TY - JOUR
T1 - Computer-aided fixation detection using retinal birefringence in multi-modal ophthalmic systems
T2 - Computer, electronics, algorithms
AU - Gramatikov, Boris I.
N1 - Funding Information:
This project was supported partially by the Individual Biomedical Research Award and the Biomedical Research Collaboration Award from The Hartwell Foundation , USA; generous gifts from Robert and Maureen Feduniak, Dewey and Janet Gargiulo, David and Helen Leighton, Richard and Victoria Baks, and Robert and Diane Levy. The author thanks Dr. David Guyton for valuable discussions and suggestions, for helping with the optics and with the measurements of the polarization-sensitive elements, and to Dr. Kristi Irsch for important discussions related to the computer modeling.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 Elsevier Ltd
Copyright:
Copyright 2020 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2020/4
Y1 - 2020/4
N2 - Many diagnostic and some therapeutic ophthalmic devices require a reliable complementing method to track the direction of gaze or just to validate fixation of the eye on a presented target. This would allow acquisition of artefact-free robust images of the fovea and the surrounding macula. So far, there have been only few attempts to provide fast and dependable fixation information to an optical imaging system in real time, to guide image acquisition. The author's lab has developed several instruments that detect the location of the fovea using retinal birefringence scanning (RBS), proven to be very effective. Here, an RBS-based fixation detection subsystem is proposed, designed to operate conjointly with a number of ophthalmic imaging technologies. Combining RBS with such technologies is not trivial, because RBS uses polarized light and polarization-sensitive optics, while most other modalities don't. The polarization optics was optimized by means of enhanced computer modeling. Both the electronic hardware and the software were designed for fast and reliable performance. Because many retinal imaging systems are used in pediatric settings, extensive audio-visual circuitry was employed for efficient attention/fixation attraction. The optomechanics has been optimized for robust data acquisition. This computer-aided conjoint system employs true anatomical information from the back of the eye and needs no calibration. The prototype instrument uses a decision-making logic based on four frequencies generated during scanning. The results reveal the applicability of RBS as an adjunct fixation monitoring modality, showing promise to remove the limitation imposed by eye movements upon advanced ophthalmic imaging technologies.
AB - Many diagnostic and some therapeutic ophthalmic devices require a reliable complementing method to track the direction of gaze or just to validate fixation of the eye on a presented target. This would allow acquisition of artefact-free robust images of the fovea and the surrounding macula. So far, there have been only few attempts to provide fast and dependable fixation information to an optical imaging system in real time, to guide image acquisition. The author's lab has developed several instruments that detect the location of the fovea using retinal birefringence scanning (RBS), proven to be very effective. Here, an RBS-based fixation detection subsystem is proposed, designed to operate conjointly with a number of ophthalmic imaging technologies. Combining RBS with such technologies is not trivial, because RBS uses polarized light and polarization-sensitive optics, while most other modalities don't. The polarization optics was optimized by means of enhanced computer modeling. Both the electronic hardware and the software were designed for fast and reliable performance. Because many retinal imaging systems are used in pediatric settings, extensive audio-visual circuitry was employed for efficient attention/fixation attraction. The optomechanics has been optimized for robust data acquisition. This computer-aided conjoint system employs true anatomical information from the back of the eye and needs no calibration. The prototype instrument uses a decision-making logic based on four frequencies generated during scanning. The results reveal the applicability of RBS as an adjunct fixation monitoring modality, showing promise to remove the limitation imposed by eye movements upon advanced ophthalmic imaging technologies.
KW - Birefringence
KW - Combined retinal imaging systems
KW - Polarization-sensitive optical imaging systems
KW - Real-time fixation monitoring
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U2 - 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2020.103672
DO - 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2020.103672
M3 - Article
C2 - 32339117
AN - SCOPUS:85079883188
SN - 0010-4825
VL - 119
JO - Computers in Biology and Medicine
JF - Computers in Biology and Medicine
M1 - 103672
ER -