Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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PORTABLE WAVEFRONT ABERROMETER
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. Provisional
Patent Application
No. 61/922,337, filed December 31, 2013.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] Implementations of the present disclosure relate to optical devices
for detecting and
measuring refractive errors of a patient's eye.
BACKGROUND
[0003] In the United States, vision tests are not routinely provided to
children under the age
of 6, with only 14% of children under the age of 6 having had a vision exam.
In addition, over
500 million people worldwide suffer from refractive error-related illness,
with more than 90% of
these people being in developing countries. Such conditions are likely to
worsen over time if
not identified and corrected early.
[0004] Several factors may prohibit both early detection and detection in
general. One is
communication, as may be the case with a small child who cannot clearly
indicate that he/she is
experiencing an ailment or in a developing country in which a patient may not
be able to
communicate effectively with a care provider. Another factor is cost, which
may be particularly
limiting in developing countries as equipment for detecting refractive errors
can be expensive
and well-trained personnel for operating the equipment and analyzing the
results may be
inaccessible or have limited availability.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] The present disclosure is illustrated by way of example, and not by
way of limitation,
in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like references indicate
similar elements,
and in which:
[0006] Figure 1 depicts an eye, a wavefront generated by light reflected
from the eye's
retina, and an array of lenses that focus this light onto a light detector of
a mobile device camera;
[0007] Figure 2 illustrates a design of the disclosed wavefront
aberrometer;
[0008] Figure 3 illustrates an alternative design of the disclosed
wavefront aberrometer;
[0009] Figure 4 depicts differences in Shack-Hartmann spots corresponding
to a normal eye
and an eye with refractive errors, and wavefront contour shapes representing
defocus and
astigmatism;
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[0010] Figure 5 is an illustration of an implementation of the module and
an associated
mobile device;
[0011] Figure 6A depicts a view of an illustrative module in use according
to an
implementation;
[0012] Figure 6B depicts another view of an illustrative module in use
according to an
implementation; and
[0013] Figure 7 is an illustrative process for measuring an aberration of a
patient's eye using
any of the implementations disclosed herein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0014] The subject matter of this application relates to diagnostic
equipment used most
typically by ophthalmologists and optometrists to detect and measure
refractive errors of a
patient's eye. More particularly, the subject matter of this application
pertains to modules that
are capable of being reversibly attached to a portable computing device, such
as a smartphone,
thereby creating a functional wavefront aberrometer. The subject matter of
this application
utilizes a light source, such as a laser present on the module, to generate
the light to be reflected
from the eye. Further, the disclosed device utilizes the portable computing
device's camera to
capture this reflected light, which can then be transformed by software on the
portable
computing device and provided for use by medical professionals and others.
[0015] One objective of the subject matter of this application is to
provide a module that,
when reversibly coupled to a portable computing device such as a smartphone,
creates a
functional wavefront aberrometer. A further objective is to provide a lower-
cost wavefront
aberrometer by utilizing a portable computing device likely to already be
owned by a consumer.
Another objective is to provide a lower-cost wavefront aberrometer module that
could be
branded by an optical professional and lent to a patient for use to provide
the optical
professional with multiple data sets tracking changes in the refractive error
of the patient's eyes.
Yet another objective is to provide a lower-cost wavefront aberrometer module
that could be
branded by an optical professional and lent to a patient to allow that patient
to obtain refractive
measurements without a visit to the optical professional, and optionally, to
have those
measurements transmitted to the optical professional for diagnostic or
screening purposes, or to
fashion or otherwise make ready corrective lenses for purchase. The nature of
the
implementations disclosed herein may reduce the cost associated with a
wavefront aberrometer,
making it a feasible device for home use or in areas of limited medical
infrastructure, such as
developing countries.
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[0016] These objectives can be obtained by a wavefront aberrometer module
(the "module")
that can be reversibly attached to a mobile computing device (the "mobile
device"), such as a
smartphone, personal digital assistant, laptop or palmtop computer.
Smartphones are mobile
phones having a computer, an illuminated screen, and a camera, among other
features. Other
mobile devices having a camera may be used in accordance with the subject
matter of this
application. For example, a mobile devices that may be used in accordance with
the disclosed
implementations could be a phone (or smartphone) equipped with a camera,
although other
devices such as tablet computers, laptop computers, certain audio or video
players, and ebook
readers may also be used, which all may include a light detector (e.g., a
camera) and either a
central processing unit or a transceiver for communicating the information
captured by the
camera to another device with a central processing unit. The module may
include a guide for
positioning or attaching the module to the mobile device to provide a beam
path whereby light
from the light source can be directed towards the patient's eye, and provide a
beam path
whereby light from the light source that is reflected off the patient's eye
travels through an array
of microlenses and then onto the light detector.
