330results about "Eye inspection" patented technology

The methods, devices, and systems are provided for performing endovascular repair of atrioventricular and other cardiac valves in the heart. Regurgitation of an atrioventricular valve, particularly a mitral valve, can be repaired by modifying a tissue structure selected from the valve leaflets, the valve annulus, the valve chordae, and the papillary muscles. These structures may be modified by suturing, stapling, snaring, or shortening, using interventional tools which are introduced to a heart chamber. Preferably, the tissue structures will be temporarily modified prior to permanent modification. For example, opposed valve leaflets may be temporarily grasped and held into position prior to permanent attachment.

The present invention provides methods and devices for grasping, and optional repositioning and fixation of the valve leaflets to treat cardiac valve regurgitation, particularly mitral valve regurgitation. Such grasping will typically be atraumatic providing a number of benefits. For example, atraumatic grasping may allow repositioning of the devices relative to the leaflets and repositioning of the leaflets themselves without damage to the leaflets. However, in some cases it may be necessary or desired to include grasping which pierces or otherwise permanently affects the leaflets. In some of these cases, the grasping step includes fixation.

An ultrasonic probe assembly comprises a housing defining a longitudinal axis and having a linear motor assembly, a swivel base, and an extension arm disposed therewithin. An imaging transducer is mounted on a free end of the extension arm and is specifically adapted to be moved along an arcuate path as a result of mechanical interconnection of the swivel base to the linear motor assembly. The swivel base upon which the extension arm is mounted is configured to be pivotable about a pivot axis oriented transversely relative to the longitudinal axis such that reciprocative motion of the linear motor assembly is converted in swiveling motion of the swivel base and oscillating translation of the transducer along an arcuate path such that the transducer axis is oriented generally perpendicularly relative to an anatomical structure having a convexly shaped outer surface.

Featured are surgical devices that provide enhanced perceptual feedback to a medical practitioner in the form of e.g. tactile sensations or auditory feedback, and methods of use of the devices. The devices and methods of the present invention are particularly suitable for microsurgery applications including ophthalmic or neurosurgical procedures. Use of the present devices and methods will enhance user feedback, allowing for improved perception, thereby increasing performance, speed, and accuracy of surgical procedures.

A digital medical diagnostic system according to the present invention enables ophthalmologists to view patient and other images remotely to diagnose various conditions. The system includes at least one modality, one or more viewing stations, and an image server. The modality generates patient images associated with examinations, while the image server retrieves and processes information from the modalities. The image server may accommodate modalities utilizing different interfaces and/or formats. The viewing stations enable remote access to the images via a network (e.g., Internet), where the image server provides the interface for a user in the form of screens or web pages for security and viewing of information. The system enables an ophthalmologist or other medical personnel to view and/or manipulate one or more images to enhance diagnosis of patient examinations.

An ophthalmologic appliance being an ultrasound prob positioning immersion shell for use in ultrasonic measurement of axial length of the eye ophthalmology and other procedures. Support members in an upper chamber and a lower chamber each provides accommodating support along and about a central axis of the ultrasound probe positioning immersion shell and about vertically spaced regions of ultrasound probes to provide for perpendicular alignment of ultrasound probes to the corneal plane. Vents in the chamber structure allow for introduction of fluid medium and for the expelling of air from the chambers to inhibit bubble formation.

Devices, systems, and methods for treating and/or determining appropriate prescriptions for one or both eyes of a patient are particularly well-suited for addressing presbyopia, often in combination with concurrent treatments of other vision defects. High-order spherical aberration may be imposed in one or both of a patient's eyes, often as a controlled amount of negative spherical aberration extending across a pupil. A desired presbyopia-mitigating quantity of high-order spherical aberration may be defined by one or more spherical Zernike coefficients, which may be combined with Zernike coefficients generated from a wavefront aberrometer. The resulting prescription can be imposed using refractive surgical techniques such as laser eye surgery, using intraocular lenses and other implanted structures, using contact lenses, using temporary or permanent corneal reshaping techniques, and/or the like.

Combined equipment for non-contacting determination of axial length (AL), anterior chamber depth (VKT) and corneal curvature (HHK) of the eye are also important for the selection of the intraocular lens IOL to be implanted, particularly the selection of an intraocular lens IOL to be implanted, preferably with fixation of the eye by means of a fixating lamp and/or illumination through light sources grouped eccentrically about the observation axis.

A high frequency ultrasonic transducer may include a plurality of adjacent ultrasonic transducer elements. The adjacent transducer elements may be sized and configured so as to resonate at a frequency that is at least 15 MHz. The adjacent transducer elements may collectively form an aperture that is substantially convex along a lateral dimension spanning the cascaded width of the adjacent transducer elements. The aperture may be substantially concave along an elevation spanning the height of each of the transducer elements. The ultrasonic transducer and an associated transmitter system may be configured so as to enable ultrasound that is radiated from the plurality of the transducer elements to be focused on and to scan across locations that are no more than 30 millimeters from the aperture and that span across a field of view of at least 50 degrees without movement of the ultrasonic transducer or tissue during the scanning.

