Opto-Mechanical Eye Models, a Review on Human Vision Applications and Perspectives for Use in Industry

Abstract

The purpose of this review is to aggregate technical information on existent optomechanical eye models (OME) described in the literature, for image quality assessment in different applications. Several physical eye models have been reviewed from peer-reviewed papers and patent applications. A typical eye model includes an artificial cornea, an intraocular lens or other lens to simulate the crystalline lens, an aperture as the pupil, and a posterior retinal surface, which may be connected to a light sensor. The interior of the eye model may be filled with a fluid to better emulate physiological conditions. The main focus of this review is the materials and physical characteristics used and the dimensional aspects of the main components including lenses, apertures, chambers, imaging sensors and filling medium. Various devices are described with their applications and technical details, which are systematically tabulated highlighting their main characteristics and applications. The models presented are detailed and discussed individually, and the features of different models are compared when applicable, highlighting strengths and limitations. In the end there is a brief discussion about the potential use of artificial eye models for industrial applications.

A model eye for fluorescent characterization of retinal cultures and tissues

“…Phantom eyes (PEs) have been designed for decades 9 , and they are mainly employed in ophthalmic training or to calibrate, design, and evaluate the reliability of ophthalmoscopy devices [10][11][12][13][14][15] . In particular, PEs are made of synthetic (often plastic) materials and enable to emulate: (1) the anterior chamber 16 , (2) the reflectivity and thickness of the retina including the fovea 17,18 , (3) the optic nerve cup and nerve fiber layers 10,13 , and (4) the retinal detachment and dry age macular degeneration 19 .…”

Real-time video funduscopy with continuously moving fixation target

“…The design follows the Gullstrand principle, whereby the beam paths of the sensor and illumination run through different areas of the eye [8]. Studies by other researchers have shown that a suitable arrangement of the illumination means that the Purkinje reflexes of the eye have no disturbing effects on the fundus sensor [12,13]. For the setup shown here, it was found that the Purkinje reflexes have no disturbing effect if the illumination on the lens does not fall below a radius of 2 mm and the fundus system is correctly focused.…”