Intraocular Lens Orientation Marker for Astigmatic Surgery

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional eye surgery systems and methods often fail to accurately insert astigmatic synthetic lenses, leading to suboptimal vision correction and potential complications due to uncertainties in eye orientation during surgery.

Innovation Solution

An eye surgery system that includes a display device generating a representation of a marker to assist surgeons in orienting the synthetic lens, using image processing to determine orientation values from pre-surgery and intra-surgery images, and an imaging system with a camera and data memory to record and process images, allowing for precise alignment of the lens.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If conventional eye surgery methods are used without image processing and marker representation, then the surgical procedure is simpler and faster, but the accuracy of synthetic lens orientation is insufficient leading to suboptimal vision correction

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelens orientation accuracyVSAvoidsurgery system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by capturing pre-surgery images of the eye and calculating the target orientation of the synthetic lens before the actual surgery. The marker representation is prepared in advance showing the desired lens orientation, allowing the surgeon to plan and execute the procedure with precise guidance already in place.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The marker representation serves as an intermediary between the complex image processing system and the surgeon. It translates complex orientation calculations and eye anatomy data into a simple visual guide that the surgeon can easily interpret and use to accurately orient the synthetic lens during surgery.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Manufacturing precision

If image processing and marker representation are implemented to improve lens orientation, then vision correction accuracy improves, but the surgical preparation time and system complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelens insertion precisionVSAvoidsurgical preparation time

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system replaces manual orientation methods with automated image processing and digital marker generation. Instead of relying on traditional mechanical alignment tools and manual measurement, the system uses computer vision algorithms to automatically calculate lens orientation and displays it as a digital marker overlay on the eye image.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Reliability

If conventional methods are used for eye surgery, then the procedure is faster and less complex, but the success rate of astigmatic lens insertion is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesurgery success rateVSAvoidimaging and processing system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system provides feedback by displaying the marker representation that shows the target orientation of the synthetic lens based on pre-surgery eye images. This visual feedback loop allows the surgeon to verify the calculated orientation against the actual eye anatomy and make adjustments if needed, ensuring accurate lens insertion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

4Measurement precision

If detailed image processing is performed to determine orientation values, then lens alignment accuracy improves, but computational requirements and processing time increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveeye orientation measurement precisionVSAvoidcomputational power required

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSPower

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts only the essential information needed for lens orientation from the full eye images. Instead of processing and displaying all image data, the image processing device identifies and extracts key anatomical features and orientation parameters, then represents them in a simplified marker format that requires minimal computational resources to generate and display.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS8708488B2Eye surgery system and methods of preparing and performing an eye surgery

Publication Date: 2014.04.29 CARL ZEISS MEDITEC AG

AI summary

A method for carrying out eye surgery comprises a comparison of images recorded before surgery with images recorded during surgery in order to generate a marker which represents a target orientation of an intraocular lens or a difference between a current orientation and the target orientation of the intraocular lens. An eye surgery system respectively comprises an imaging system which is used during a surgery and has a camera, and a diagnostic system which is used before surgery and which also has a camera. The imaging system used during surgery comprises an image processing device in order to perform a computation based on the recorded images, and in order to determine a respective orientation value, from which a representation of a marker representing the target orientation of the intraocular lens is obtained.