Various embodiments of the present invention include systems and methods for multimodal functional imaging based upon photoacoustic and laser optical scanning microscopy. In particular, at least one embodiment of the present invention utilizes a contact lens in combination with an ultrasound transducer for purposes of acquiring photoacoustic microscopy data. Traditionally divergent imaging modalities such as confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscopy and photoacoustic microscopy are combined within a single laser system. Functional imaging of biological samples can be utilized for various medical and biological purposes.

An improved punctum plug is more easily visualized when positioned within a punctual canal of a recipient. The body of the plug features an outwardly exposed surface when properly positioned, and a substance causing at least the outwardly exposed surface to contrast with surrounding tissue, such that the use of the substance causes the plug to be more easily visualized than if the substance were not present. The substance, which may be disposed on the outwardly exposed surface or within the body of the plug, may include a saturated coloration, or may be phosphorescent, fluorescent or otherwise operative to reflect or re-radiate light to assist in visualization. For example, the substance may include an organic or inorganic phosphor or fluorescent material, reflective beads, quantum dots, a dye or pigment. Such reflection or re-radiation may occur at the same or different wavelength(s) compared to the illumination wavelength(s), whether or not either or both are within the visible part of the spectrum. If outside the visible region, a detector may be employed according to the invention for detecting the radiated light. A system for determining whether or not a punctum plug is positioned within the punctal canal of a person's eye is also enclosed, including at least one optical element permitting the eye to view itself, to be viewed by the other eye, or by a second person.

Various embodiments of the present invention include systems and methods for multimodal functional imaging based upon photoacoustic and laser optical scanning microscopy. In particular, at least one embodiment of the present invention utilizes a contact lens in combination with an ultrasound transducer for purposes of acquiring photoacoustic microscopy data. Traditionally divergent imaging modalities such as confocal scanning laser opthalmoscopy and photoacoustic microscopy are combined within a single laser system. Functional imaging of biological samples can be utilized for various medical and biological purposes.

A method for displaying scanned ultrasound images of tissue employs an apparatus including an ultrasound probe mounted to a mechanical head. A three-dimensional positioning system mounts the head for positioning the probe in proximate orthogonal relation to the tissue. A computer controls the three-dimensional positioning system thereby moving the probe during a scan. The probe transmits high frequency ultrasound waves whose nominal frequency is included within the range from 30 to 100 MHz and with a large pass band, adapted to frequencies reflected by the tissue. The beams of ultrasound transmission are focused in a given zone of the tissue over a vertical penetration distance of between 20 and 30 mm. Reflected signals are acquired and processed for display.

The eye is illuminated by a variable laser light source with a measurement range corresponding to the eye length, wherein the focus of the laser beam in the eye can be shifted laterally and/or axially by an adjustment mechanism, and the light fractions back-scattered from the sample are captured via an interferometer by a data acquisition unit and forwarded to a data processing unit. In the data processing unit, an OCT whole-eye scan is combined with at least one or several further overlapping tomographic part-eye or whole-eye scans. Reference information is used to register the first whole-eye scan with the further part-eye or whole-eye scans, and the combined whole-eye scan is evaluated and/or displayed on a user surface.

Various embodiments of the present invention include systems and methods for multimodal functional imaging based upon photoacoustic and laser optical scanning microscopy. In particular, at least one embodiment of the present invention utilizes a contact lens in combination with an ultrasound transducer for purposes of acquiring photoacoustic microscopy data. Traditionally divergent imaging modalities such as confocal scanning laser opthalmoscopy and photoacoustic microscopy are combined within a single laser system. Functional imaging of biological samples can be utilized for various medical and biological purposes.

Specific embodiments of the invention are directed to improved phacoemulsification procedures involving the use of processed non-visual three-dimensional data (i.e. diagnostic scan data) to provide a surgeon with additional guidance (i.e. more than that generally obtained from visual observation of the working area) concerning the distance separating a working end of a phacoemulsification instrument and the posterior portion of the capsule of the eye during surgical procedures involving the removal of the crystalline lens of an eye (e.g. a cataract removal procedure). Such separation (i.e. distance or gap) information may be used to aid the surgeon in cutting or scoring the lens to a desired depth while minimizing the risk of penetrating the posterior portion of the capsule with the working end of the instrument. Some embodiments provide for the visual and/or auditory conveyance of distance information to the surgeon wherein visual information may be conveyed by overlaying it with real visual images of actual surface features viewed by the surgeon. Additional embodiments provide for overlaying visual representations of selected three-dimensional structure information (e.g. depths of troughs cut into the lens) with the real surface feature images viewed by the surgeon.