초록 ▼

The method and apparatus for measuring the transmittance of blood within a retinal vessel detects the intensity of light reflected from illuminated portions of an eye, including the retinal vessel and background fundus, and adjusts the corresponding intensity signals to compensate for reflections fr

The method and apparatus for measuring the transmittance of blood within a retinal vessel detects the intensity of light reflected from illuminated portions of an eye, including the retinal vessel and background fundus, and adjusts the corresponding intensity signals to compensate for reflections from the retinal vessel. In particular, the transmittance measuring method and apparatus constructs an intensity profile function based upon the intensity signals. As a result, the intensity profile function approximates the intensity of light transmitted through the retinal vessel as a function of retinal vessel position. During the construction of the intensity profile function, the transmittance measuring method and apparatus can compensate for at least some of the reflections of light from the retinal vessel which occurred prior to propagation of the light through the retinal vessel, thereby increasing the accuracy with which the transmittance of blood within a retinal vessel is measured. In addition, the transmittance measuring method and apparatus can compensate for the finite point spread function of the light with which the eye is illuminated in order to further increase the resulting measurement accuracy.

대표청구항 ▼

[ That which is claimed is:] [1.] A method of measuring the transmittance of blood within a retinal vessel, the method comprising the steps of:illuminating the retinal vessel and at least a portion of the background fundus within an eye;detecting the intensity of light reflected from illuminated por

[ That which is claimed is:] [1.] A method of measuring the transmittance of blood within a retinal vessel, the method comprising the steps of:illuminating the retinal vessel and at least a portion of the background fundus within an eye;detecting the intensity of light reflected from illuminated portions of the eye;identifying a portion of the detected light intensities as corresponding to light that has been transmitted through a retinal vessel, wherein said identifying step comprises matching a portion of the detected light intensities with a predetermined pattern corresponding to the intensity of light that has propagated through a retinal vessel;constructing an intensity profile function based upon the identified portion of the detected light intensities, wherein the intensity profile function approximates the intensity of light transmitted through the retinal vessel as a function of retinal vessel position, and wherein said constructing step comprises compensating for at least some of the reflections of light from the retinal vessel which occurred prior to propagation of the light through the retinal vessel; anddetermining the transmittance of blood within the retinal vessel based upon the intensity profile function.