Portable fundus camera

1. A fundus camera module for imaging a retina of a patient's eye, the fundus camera module being adapted to mechanically couple to a mobile device comprising a light detector, the fundus camera module comprising:

a housing having a first aperture, a second aperture, and a third aperture each formed therethrough;

a plurality of optical components disposed within the housing, the plurality of optical components comprising a first lens, a second lens, and an alignment target, wherein the first lens, the alignment target, and the second lens are arranged sequentially and along a linear path, wherein the alignment target is disposed between the first lens and the second lens, and wherein the plurality of optical components is arranged to:

direct ambient light received into the housing through the third aperture and through the first lens, the alignment target, and the second lens to the first aperture via a third optical channel;

direct light generated by a light source through the second aperture to the first aperture via a first optical channel and to the retina when the patient's eye is located adjacent to the first aperture; and

direct reflected light from the retina into the housing through the first aperture and to the light detector via a second optical channel when the fundus camera module is mechanically coupled to the mobile device, wherein the second optical channel is adapted to project the reflected light onto the light detector to capture an image of the retina.

2. The fundus camera module of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of optical components further comprises at least one additional lens adapted to transform a light beam transmitted through the first optical channel into a ring-shaped light beam.

3. The fundus camera module of claim 1 , further comprising the light source, wherein the light source comprises a laser disposed within the housing.

4. The fundus camera module of claim 1 , wherein the mobile device comprises the light source.

5. The fundus camera module of claim 1 , wherein the housing is in a form of an extended shaft having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the first aperture is located at the proximal end and the second aperture is located at the distal end, and wherein the fundus camera module comprises a connector located at the distal end of the extended shaft.

6. The fundus camera module of claim 5 , wherein the connector comprises a plate having a proximal surface and a distal surface, wherein the extended shaft is a contiguous extension that extends proximally from the proximal surface of the plate, wherein the distal end of the extended shaft defines an opening through the plate, and wherein the distal surface of the plate abuts at least a portion of a surface of the mobile device when the second aperture is positioned adjacent to the light detector of the mobile device.

7. The fundus camera module of claim 5 , wherein the connector comprises a slot for receiving and mechanically coupling to the mobile device.

8. The fundus camera module of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of optical components is further arranged to simultaneously direct the ambient light received into the housing and the light generated by the light source via the first aperture to the retina.

9. The fundus camera module of claim 8 , wherein the alignment target is located at a focal point of the third optical channel defined by the first lens and the second lens.

10. The fundus camera module of claim 9 , wherein the alignment target comprises a transparent disc having a non-transparent mark formed thereon, wherein the alignment target is arranged such that the non-transparent mark is centered on an optical axis defined by the third optical channel.

11. A method comprising:

mechanically coupling a fundus camera module to a mobile device;

causing a light source housed within a housing of the fundus camera module to generate internally-produced light;

receiving externally-produced light into the housing via an aperture of the housing;

directing the internally-produced light through the housing and to a retina of a patient;

directing the externally-produced light through the housing and to the retina of the patient, wherein the externally-produced light is directed sequentially through a first lens, an alignment target, and a second lens arranged in a linear path, and wherein the alignment target is disposed between the first lens and the second lens; and

capturing, with a light detector of the mobile device, reflected light from the retina of the patient, the captured light forming an image of the retina.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein fundus camera module is adapted to transform the internally-produced light into a ring-shaped light beam.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the housing is in a form of an extended shaft having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the fundus camera module comprises a connector located at the distal end of the extended shaft, and the fundus camera module is mechanically coupled to the mobile device via the connector.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the connector comprises a plate having a proximal surface and a distal surface, wherein the extended shaft is a contiguous extension that extends proximally from the proximal surface of the plate, wherein the distal end of the extended shaft defines an opening through the plate, and wherein the distal surface of the plate abuts at least a portion of a surface of the mobile device.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the connector comprises a slot for receiving and mechanically coupling the fundus camera module to the mobile device.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the internally-produced light and the externally-produced light are simultaneously directed through the housing and to the retina of the patient.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the externally-produced light comprises light reflected off of an object located at least 4 meters from the aperture of the housing.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:

directing the externally-produced light through the alignment target disposed within the housing prior to the externally-produced light reaching the retina of the patient, wherein the reflected light corresponds to light reflected off of the retina of the patient as the patient is focusing on the object using the alignment target.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the alignment target comprises a transparent disc having a non-transparent mark formed thereon.

20. A fundus camera for imaging a retina of a patient's eye, the fundus camera comprising:

a housing having a first aperture, a second aperture, and a third aperture each formed therethrough;

a plurality of optical components disposed within the housing, the plurality of optical components comprising a first lens, a second lens, and an alignment target, wherein the first lens, the alignment target, and the second lens are arranged sequentially and along a linear path, wherein the alignment target is disposed between the first lens and the second lens, and wherein the plurality of optical components is arranged to:

direct light generated by a light source through the second aperture to the first aperture and to the retina via a first optical channel when the patient's eye is located adjacent to the first aperture;

direct ambient light received into the housing through the third aperture and through the first lens, the alignment target, and the second lens to the first aperture via a second optical channel, wherein the alignment target is disposed between the first lens and the second lens; and

direct reflected light from the retina into the housing through the first aperture and to a light detector via a third optical channel, wherein the third optical channel is adapted to project the reflected light onto the light detector to capture an image of the retina.