and

receive electrical signals from said at least one active electrode and said at least one reference electrode, and process the electrical signals.

2 . The system according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the first visual electrophysiology stimulus, the second visual electrophysiology stimulus, the third visual electrophysiology stimulus and the fourth visual electrophysiology stimulus is flashed on the monitor multiple times.

3 . The system according to claim 1 wherein said monitor is a liquid crystal display (LCD).

4 . The system according to claim 1 wherein the at least one active electrode is configured to contact the eye of the subject, and the at least one reference electrode is configured to contact the subject proximate to the eye of the subject.

5 . The system according to claim 1 further comprising at least one ground electrode configured to contact the subject.

6 . The system according to claim 1 wherein the system comprises a first active electrode for contacting a first eye of the subject, a first reference electrode for contacting the subject proximate to the first eye of the subject, a second active electrode for contacting a second eye of the subject, and a second reference electrode for contacting the subject proximate to the second eye of the subject.

7 . The system according to claim 1 wherein the system further comprises an amplifier, and further wherein said at least one active electrode and said at least one reference electrode are electrically connected to said amplifier;

wherein said amplifier is configured to amplify the electrical signals from said at least one active electrode and said at least one reference electrode.

8 . The system according to claim 1 further comprising a controller configured to control said monitor.

9 . The system according to claim 1 wherein the test to be performed on the subject is multifocal electroretinography (mfERG).

10 . The system according to claim 1 wherein said computer is configured to process the electrical signals into a test report.

11 . The system according to claim 1 wherein said computer is configured to process the electrical signals to calculate a voltage potential from the retina of the subject, whereby to determine retinal function of the subject.

12 . The system according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the second ring, the third ring and the fourth ring comprises at least two sub-rings.

13 . The system according to claim 12 wherein the at least two sub-rings are displayed independently to the subject, and further wherein the electrical signals from the stimulus provided by the at least two sub-rings are combined to create a recording equivalent to the electrical signals provided by a single ring of the visual electrophysiology stimulus.

14 . The system according to claim 1 wherein (i) when the monitor displays the first visual electrophysiology stimulus to the subject, the second visual electrophysiology stimulus is not displayed, (ii) when the monitor displays the second visual electrophysiology stimulus to the subject, the first visual electrophysiology stimulus and the third visual electrophysiology stimulus are not displayed, (iii) when the monitor displays the third visual electrophysiology stimulus to the subject, the second visual electrophysiology stimulus and the fourth visual electrophysiology stimulus are not displayed, and (iv) when the monitor displays the fourth visual electrophysiology stimulus to the subject, the third visual electrophysiology stimulus is not displayed.

15 . A method for testing different regions of the retina of a subject for retinal function, said method comprising: providing a system comprising:

a monitor configured to display:

a first visual electrophysiology stimulus consisting of a single flash of light in the form of a central first ring to stimulate the fovea region of the retina;

a second visual electrophysiology stimulus consisting of a second ring disposed concentrically relative to the central first ring, wherein the second ring is configured to display a single flash of light to stimulate the parafovea region of the retina;

a third visual electrophysiology stimulus consisting of a third ring disposed concentrically relative to the second ring, wherein the third ring is configured to display a single flash of light to stimulate the perifovea region of the retina; and

a fourth visual electrophysiology stimulus consisting of a fourth ring disposed concentrically relative to the third ring, wherein the fourth ring is configured to display a single flash of light to stimulate a reference region of the retina;

at least one active electrode;

at least one reference electrode; and

a computer configured to:

control said monitor to display each of the single flashes of light sequentially in order to stimulate the corresponding region of the retina; and

receive electrical signals from said at least one active electrode and said at least one reference electrode, and process the electrical signals;

attaching said at least one active electrode to the subject; attaching said at least one reference electrode to the subject;

using said computer to (i) control said monitor to display each of the single flashes of light sequentially in order to stimulate the corresponding region of the retina, (ii) receive electrical signals from said at least one active electrode and said at least one reference electrode, and process the electrical signals, and (iii) calculate an amplitude of at least one of the electrical signals evoked from the displayed visual electrophysiology stimulus; and

using said computer to compare the amplitude of the at least one electrical signal evoked from each displayed visual electrophysiology stimulus to previously-determined amplitude data, and calculating a ratio between (i) the amplitude of the at least one electrical signal evoked from each displayed visual electrophysiology stimulus, and (ii) the previously-determined amplitude data.

