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Publication Number
US-8380270-B2
Publication Date
2013-02-19
Expiration Date
Abstract
A device for measuring an analyte concentration level in a subject. The device includes: a light source configured for illuminating at least a portion of an anterior region of an eye of the subject with incident light having a substantially broad illumination spectrum at an angle substantially tangential to the surface of the eye; an optical collector configured for detecting reflected light from the at least a portion of the anterior region of the eye; an analyzer configured for analyzing the detected reflected light; and a processor configured to determine the analyte concentration level in the subject based on the analyzed reflected light.
Core Innovation
The invention provides a device for measuring an analyte concentration level in a subject by illuminating at least a portion of an anterior region of an eye with incident light having a substantially broad illumination spectrum at an angle substantially tangential to the surface of the eye. The device includes an optical collector configured for detecting scattered or reflected light from the anterior region and an analyzer for analyzing the detected scattered or reflected light. A processor determines the analyte concentration level based on the analyzed scattered or reflected light.
The approach further includes analyzing the optical response using a reference characteristic spectrum and/or calibration data to compute the analyte concentration level. The disclosed implementations include broadband reflection spectroscopy in which the illumination light is spectrally analyzed and compared with reference spectra to compute the analyte concentration. The invention also supports mapping the measured concentration to health condition determinations using reference data tied to an analyte concentration level in a healthy eye.
A second implementation uses polarization analysis in which the incident light is split into polarized rays, polarization rotations are applied to the polarized rays, and reflected or scattered light components are separately polarization-processed and recombined. The analyzer then analyzes the combined reflected rays and the processor determines the analyte concentration level based on the analyzed combined reflected rays. The disclosed concept is tied to optically active analytes and to quantified relationships associated with polarized and reflected ray components in aqueous humor.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims cover two complementary sets: a device and a method for measuring an analyte concentration level in a subject using broad-spectrum tangential illumination and spectral analysis of scattered or reflected light. A third independent device claim covers a polarization-splitting and recombination configuration for analyzing combined reflected rays, with additional quantified path-length relationships and optional health-condition mapping. Across the independent claims, the core inventive features total at least four distinct mechanisms: tangential broad-spectrum anterior illumination, detection and analysis of scattered or reflected light, concentration determination from the analysis, and optional polarization-based splitting, rotation, and combined-ray analysis.
Broad-spectrum tangential illumination of an anterior eye region
A light source configured for illuminating at least a portion of an anterior region of an eye of the subject with incident light having a substantially broad illumination spectrum at an angle substantially tangential to the surface of the eye.
Detecting scattered or reflected light from the anterior region
An optical collector configured for detecting at least one of scattered or reflected light from the at least a portion of the anterior region of the eye.
Analyzing detected scattered or reflected light
An analyzer configured for analyzing the detected at least one of scattered or reflected light.
Determining analyte concentration from the analyzed optical signal
A processor configured to determine the analyte concentration level in the subject based on the analyzed at least one of scattered or reflected light.
Broad-spectrum tangential irradiation, detection, analysis, and concentration determination
Irradiating at least a portion of an anterior region of an eye with incident light having a substantially broad illumination spectrum at an angle substantially tangential to the surface of the eye; detecting at least one of scattered or reflected light from the at least a portion of the anterior region; analyzing the at least one of scattered or reflected light; and determining the analyte concentration level based on the analyzed at least one of scattered or reflected light.
Polarization splitting, rotation, recombination, and combined reflected-ray analysis
An optical splitter configured for splitting the incident light into first polarized rays and second polarized rays, a first polarization rotation element configured for rotating the polarization of the first polarized rays to be substantially parallel to the polarization of the second polarized rays, a first variable rotator configured for rotating the polarization of the first polarized rays and the polarization of the second polarized rays, a second variable rotator configured for rotating a polarization of first reflected rays and a polarization of second reflected rays, a second polarization rotation element configured for rotating the polarization of the second reflected rays to be substantially perpendicular to the polarization of the first reflected rays, an optical combiner configured for combining the first and second reflected rays into combined reflected rays, an optical collector configured for detecting the combined reflected rays, an analyzer configured for analyzing the combined reflected rays, and a processor configured to determine the analyte concentration level in the subject based on the analyzed combined reflected rays.
Path-length relationship in aqueous humor for polarized and reflected components
The path lengths of the second polarized rays and second reflected rays in aqueous humor are greater than the corresponding path lengths of the first polarized rays and first reflected rays in aqueous humor.
The independent claims broadly cover measuring analyte concentration level in a subject by illuminating an anterior region of an eye with substantially broad illumination spectrum light at a substantially tangential angle, detecting scattered or reflected light, analyzing that light, and determining analyte concentration based on the analysis; additionally, one independent device claim incorporates polarization splitting, rotation, and optical combining to analyze combined reflected rays and includes an aqueous-humor path-length relationship for polarized and reflected components.
Stated Advantages
Non-invasive.
Passive/no excitation.
No baseline.
Cost-effective.
Documented Applications
Determining hydration status using calibration data and thresholds based on measured analyte concentration level.
Analyzing glycemic status using calibration data and thresholds based on measured analyte concentration level.
Monitoring a health condition using reference data tied to an analyte concentration level in a healthy eye, including conditions represented by analyte concentration determinations.
Measuring analyte concentration level in the anterior chamber of the eye (ACE) for analyte categories including metabolic compounds and biomarkers.
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