Method and apparatus for prediction of post-operative perceived iris color

Abstract

The present invention predicts prior to a laser iris color-change procedure what a patient's iris color will be after the procedure. The present invention does so by identifying and measuring a variety of anatomical features of the patient's eye that affect or are otherwise relevant to predicting the patient's post-operative iris color, translating these measurements into a post-operative iris color prediction, and communicating this prediction to the patient in a manner sufficient to manage the patient's expectations with respect to the aesthetic outcome of the procedure.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for generating predictions, at a time prior to a laser iris color-change procedure, of what patients' iris color will be after the procedure is performed and its effects are realized, the method comprising:
 capturing images of anatomical features of a patient's eye using a radiation-emitting device and an image sensor, wherein the anatomical features comprise at least one of: an iris thickness; a density of iris stromal fibers; an axial periodicity of iris stromal fibers; a depth of iris stromal fibers; or an arrangement of iris stroma fibers;   measuring the anatomical features of the patient's eye by extracting measurements from the captured images;   generating search criteria based on the measurements of the anatomical features of the patient's eye;   querying a database comprising measurements of the anatomical features of a population of eyes and iris colors associated with the anatomical features of the population of eyes using the search criteria by comparing the search criteria with the measurements of the anatomical features of the population of eyes and iris colors associated with the anatomical features of the population of eyes contained in the database;   generating a prediction of iris color-change based on a reduction or elimination of stromal pigment; and   generating for display, on a display device, at least one of a description or image of the prediction.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the anatomical features of the patient's eye further comprise at least one of: a location, density, color, or thickness of at least one of melanocytes or lipofuscin; a thickness, density, axial periodicity, depth, or arrangement of iris vasculature; an anterior chamber depth; or a corneal curvature or clarity. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the radiation-emitting device or the image sensor comprises at least one of: optical coherence tomography; anterior segment optical coherence tomography; spectral domain optical coherence tomography; or ultrasound biomicroscopy. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein displaying at least one of a description or image of the prediction further comprises:
 generating a data map of a patient's iris colors; and   converting the data map to a visual map featuring an animated iris image.   
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein generating the prediction further comprises modifying ranges for a given data point under a given iris color category. 
     
     
         6 . A method for generating predictions, at a time prior to a laser iris color-change procedure, of what patients' iris color will be after the procedure is performed and its effects are realized, the method comprising:
 capturing images of anatomical features of a patient's eye using a radiation-emitting device and an image sensor, wherein the anatomical features comprise at least one of: an iris thickness; a density of iris stromal fibers; an axial periodicity of iris stromal fibers; a depth of iris stromal fibers; or an arrangement of iris stroma fibers;   measuring the anatomical features of the patient's eye, wherein measuring the anatomical features of a patient's eye comprises measuring an iris stroma thickness by determining a distance from a first predetermined plane of the patient's iris to a second predetermined plane of the patient's iris;   generating search criteria based on measurements of the anatomical features of the patient's eye;   querying a database comprising measurements of the anatomical features of a population of eyes and iris colors associated with the anatomical features of the population of eyes using the search criteria;   generating a prediction of iris color-change based on a reduction or elimination of stromal pigment by comparing the search criteria with the measurements of the anatomical features of the population of eyes and iris colors associated with the anatomical features of the population of eyes contained in the database; and   generating for display, on a display device, at least one of a description or image of the prediction.   
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein at least one of the radiation-emitting device or the image sensor comprises at least one of: optical coherence tomography; anterior segment optical coherence tomography; spectral domain optical coherence tomography; or ultrasound biomicroscopy. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the first predetermined plane of the patient's iris comprises a stroma fiber in the patient's eye. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the first predetermined plane of the patient's iris comprises an anterior surface of the patient's iris. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the first predetermined plane of the patient's iris comprises an anterior surface of a stromal layer of the patient's iris. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the second predetermined plane of the patient's iris comprises an anterior surface of the iris pigment epithelium of the patient's eye. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the second predetermined plane of the patient's iris comprises a posterior surface of the iris pigment epithelium of the patient's eye. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the anatomical features of the patient's eye comprise location, density, color, or thickness of at least one of melanocytes or lipofuscin. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the anatomical features of the patient's eye comprise a thickness, density, axial periodicity, depth, or arrangement of iris vasculature. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein displaying at least one of a description or image of the prediction further comprises:
 generating a data map of a patient's iris colors; and   converting the data map to a visual map featuring an animated iris image.   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein generating the prediction further comprises modifying ranges for a given data point under a given iris color category. 
     
     
         17 . A non-transitory, computer readable medium comprising instructions recorded thereon, that when executed by one or more processors cause operations comprising:
 capturing images of anatomical features of a patient's eye using a radiation-emitting device and an image sensor, wherein the anatomical features comprise at least one of: an iris thickness; a density of iris stromal fibers; an axial periodicity of iris stromal fibers; a depth of iris stromal fibers; or an arrangement of iris stroma fibers;   measuring the anatomical features of the patient's eye by extracting measurements from the captured images;   generating search criteria based on the measurements of the anatomical features of the patient's eye;   querying a database comprising measurements of the anatomical features of a population of eyes and iris colors associated with the anatomical features of the population of eyes using the search criteria by comparing the search criteria with the measurements of the anatomical features of the population of eyes and iris colors associated with the anatomical features of the population of eyes contained in the database;   generating a prediction of iris color-change based on a reduction or elimination of stromal pigment; and   generating for display, on a display device, at least one of a description or image of the prediction.   
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory, computer readable medium according to  claim 17 , wherein the anatomical features of the patient's eye further comprise at least one of: a location, density, color, or thickness of at least one of melanocytes or lipofuscin; a thickness, density, axial periodicity, depth, or arrangement of iris vasculature; an anterior chamber depth; or a corneal curvature or clarity. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory, computer readable medium according to  claim 17 , wherein at least one of the radiation-emitting device or the image sensor comprises at least one of: optical coherence tomography; anterior segment optical coherence tomography; spectral domain optical coherence tomography; or ultrasound biomicroscopy. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory, computer readable medium according to  claim 17 , wherein displaying at least one of a description or image of the prediction further comprises:
 generating a data map of a patient's iris colors; and   converting the data map to a visual map featuring an animated iris image.   
     
     
         21 . The non-transitory, computer readable medium according to  claim 17 , wherein generating the prediction further comprises modifying ranges for a given data point under a given iris color category.