[0017] The subject matter of this application separates certain components
of a wavefront
aberrometer into two components that may be joined to form a functioning unit.
One
component, the module, includes a system of focusing and directing light to a
patient's eye, and
a system of directing light reflected from the patient's eye, through an array
of lenses, and
finally to a light detector which includes a portion of the mobile device.
This separation allows
a primary benefit of the subject matter of this application, which is the
division of cost and
complexity of a wavefront aberrometer into a module portion and a mobile
device portion, said
mobile device portion being already likely owned or available to a consumer.
[0018] In use, the module may be reversibly attached to the mobile device
and held in
position so that the light beam from the module's light source is focused by
the module onto the
wearer's eye. When in position, the module's light source is activated causing
this light to
bounce off the wearer's retina and pass through the microlens array before
ultimately being
detected by the mobile device's camera. The data gathered by the camera may
then be processed
through algorithms known in the art by the mobile device's microcomputer, or
the data may be
transmitted by the mobile device to a different computer for processing. The
data may be
presented to the end user in an unprocessed form, or it may be presented in a
post-processing
format, such as an eyeglasses prescription or a Snellen fraction. Software on
the mobile device
may also limit the information presented to the end user and send either the
unprocessed or
processed data to the optical professional for diagnostic use and/or to
prepare corrective lenses.
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[0019] Certain implementations of the disclosure are directed to a module
for use with a
mobile device to measure an aberration of a patient's eye. In one aspect, the
module includes a
light shaft having a proximal end and a distal end. The light shaft may
include a first plurality of
optical components arranged to direct light along a first light path from the
distal end to the
proximal end, and a second plurality of optical components arranged to direct
light along a
second light path from the proximal end to the distal end. In some
implementations, at least a
portion of the first and second light paths are coextensive. The module may
further include a
light source and a connector. The connector may be located at the distal end
of the light shaft.
The connector may include at least one guide component for positioning the
distal end of the
light shaft adjacent a light detector of the mobile device. In some
implementations, when the
distal end of the light shaft is positioned adjacent to the light detector of
the mobile device, the
first plurality of optical components is configured to direct light from the
light source along the
first light path to the proximal end of the light shaft, and the second
plurality of optical
components is configured to direct light along the second light path from the
distal end of the
light shaft to the light detector of the mobile device.
[0020] In some implementations, the second plurality of optical components
includes a
microlens array.
[0021] In some implementations, the light shaft has a tubular shape.
[0022] In some implementations, the connector includes a plate having a
proximal surface
and a distal surface, and the light shaft is a contiguous extension that
extends proximally from
the proximal surface of the plate. The distal end of the light shaft defines
an opening through the
plate.
[0023] In some implementations, the at least one guide component is
disposed along a
perimeter of the plate.
[0024] In some implementations, the distal surface of the plate abuts at
least a portion of a
surface of the mobile device when the distal end of the light shaft is
positioned adjacent to the
light detector of the mobile device.
[0025] In some implementations, the at least one guide component is a slot
for receiving the
mobile device.
[0026] In some implementations, the at least one guide component is
configured to snap
onto a portion of the mobile device.
[0027] In some implementations, the at least one guide component is
configured to
removably attach the module to the mobile device.
[0028] In some implementations, the light source is housed within the light
shaft.
[0029] In some implementations, the light source is a laser.
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[0030] In some implementations, the module further includes a receiving
port for mounting
the light source to the module, wherein the light shaft is configured to
direct light from the light
source when the light source is in the receiving port.
[0031] In some implementations, the module further includes a battery port
for housing a
battery. The battery port may be configured to electrically connect the
battery to the light source
when the battery is in the battery port.
[0032] In some implementations, the light source of the module is
configured to generate
light in response to a signal received from the mobile device.
