Reichert, Inc.

David L Beverly

Russell J Bonaventura

David A Luce

David G Kelkenberg

Donald E Miller

An ophthalmic instrument includes a carrier positionable relative to a test subject, and first and second measurement units mounted on the carrier by corresponding first and second parallelogram linkages. The first measurement unit, for example an autorefractor/keratometer, performs a first type of ophthalmic measurement, and is guided by the first parallelogram linkage to move relative to the carrier simultaneously in forward and downward directions from an idle position to a measurement position. The second measurement unit, for example a tonometer, performs a second type of ophthalmic measurement, and is guided by the second parallelogram linkage to move relative to the carrier simultaneously in forward and upward directions from an idle position to a measurement position. The first and second measurement units may each have a respective optical axis which aligns with a fixed measurement axis of the carrier when the measurement unit is in its measurement position.

Ophthalmic instrument having multiple measurement units

A tool for calibrating a non-contact tonometer (NCT) comprises a body having a mating feature configured for removably mounting the body on the nosepiece or on the measurement head of the NCT, a pressure sensor carried by the body and arranged to receive an air pulse discharged by the NCT to provide a pressure signal in response to the air pulse, and a radiation emitter carried by the body, wherein the radiation emitter provides a pseudo-applanation event when the pressure signal reaches a predetermined level that is detectable by the NCT as though an actual corneal applanation had taken place. In one embodiment, the mating feature includes a mounting orifice for receiving a portion of the nosepiece. In another embodiment, the mating feature includes a pair of mounting pins sized for receipt by a corresponding pair of mounting holes in the measurement head of the NCT.

Tonometer calibration tool

An alignment system for an ophthalmic instrument comprises an optical axis along which an operator can directly view the patient's eye and the patient can fixate on a dark fixation target surrounded by a bright background that helps to illuminate the eye for operator viewing. A position detection system utilizing stored geometrical relationships determined by multiple regression during instrument calibration computes X-Y-Z alignment status of the instrument relative to a patient's eye based on local x-y position information from a pair of lateral detectors receiving corneally reflected light from a corresponding pair of lateral light sources. A heads-up display image is provided along an optical axis of the instrument for supplying instructive cues to an operator for moving the instrument to achieve alignment based on signal information from the position detection system, whereby the operator sees both a direct macro-image of the patient's eye and the display image. The alignment system is particularly suitable for use in hand-held ophthalmic instruments.

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Alden, NY, United States of America

David L Beverly