Local binary pattern matching for fast retina map relocalization using the slit-lamp

Abstract

Computer assistance has the potential for increasing safety and accuracy during retinal laser treatment using the slit-lamp. In this context, intra-operative retinal mapping is a fundamental requirement to overlay relevant pre-operative information for surgeons. Retinal mapping using the slit-lamp is a challenging task, due to disturbances such as lens distortions, occlusions and glare. Such disturbances have a negative impact on the duration of the mapping procedure, consequently affecting its acceptance in clinical practice. To cope with these visual tracking interruptions, we propose a fast retina map relocalization strategy based on template-matching, using local binary patterns, which are suitable for the retina’s texture. We perform extensive experiments to show the superior accuracy and computational efficiency of the proposed approach in comparison with feature-based methods.