[0033] In another aspect, a method for measuring an aberration of a
patient's eye includes
positioning a module adjacent to a mobile device such that a distal end of a
light shaft of the
module is adjacent to a light detector of the mobile device. The method
further includes
positioning the module adjacent to the patient's eye such that a proximal end
of the light shaft is
adjacent to the patient's eye. The method further includes directing light
from a light source of
the module through the light shaft and toward the patient's eye. The method
further includes
directing light reflected from the patient's eye through the light shaft to
the light detector of the
mobile device.
[0034] In some implementation, positioning the distal end of the light
shaft adjacent to the
light detector of the mobile device includes removably attaching the module to
the mobile
device.
[0035] In some implementations, the method further includes processing data
generated in
response to directing the light reflected from the patient's eye through the
light shaft to the light
detector of the mobile device.
[0036] In some implementations, processing the data includes measuring a
retinal aberration
of the patient.
[0037] In some implementations, processing the data includes processing the
data using an
application implemented on the mobile device.
[0038] In some implementations, the method further includes transmitting
the data to a
separate device, and processing the data includes processing the data using
the separate device.
[0039] The following description and drawings referenced herein illustrate
an
implementation of the application's subject matter, and are not intended to
limit the scope.
Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that other implementations
of the disclosed
method are possible. All such implementations should be considered within the
scope of the
claims. Each reference number consists of three digits. The first digit
corresponds to the figure
number in which that reference number is first shown. Reference numbers are
not necessarily
discussed in the order of their appearance in the figures.
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[0040] Figure 1 depicts a simple overview of an aspect of an implementation
in which light,
as represented by a light wavefront (103), is reflected off a retina (102) of
a patient's eye (101).
This light (103) is separated by a microlens array (104) into an array of
light spots and focused
by the microlens array onto a two-dimensional light detector (105). As shown
in this
illustration, the two-dimensional light detector may be the camera of a mobile
device, such as a
smart phone. It should be understood that the combination of the module with a
smartphone in
this implementation should not limit the claims to the use of a smartphone, as
any mobile device
can be used with a module as disclosed in this application.
[0041] Figures 2 and 3 are schematics of the optical components within the
module and
show the path of the light from its initiation to it being received on a two-
dimensional light
detector (220), such as the light detector (105) of Figure 1.
[0042] In certain implementations, the module's light source (213), such as
a laser, briefly
turns on. In certain implementations, the light may pass through an aperture
stop (209) to
reduce the radius of the light beam. The light path is directed by reflectors
(210, 205), and may
be optionally focused as needed by passing through lenses (314, 316), as
depicted in Figure 3.
In certain implementations, one or more of reflectors (205, 210) may be
omitted and the light
source (213) may be placed in a suitable location to direct the light beam
toward the beam
splitter (206).
[0043] The light source (213) may be of a sufficiently low power that
prolonged exposure
will not damage the patient's eye. This would allow for a user to turn on the
light source (213) at
the onset of the measurement and leave it on while one or more measurements
are taken.
Alternatively, the module may include a switch that would toggle power to the
light source
(213) in response to a signal sent from the mobile device, such as a Bluetooth
or similar type
signal, or that may be triggered by the firing of the mobile device's flash.
In certain
implementations, a shutter may be utilized to block light from the light
source (213) until a
measurement is to be taken. Power to the light source (213) may be supplied by
a battery
reversibly connected to the module, or the power may be drawn from the mobile
device.
[0044] The light beam from the light source (213) is directed to the
patient's eye by first
directing the light beam along a first light path using a reflector (210), and
then directing the
light beam to a beam splitter (206) by reflector (205). The optional lenses
(314, 316), reflectors
(205, 210), aperture stop (209), beam splitter (206), and light source (213)
may be referred to
collectively as "optical components" or "a first plurality of optical
components," which define a
first light path (211) for the light beam to travel from the light source
(213) to the patient's retina
(201). The plurality of optical components are not limited to those shown, as
additional lenses,
beam splitters, reflectors, and apertures may be included as desired.
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[0045] The reflection and transmission ratio of the beam splitter (206) may
be selected to
allow a sufficient amount of light to be delivered to the eye. The techniques
used to determine
the sufficiency of the light delivered to the eye and of altering the amount
of light by changing
the reflection and transmission ratio of the beam splitter are known in the
relevant arts.