16 . The method according to claim 15 wherein at least one of the first visual electrophysiology stimulus, the second visual electrophysiology stimulus, the third visual electrophysiology stimulus and the fourth visual electrophysiology stimulus is flashed on the monitor multiple times.

17 . The method according to claim 15 wherein said at least one active electrode is attached to an eye of the subject, and said at least one reference electrode is attached to the subject proximate to the eye of the subject.

18 . The method according to claim 15 further comprising attaching a ground electrode to the subject.

19 . The method according to claim 15 wherein the system comprises a first active electrode for contacting a first eye of the subject, a first reference electrode for contacting the subject proximate to the first eye of the subject, a second active electrode for contacting a second eye of the subject, and a second reference electrode for contacting the subject proximate to the second eye of the subject.

20 . The method according to claim 15 wherein the system further comprises an amplifier, and further wherein said at least one active electrode and said at least one reference electrode are electrically connected to said amplifier;

wherein said amplifier is configured to amplify the electrical signals from said at least one active electrode and said at least one reference electrode.

21 . The method according to claim 15 wherein the system further comprises a controller configured to control said monitor.

22 . The method according to claim 15 wherein the test to be performed on the subject is multifocal electroretinography (mfERG).

23 . The method according to claim 15 wherein the computer is configured to process the electrical signals into a test report.

24 . The method according to claim 23 wherein said test report is compared against normative data for the subject to determine whether there is any retinal damage to the eye of the subject.

25 . The method according to claim 15 wherein data received by either said at least one active electrode or said at least one reference electrode when said fourth visual electrophysiology stimulus is used to stimulate the reference region of the retina is used as a reference against which to compare data received by either said at least one active electrode or said at least one reference electrode when at least one of said first visual electrophysiology stimulus, said second visual electrophysiology stimulus and said third visual electrophysiology stimulus stimulate the retina.

26 . The method according to claim 15 wherein the eye of the subject is stimulated for the purpose of monitoring retinal toxicity.

27 . The method according to claim 15 wherein the computer is configured to process the electrical signals to calculate a voltage potential from the retina of the subject, whereby to determine retinal function of the subject.

28 . The method according to claim 15 wherein at least one of the second ring, the third ring and the fourth ring comprises at least two sub-rings.

29 . The method according to claim 28 wherein the at least two sub-rings are displayed independently to the subject, and further wherein the electrical signals from the stimulus provided by the at least two sub-rings are combined to create a recording equivalent to the electrical signals provided by a single ring of the visual electrophysiology stimulus.

30 . The method according to claim 15 wherein the amplitude of the electrical signal evoked from displaying the second visual electrophysiology stimulus is compared to previously-determined amplitude data relating to the parafovea region of the retina.

31 . The method according to claim 15 wherein the amplitude of the electrical signal evoked from displaying the third visual electrophysiology stimulus is compared to previously-determined amplitude data relating to the perifovea region of the retina.

32 . The method according to claim 15 wherein (i) when the monitor displays the first visual electrophysiology stimulus to the subject, the second visual electrophysiology stimulus is not displayed, (ii) when the monitor displays the second visual electrophysiology stimulus to the subject, the first visual electrophysiology stimulus and the third visual electrophysiology stimulus are not displayed, (iii) when the monitor displays the third visual electrophysiology stimulus to the subject, the second visual electrophysiology stimulus and the fourth visual electrophysiology stimulus are not displayed, and (iv) when the monitor displays the fourth visual electrophysiology stimulus to the subject, the third visual electrophysiology stimulus is not displayed.