Photorefraction Ocular Screening Device and Methods

Abstract

A photorefraction ocular screening device for assessing vision and corresponding disorders associated with the human ocular system is provided. More specifically, the present invention provides for a photorefraction ocular screening device employing advanced methods of pupil detection and refractive error analysis. The photorefraction ocular screening device is comprised of an LED arrangement configured with a plurality of irradiation sources serving as visual stimuli, wherein the visual stimuli may be presented in varying illumination patterns to the pupils of an examinee for expanding the range of ocular responses that can be used to determine refractive error.

1 . A photorefraction ocular device, comprising:
 a single housing body;   an image capture component positioned within the single housing body, the image capture component being configured to capture one or more images of at least one pupil of an examinee;   a lens component coupled to the image capture component;   a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) coupled to the single housing body;   an operator display screen coupled to the single housing body; and   a processor positioned in the single housing body, the processor including processing logic programmed to:
 control operation of the plurality of LEDs to illuminate the at least one pupil; 
 focus the lens component to view the at least one pupil; 
 capture one or more images of the at least one pupil using the image capture component; 
 locate the pupil in the one or more images; 
 display the one or more images of the pupil on the operator display screen; and 
 analyze the one or more images of the pupil to determine refractive error of the examinee. 
   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein both pupils of the examinee are captured at the same time. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the processing logic is further programmed to wirelessly transmit the one or more images and the refractive error of the pupil to a remote device. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of LEDs present near-infrared (NIR) illumination when activated. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of LEDs are arranged in a hexagonal configuration. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of LEDs are arranged in three concentric rings. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein two or more of the plurality of LEDs are activated at a time to present a plurality of different illumination patterns to the examinee. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 7 , wherein one image of the pupil is captured for each illumination pattern. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 7 , wherein each illumination pattern is characterized in terms of decentration from a center optical axis and an angle in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the device is configured for mobility. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising an audible attention-getting stimuli configured to attract an examinee's direction of gaze toward the lens component. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a visual attention-getting stimuli configured to attract an examinee's direction of gaze toward the lens component. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the operator display screen is further configured to display operator-relevant information. 
     
     
         14 . A photorefraction ocular screening device, comprising:
 a single housing body;   an image capture component positioned within the single housing body;   a lens component coupled to the image capture component;   a plurality of near-infrared light emitting diodes (NIR LEDs) coupled to the single housing body;   an attention-getting stimuli comprising audible stimuli and visual stimuli;   an operator display screen coupled to the single housing body; and   a processing device positioned in the single housing body, the processing device configured to execute instructions that cause the photorefraction ocular screening device to:
 activate the attention-getting stimuli to attract an examinee's direction of gaze toward the lens component; 
 focus the lens component to view both pupils of the examinee; 
 control the plurality of NIR LEDs to illuminate both pupils of the examinee in a plurality of different illumination patterns; 
 capture, using the image capture component, a plurality of images of the pupils corresponding to the plurality of different illumination patterns; 
 locate the pupils in the plurality of images; 
 display the plurality of images on the operator display screen; 
 analyze the plurality of images to determine refractive error of the examinee; and 
 display operator-relevant information on the operator display screen. 
   
     
     
         15 . The photorefraction ocular screening device of  claim 14 , wherein the processing device is further configured to execute instructions that cause the photorefraction ocular screening device to calibrate the photorefraction ocular screening device to ensure that both pupils are detected and predetermined acceptance criteria are met. 
     
     
         16 . The photorefraction ocular screening device of  claim 14 , wherein the processing device is further configured to execute instructions that cause the photorefraction ocular screening device to wirelessly transmit the plurality of images and the refractive error of the examinee to a remote device. 
     
     
         17 . The photorefraction ocular screening device of  claim 14 , wherein the operator-relevant information comprises feedback regarding progress of the examination. 
     
     
         18 . The photorefraction ocular screening device of  claim 14 , wherein the processing device is further configured to execute instructions that cause the photorefraction ocular screening device to activate two or more of the plurality of NIR LEDs at a time to present a plurality of different illumination patterns to the examinee. 
     
     
         19 . The photorefraction ocular screening device of  claim 18 , wherein each illumination pattern is characterized in terms of decentration from a center optical axis and an angle in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis. 
     
     
         20 . A photorefraction ocular screening device, comprising:
 a single housing body having a first end and a second end opposite the first end;   an image capture component positioned within the single housing body;   a lens component coupled to the image capture component;   a plurality of near-infrared light emitting diodes (NIR LEDs) coupled to the first end of the single housing body in a hexagonal arrangement;   a speaker positioned within the single housing body, the speaker being configured to provide audible attention-getting stimuli;   an operator display screen coupled to the second end of the single housing body; and   a processor positioned in the single housing body, the processor including processing logic programmed to:
 focus the lens component to locate both pupils of an examinee; 
 activate the speaker to provide the audible attention-getting stimuli; 
 control operation of the plurality of NIR LEDs to illuminate both pupils of the examinee in a plurality of different illumination patterns comprising activating two or more of the plurality of NIR LEDs at a time; 
 capture, using the image capture component, a plurality of images of the pupils corresponding to the plurality of different illumination patterns; 
 confirm that the plurality of images meet predefined criteria; 
 display the plurality of images on the operator display screen; 
 analyze the plurality of images to determine refractive error of the examinee; 
 display operator-relevant information on the operator display screen; and 
 wirelessly transmit the plurality of images and the refractive error of the examinee to a remote device.