[0046] After the beam splitter (206), the collimated light is directed at
the patient's eye
where it enters the pupil (204) and is focused onto the retina (201) by the
cornea (202) and the
crystalline lens (203). The collimated light is reflected off the retina (201)
and passes again
through the crystalline lens (203) and cornea (202) as it exits the pupil
(204). Thus, post-retinal
light passes through the beam splitter (206) along a light path (212) and then
through a
microlens array (214), such as the microlens array (104) of Figure 1. The
microlens array (214)
includes a plurality of lenses that split and transform the light into a two-
dimensional array of
individually focused spots (a "spot array") at the focal plane of the
microlens array (214). The
resulting spot array then passes through lens (207) and lens (208). These
lenses (207, 208)
create a conjugate image plane of the spot array onto the light detector
(220). In certain
implementations, the light detector is either a complementary metal-oxide-
semiconductor
(CMOS) or a charge-coupled device (CCD). In certain implementations, the lens
(208) and the
light detector (220) are components of the mobile device. The lens (208) may
be the associated
mobile device's camera lens, and may be also include of a series of lenses.
[0047] The lenses (207, 208), microlens array (214), and beam splitter
(206) may also be
referred to collectively as "optical components" or "a second plurality of
optical components,"
which define a second light path for the light beam to travel from the
patient's retina the light
detector (220). It should be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art
that at least a portion
of the first and second light paths are coextensive. The term "coextensive"
means that at least
two defined volumes may occupy the same space. For example, two paths are said
to be
coextensive the paths are substantially parallel and overlapping.
[0048] Although the precision of the aberrometer increases as the number of
lenses that are
within the microlens array increases, increasing the number of lenses may
decreases the
dynamic range (the amplitude of the optical aberration) of the device. A lower
dynamic range
may prevent the aberrometer from measuring large aberrations. The number of
aberrometer
lenses may be further limited by the size of each microlens and the size of
the light beam
entering the microlens array. In certain implementations, the diameter of the
light beam that
enters the microlens array (214) is between about 2 and about 5 millimeters,
corresponding to
the size of the patient's undilated pupil (204), and the microlens array (214)
may include
between 5 and 25 lenses along the X-axis, and between 5 and 25 lenses along
the Y-axis. In
certain implementations, the microlens array (214) may include between 5 and
20 lenses along
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the X-axis, and between 5 and 20 lenses along the Y-axis. In certain
implementations, the
number of lenses along the X-axis of the array is the same as the number of
lenses along the Y-
axis.
[0049] An alternative design of the optical components within the module is
shown in
Figure 3. Figure 3 differs from Figure 2 by the inclusion of optional lenses
(314, 316). Many
of the implementations of the module do not include these components, in part,
to reduce
manufacturing costs, and in part to minimize the size of the module.
[0050] The optical designs of Figures 2 and 3 place the microlens array
(214) within several
tens of millimeters of the pupil (204), placing the distance within the
Rayleigh range used in
near field propagation, thereby providing a reasonable measurement of
aberration even if the
microlens array is not in the conjugate plane of the pupil. Such is described
in Bauman, B. J., &
Eisenbies, S. K. (2006), "Adaptive Optics System Assembly and Integration," in
Porter, J., et al
(Ed.), Adaptive Optics for Vision Science: Principles, Practices, Design, and
Applications,
Wiley-Interscience, pp 155-187. An alternative design is to add a pair of
lenses between pupil
(204) and microlens array (214), as described in U.S Patent No. 6,264,328. The
pair of lenses
forms a conjugate image plane of the pupil onto the microlens array (214),
resulting in an
accurate measurement of the optical aberration of the eye by the light
detector (220).
[0051] Figure 4 illustrates how light reflected from a patient's retina may
be captured by the
mobile device's camera and examples of contour maps resulting from a
transformation of the
data. As described, light reflected from the retina is transformed into a spot
array (401, 402) as
it passes though the microlens array (410), such as any of the microlens
arrays described herein.
If the eye is free of aberrations (e.g., the left eye (411)), the resulting
spot array captured by the
mobile device's camera may be composed of evenly distributed spots (401). If
instead the eye
has aberrations (e.g., the right eye (412)), the resulting captured spot array
may have distorted
spot distribution.
[0052] The image of the spot array can be mathematically transformed though
the use of
algorithms known in the art by the computer on the mobile device itself, or by
a computer
capable of obtaining the image from the mobile device (collectively, the
"computer"). One such
transformation can be to create contour maps representing the aberrations of
the eye (403). The
spot arrays may also be transformed by a computer into an eye prescription
that can be used to
create corrective lenses (404) for the patient.
