Hand-held portable fundus camera for screening photography

Abstract

System and Method pertaining to the modification and integration of an existing consumer digital camera, for example, with an optical imaging module to enable point and shoot fundus photography of the eye. The auto-focus macro capability of existing consumer cameras is adapted to photograph the retina over an extended diopter range, eliminating the need for manual diopter focus adjustment. The thru-the-lens (TTL) auto-exposure flash capability of existing consumer cameras is adapted to photograph the retina with automatic flash exposure eliminating the need for manual flash adjustment. The consumer camera imaging sensor and flash are modified to perform both non-mydriatic focusing of the retina using infrared illumination and standard color flash photography of the retina without the need for additional imaging sensors or mechanical filters. These modifications and integration of existing consumer cameras for fundus photography of the eye significantly improve ease of manufacture and usability over existing fundus cameras.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A hand-held portable fundus camera system comprising:
 a module optical system capable of being integrated with a consumer camera device for auto focus photography by said consumer camera device of the fundus of an eye;   said module optical system, comprising:
 a composing image acquisition illumination observation source; 
 a final image acquisition illumination source; 
 an optical separator and transmitting means for separating and transmitting said composing image acquisition observation illumination source and said final image acquisition illumination source to an image mask, of which is relayed to the retina of the fundus through the use of a redirecting mirror, a beam splitter and a front objective lens; 
 said image mask configured to provide light that illuminates the retina to output an image that is relayed through said objective lens and captured by said consumer camera to provide an image of the retina; 
 a module interface system to integrate said module optical system with said consumer camera device; 
 wherein said module interface system enhances the macro focusing capability of said consumer camera device to enable auto-focus photography by said consumer camera device of the fundus image produced by said front objective lens.