Compact UV Light Delivery Optics for Uniform LAL Adjustment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing UV light delivery devices for ophthalmic procedures are bulky, inefficient, and lack advanced imaging systems, making them unsuitable for widespread use in adjusting Light Adjustable Lenses (LALs) due to their reliance on mercury arc lamps and traditional optics.
Innovation Solution
A compact UV light delivery device utilizing integrated UV LEDs, a homogenizing beam coupler, spatial light modulator with a dual prism design, and a binocular-free imaging system to improve efficiency and reduce size, incorporating a homogenizing beam coupler to minimize losses and a dual prism design for spatial light modulator to reduce optical path length.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If mercury arc lamps are used as UV light source, then sufficient UV illumination can be achieved, but the device becomes bulky and energy inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter of the light source from mercury arc lamp to UV LED, operating at different wavelengths (380-405 nm). This parameter change enables superior energy efficiency while maintaining adequate UV illumination for LAL adjustment procedures, resolving the contradiction between energy efficiency and device performance
2Volume of moving object
If traditional binocular imaging systems are used, then comprehensive eye imaging is achieved, but the device size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the binocular imaging system from the device, replacing it with a simplified single-camera imaging system. This removal reduces device size and complexity while maintaining sufficient imaging capability for LAL adjustment procedures, resolving the contradiction between device size and imaging capability
3Loss of energy
If complex optics are used to deliver UV beam, then precise beam delivery is achieved, but optical losses increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the UV beam characteristics by using UV LED with specific wavelength range (380-405 nm) and employs a homogenizing beam coupler to optimize beam uniformity. This parameter change reduces optical losses while maintaining adequate beam delivery precision for LAL adjustment, resolving the contradiction between optical losses and beam delivery precision
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The compact design enhances efficiency, reduces maintenance needs, and lowers costs, enabling wider accessibility and improved performance for LAL adjustments, while minimizing heat generation and optical losses.
Implementation Method 1
an integrated UV LED, integrated into the compact UV light delivery device, to generate a UV beam
Implementation Method 2
a homogenizing beam coupler, to receive the UV beam from the integrated UV LED, and to homogenize the UV beam
Implementation Method 3
a spatial light modulator, to receive and to modulate the illumination beam into a modulated beam according to a procedure profile
Implementation Method 4
The activated photoinitiators then induce a polymerization process of the macromers in a spatially varying manner according to the procedure profile
Data Source
AI summary
A compact UV light delivery device comprises a UV LED, integrated into the compact UV light delivery device, to generate a UV beam; a homogenizing beam coupler, to receive the UV beam from the UV LED, and to homogenize the UV beam such that a measure of non-uniformity of the output homogenized beam is smaller than the measure of non-uniformity of the received UV beam; an illumination optics, to receive the homogenized beam and to forward it as an illumination beam; a spatial light modulator, to modulate the illumination beam into a modulated beam according to a procedure profile; a projection optics, to receive and to project the modulated beam as a projection beam through its objective into an eye of a patient; and a binocular-free imaging system, to image the eye of the patient via the same objective, and to present the image on a user interface.