[0053] Although the primary source of light reflected off the patient's eye
is of light
reflected off the retina, a secondary source of the reflected light is that
which may be reflected
off the patient's cornea or crystalline lens. This corneal or lenticular
reflective light ("noise")
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may be subtracted during processing by the computer or may otherwise be
minimized through
the use of methods and techniques known in the relevant art.
[0054] Figure 5 is an illustration of an implementation of the module and
an associated
mobile device. In certain implementations, the optical components of the
module are contained
within a housing (i.e. a "light shaft"). In certain implementations, the light
shaft may be tubular
(i.e., a "light tube"), such as the light shaft (501) depicted in Figure 5.
The light shaft (501)
includes an eye cup on one end (the "patient end" or "proximal end") (502),
and at least one
opening on the other end (the "device end" or "distal end") (503). The device
end abuts and
reversibly connects to the mobile device (504) by a connector. In certain
implementations, the
connector includes a back plate (507) that has at least one guide component
(508) (e.g., a
positional guide). For example, the guide component (508) may be located along
the perimeter
of back plate (507). In certain implementations, at least two or three guide
components may be
included. In use, guide components reversibly attach to the mobile device so
that the mobile
device's light detector or camera (506) is aligned with the optical components
contained within
the light shaft (501) to receive light reflected from the patient's retina,
also as described.
[0055] In certain implementations, a laser light source of the module is
also contained within
the light shaft (501), although alternative designs may have the laser outside
of the light shaft
(501). For example, the laser light source may be adjacent the light shaft
(501), and
accompanying optical components may direct light from the laser light source
into the light shaft
(501). In addition, the light shaft (501) may also include a user-accessible
battery compartment
that can hold the laser's power source. In certain implementations, the
module's light source
may be powered by the mobile device, and may receive a signal (either by a
direct physical
connection to the mobile device or a wireless receiver) from the mobile device
to produce light.
In certain implementations, the light source is removably attached to a
receiving port of the
module.
[0056] In certain implementations, the light shaft (501) may be a
contiguous extension of the
back plate (507) that extends proximally from a proximal surface of the back
plate (507). The
device end (503) of the light shaft (501) may define an opening through the
back plate (507)
such that light reflected from the patient's eye can pass through. In certain
implementations, a
distal surface of the back plate (507) may abut at least a portion of a
surface of the mobile device
(504) when the distal end of the light shaft (501) is positioned adjacent to
the light detector of
the mobile device (504).
[0057] In certain implementations, the guide component (508) may allow the
back plate
(507) to snap to the mobile device. In certain implementations, the back plate
(507) may include
two guide components (508) disposed on opposite sides that allow the back
plate (507) to slide
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onto the mobile device (504). In such implementations, a third guide component
may be located
at a top or bottom edge of the back plate (507) that prevent further sliding
in order to position
the light shaft (501) to be adjacent to the light detector (506) of the mobile
device (504). In
certain implementations, the back plate (507) may be omitted entirely. For
example, a portion
of the light shaft (501) may snap directly onto the mobile device (504). In
certain
implementations, the guide component (508) may be a slot that is wide enough
to receive and
retain a portion of the mobile device (504), e.g., as illustrated in Figures
6A and 6B. In certain
implementations, the connector that positions the light shaft (501) may be an
adhesive material
that causes the light shaft (501) to stick to the mobile device (504). In such
implementations, the
adhesive material may be disposed on the distal surface of the back plate
(507). In certain
implementations, the connector may include multiple pieces that extend from
the distal end of
the light shaft (501) and are configured to engage and/or wrap around the
mobile device (504).
In certain implementations, the connector may include alignment marks that
indicate how to
position the light shaft (501) with respect to the light detector (506).
[0058] It is to be understood that the tubular shape of the light shaft
(501) is merely an
illustrative example of a light shaft, and any structure that arranges the
optical components of
the module, such as an enclosed housing, a partially enclosed housing (e.g.,
as depicted in
Figure 6A), a plate, or any suitable combination thereof, may be considered to
be a light shaft.
[0059] The exact conformation and size of the optical components housed
within the light
shaft (501) can be determined through the use of equations and techniques
known in the art. In
certain implementations, the positioning of the optical components and the
opening at the device
end of the light shaft (501) is fixed in position during manufacturing so that
the opening
corresponds to the position of the mobile device's camera lens such that the
outgoing, or
reflected, light path is aligned to the mobile device's camera lens.
