Methods and apparatus for observing and recording irregularities of the macula and nearby retinal field
Systems and methods for observing and recording retinal irregularities are disclosed. A method according to the invention includes illuminating a viewing area with a steady light, illuminating the viewing area with a flash pattern, and enabling a user to observe, by looking at the illuminated viewing area, a visual representation of the existence of a retinal irregularity. The viewing area is illuminated with the steady light and flash pattern such that the user can identify in the viewing area a visual abnormality that is indicative of the retinal irregularity. The user can provide a description of the visual representation, which can be forwarded to a caregiver for analysis.
1. A method for enabling a user to observe the retinal irregularity of the user's eye, the method comprising:
illuminating a viewing area with a steady light;
illuminating the viewing area with a flash pattern; and
adjusting at least one of a color, a repetition frequency, and a duty cycle of said flash pattern and/or said steady light so as to enable the user to observe, by looking at the illuminated viewing area, a visual representation of the existence of a retinal irregularity of the user's eye.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
enabling the user to select the flash pattern from among a plurality of predefined flash patterns.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
enabling the user to define at least one of the steady light and the flash pattern.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
enabling the user to store parameters that define either the steady light or the flash pattern.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein enabling the user to observe the visual representation comprises illuminating the viewing area such that the user can identify in the viewing area a visual abnormality that is indicative of the retinal irregularity.
6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
receiving from the user, a description of the visual abnormality.
7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
forwarding the description of the visual abnormality to a caregiver.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the retinal irregularity includes at least one of macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, macular edema, and macular hole formation.
9. A system for enabling self-detection of a retinal irregularity, the system comprising:
a light source that illuminates a viewing area with a steady light;
a modulator that modulates the steady light to achieve a flash pattern at the viewing area; and
means for enabling a user to observe, by looking at the illuminated viewing area, a visual representation of the existence the retinal irregularity.
10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the light source comprises a light emitting diode.
11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the modulator comprises a timing circuit that generates a pulse train.
12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the pulse train is fed into a pulse shaper circuit that generates a pulse of predefined width and shape.
13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the modulator comprises a rotating disk.
14. The system of claim 9 , further comprising a diffuser that provides generally uniform brightness of the light.
15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the diffuser comprises a plurality of diffusion filters.
16. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions for performing a method for observing a retinal irregularity, the method comprising:
illuminating a viewing area with a steady light;
illuminating the viewing area with a flash pattern; and
adjusting at least one of a color, a repetition frequency, and a duty cycle of said flash pattern and/or said steady light so as to enable the user to observe, by looking at the illuminated viewing area, a visual representation of the existence of the retinal irregularity of the user's eye.