Low-Cost Eye Phantom for Stereophotogrammetry-Based Optic Nerve Head Topographical 3D Imaging

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Biomedical Engineering
• Optical Imaging

Background:

• Glaucoma is a leading cause of global blindness, necessitating accessible diagnostic tools.
• Stereophotogrammetry offers objective optic nerve head (ONH) topographical imaging for glaucoma assessment.
• Existing eye phantoms for system calibration are often prohibitively expensive due to custom lens requirements.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a low-cost, compliant, and configurable eye phantom for stereophotogrammetry-based ONH imaging systems.
• To create a phantom that replicates ocular optics and potential measurement artifacts.
• To provide a calibration and evaluation tool for advanced glaucoma diagnostic systems.

Main Methods:

• A novel eye phantom was designed using a vacuum-formed cornea and a stock bi-convex lens.
• The phantom's optical properties were engineered to mimic a gold-standard wide-angle schematic eye model.
• The design incorporates 3D-printed components for modularity and ease of modification.
• The phantom was tested and validated using an ONH topographical imager.

Main Results:

• The developed eye phantom is optically similar to established schematic eye models.
• It meets compliance and configurability requirements for stereophotogrammetry-based ONH imaging.
• The phantom's low-cost design utilizes commercially available and 3D-printed parts.
• Successful demonstration of its utility in an ONH imager was achieved.

Conclusions:

• A cost-effective and adaptable eye phantom has been successfully developed for stereophotogrammetry-based ONH imaging.
• This innovation can facilitate wider adoption of objective glaucoma assessment tools.
• The modular design allows for potential adaptation to other ophthalmic imaging applications.