[0060] In use, the device end of the light shaft (501) may be reversibly
connected to the
mobile device, and the patient end of the light shaft (501) is held against
the patient's eye socket.
When the module's light source is actuated, the light from the light source
travels to the patient's
retina as disclosed, and this light is reflected to the mobile device's
camera, also in the disclosed
manner. The data captured by the light detector or camera is either processed
by the mobile
device (e.g., by an application running on the mobile device), or transmitted
to another computer
for processing. In this manner, the patient may, if the implementation of the
software allows,
monitor their own refraction or Snellen fraction. Other implementations of the
software may
transfer the data to a medical provider for diagnostic or monitoring purposes,
or may transfer the
data to a corrective lens provider for the purpose of providing corrective
lenses to the patient. A
wavefront aberrometer module as described in this application thereby allows a
patient to obtain
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measurements of retinal aberrations without having to travel to an office of
ophthalmology or
optometry, likely increasing compliance with recommended refraction
measurements.
[0061] Figure 7 is an illustrative process for measuring an aberration of a
patient's eye using
any of the implementations disclosed herein. The process (700) begins at step
(702). At step
(704), a distal end of a light shaft of a module is positioned adjacent to a
light detector of a
mobile device. The light shaft may correspond to any implementation disclosed
herein, such as
the light shaft (501) of Figure 5 or the light shaft of Figure 6A. The mobile
device may be any
type of mobile device described herein, such as the mobile device (504) of
Figure 5. In certain
implementations, the light shaft may be placed adjacent to the light detector
of the mobile device
by removably attaching the light shaft to the mobile device by a connector,
such as back plate
(507) and guide component (508) of Figure 5.
[0062] At step (706), a proximal end of the light shaft is positioned
adjacent to a patient's
eye. For example, the proximal end may abut the patients eye or be placed a
distance away so as
to not physically contact the patient. The proximal end may similar to the end
(502) and may
have an eye cup.
[0063] At step (708), light is directed from a light source of the module
through the light
shaft and towards the patient's eye. This may be accomplished, for example,
using a first
plurality of optical components, such as the optional lenses (314, 316),
aperture stop (209),
reflectors (205, 210), and beam splitter (206) of Figures 2 and 3.
[0064] At step (710), light reflected from the patient's eye is directed
through the light shaft
to the light detector of the mobile device. This may be accomplished, for
example, using a
second plurality of optical components, such as the lenses (207, 208, 214,
314, 316), pinhole
aperture (315), and beam splitter (206) of Figure 3.
[0065] In certain implementations, the data generated in response to
directing the light
reflected from the patient's eye to the light detector may be processed, for
example, by the
mobile device itself (using a processor of the mobile device) or a separate
device. The data
processing may include measuring a retinal aberration of the patient, in
accordance with the
methods described herein. In the implementations in which a separate device
processes the data,
the mobile device may be configured to transmit the data (either processed or
unprocessed) to
the separate device.
[0066] The words "example" or "exemplary" are used herein to mean serving
as an example,
instance, or illustration. Any aspect or design described herein as "example"
or "exemplary" is
not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other
aspects or designs.
Rather, use of the words "example" or "exemplary" is intended to present
concepts in a concrete
fashion. As used in this application, the term or is intended to mean an
inclusive or rather
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WO 2015/102703 PCT/US2014/059363
than an exclusive or. That is, unless specified otherwise, or clear from
context, "X includes A
or B" is intended to mean any of the natural inclusive permutations. That is,
if X includes A; X
includes B; or X includes both A and B, then "X includes A or B" is satisfied
under any of the
foregoing instances. In addition, the articles "a" and an as used in this
application and the
appended claims should generally be construed to mean one or more unless
specified
otherwise or clear from context to be directed to a singular form. Reference
throughout this
specification to an implementation" or one implementation" means that a
particular feature,
structure, or characteristic described in connection with the implementation
is included in at
least one implementation. Thus, the appearances of the phrase an
implementation" or one
implementation" in various places throughout this specification are not
necessarily all referring
to the same implementation.
[0067] It is to be understood that the above description is intended to be
illustrative, and not
restrictive. Many other implementations will be apparent to those of skill in
the art upon reading
and understanding the above description. The scope of the disclosure should,
therefore, be
determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of
equivalents to
which such claims are entitled.
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