IP Library Granted Patent US 12708263
Granted Patent B2
US 12708263 · App. 18/554,140 · Granted Aug 18, 2026

Ophthalmic device, ophthalmic device control method, and program

Inventors: Yasushi Tanabe (Fujisawa, JP); Yasufumi Nishi (Edinburgh, GB)
Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
A61B3/102G16H50/20
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12708263
App. No.
18/554,140
Granted
Aug 18, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

An ophthalmic device including an interference optical system that detects interference light between signal light obtained by scanning an examined eye with light from a light source and reference light configured from light divided from the light source, an adjustment section that is disposed on an optical path of at least one out of the signal light or the reference light, and that adjusts a polarization state of light propagating along the at least one optical path such that a polarization state of the signal light is the same as the polarization state of the reference light, and a control section that controls the adjustment section according to a scan angle scanned on the examined eye.

Claims (19)

1 . An ophthalmic device comprising:

an interference optical system that detects interference light between signal light obtained by scanning an examined eye with light from a light source and reference light configured from light divided from the light source;

an adjustment section that is disposed on an optical path of at least one of the signal light or the reference light, and that adjusts a polarization state of light propagating along the at least one optical path such that a polarization state of the signal light is the same as a polarization state of the reference light; and

a control section that controls the adjustment section according to a scan angle at which the examined eye is scanned.

2 . The ophthalmic device of claim 1 , wherein the control section performs control to adjust the polarization state of the at least one optical path according to a position scanned on the examined eye corresponding to the scan angle at which the examined eye is scanned.

3 . The ophthalmic device of claim 1 , wherein the adjustment section includes an optical member to adjust a direction of polarization.

4 . The ophthalmic device of claim 3 , wherein the optical member includes a ½ wavelength plate and adjusts the direction of polarization, by rotating the ½ wavelength plate.

5 . The ophthalmic device of claim 3 , wherein the optical member includes a reflection member to adjust an optical path length, and adjusts the direction of polarization by adjusting a position of the reflection member in an optical axis direction.

6 . The ophthalmic device of claim 3 , wherein the optical member includes a depolarizer, and adjusts the direction of polarization by using the depolarizer to emit unpolarized light.

7 . The ophthalmic device of claim 1 , wherein the control section:

detects the scan angle at which the examined eye is scanned; and

computes an adjustment amount based on the detected scan angle.

8 . The ophthalmic device of claim 7 , wherein the adjustment section derives the adjustment amount based on a table pre-stored with scan angles at which the examined eye is scanned associated with adjustment amounts to adjust the polarization state.

9 . A control method for controlling the ophthalmic device of claim 1 , the control method comprising, by a processor of the ophthalmic device:

a step of acquiring an adjustment amount of the adjustment section that is disposed on the optical path of the at least one of the signal light or the reference light, and that adjusts the polarization state of the light propagating along the at least one optical path such that the polarization state of the signal light is the same as the polarization state of the reference light, wherein the adjustment amount corresponds to a scan angle of OCT signal light; and

a step of controlling the adjustment section based on the adjustment amount.

10 . A non-transitory storage medium storing a program that is executable by a computer to execute:

acquiring an adjustment amount of an adjustment section that is disposed on an optical path of at least one of a signal light or a reference light, and that adjusts a polarization state of light propagating along the at least one optical path such that a polarization state of the signal light is the same as a polarization state of the reference light, wherein the adjustment amount corresponds to a scan angle of OCT signal light; and

controlling the adjustment section based on the adjustment amount.