MULTIPLE-LENS RETINAL IMAGING DEVICE AND METHODS FOR USING DEVICE TO IDENTIFY, DOCUMENT, AND DIAGNOSE EYE DISEASE
A device ( 20 ) for use in the screening, documentation, and diagnosis of various diseases of the eye ( 1 ). Several images ( 60 ) are taken substantially simultaneously, with the images ( 60 ) preferably taken in a non-coplanar orientation relative to each other ( 60 ). The images ( 60 ) represent multiple different zones ( 11 ) of the retina ( 10 ) taken using different optical imaging pathways ( 200 ). Image ( 60 ) distortion is minimized, because the individual optical imaging pathways ( 200 ) need to account for significantly less differential curvature of the object plane than a wide-field optical pathway that attempts to capture both the central and peripheral retina ( 10 ) in a single image. A single composite wide field image ( 61 ) can be generated, by merging the overlapping fields of multiple, concurrently captured images ( 60 ) taken at different angles.
1 . A device for imaging an eye, said device comprising:
a plurality of optical pathways, each pathway oriented to image a particular area of the eye;
coupled to each pathway, a sensor for capturing image information corresponding to that pathway; and
coupled to the sensors, means for generating individual images of the areas of the eye corresponding to the pathways.
2 . The device of claim 1 wherein each image is a still image.
3 . The device of claim 1 wherein each image is a video image.
4 . The device of claim 1 further comprising, coupled to the generating means, means for fabricating a composite image from the individual images.
5 . The device of claim 4 wherein the fabricating means is fully automated.
6 . The device of claim 1 wherein no two pathways lie in the same plane.
7 . The device of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of illumination sources interspersed among the pathways, wherein at least one of the illumination sources is non-coaxial with respect to all of the pathways.
8 . The device of claim 7 wherein at least one illumination source is adjustable with respect to at least one of intensity and wavelength.
9 . The device of claim 1 wherein at least one pathway comprises at least one lens.
10 . The device of claim 1 wherein the pathways are separated by opaque dividers.
11 . The device of claim 1 wherein at least two pathways share a common sensor.
12 . The device of claim 1 wherein at least one pathway comprises a prism.
13 . The device of claim 1 wherein at least one pathway comprises a fiber optic bundle or a light pipe.
14 . The device of claim 1 wherein the pathways are contained within a single chassis; and
the chassis is optically coupled to the eye via a disposable or reusable transparent cover.
15 . The device of claim 1 comprising:
a chassis containing the pathways and the sensors; and
coupled to the chassis, a control unit comprising a display for viewing the images, said control unit adapted to convey commands to the chassis.
16 . A method for imaging an eye, said method comprising the steps of:
simultaneously focusing a plurality of optical pathways on different areas of the eye;
capturing imaging information corresponding to each pathway; and
gathering the imaging information from the pathways to generate a plurality of individual images, each individual image corresponding to the area corresponding to a given pathway.
17 . The method of claim 16 wherein the areas being imaged comprise zones of the retina.
18 . The method of claim 16 wherein the imaging is used to detect at least one of ROP, retinoblastoma, and Candidemia.
19 . The method of claim 16 wherein at least two of the areas being imaged comprise a stereoscopic image pair of an area of the retina.
20 . The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of combining the individual images together to form a composite image of a wide field of the eye.