Ophthalmic Laser Aiming Beam Spot Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ophthalmic laser treatment apparatuses face difficulties in allowing easy observation of tissue conditions during aiming due to obstructive aiming beams, particularly when treating wide regions, which complicates the process and increases labor and time requirements.
Innovation Solution
An ophthalmic laser treatment apparatus with a controller that divides treatment beam spots into groups and controls the aiming beam's position and irradiation to alternate visibility of spots, allowing operators to easily check tissue conditions without simultaneous observation of all aiming beam spots.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If all spots of the aiming beam are simultaneously visible on spot positions, then the operator can view all target positions at once, but the operator's visual field is obstructed by the aiming beam and tissue conditions become hard to observe
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the plurality of spot positions into multiple groups (first group and second group). The controller alternately makes spots from different groups visible by controlling the aiming beam to be irradiated at different time periods. This segmentation allows the operator to observe tissue conditions at spots not currently illuminated by the aiming beam, resolving the contradiction between viewing all positions and observing tissue conditions.
2Area of moving object
If a larger spot size of the aiming beam is used, then the irradiation coverage is increased, but the obstruction of the visual field is more harmful and tissue observation becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The controller controls the aiming beam to be irradiated alternately at different spot positions at different time periods, creating a periodic visibility pattern. This allows larger spot sizes to be used for broader coverage while the periodic switching ensures that not all spots are visible simultaneously, reducing visual field obstruction and allowing tissue observation at non-irradiated positions.
3Area of stationary object
If an irradiation pattern for irradiating spots in a wide region is set, then the treatment area is expanded, but it becomes necessary to largely move or displace the aiming beam irradiation region to check tissues, which is troublesome and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
By dividing spot positions into multiple groups and alternately making them visible, the patent allows the operator to observe tissue conditions at spots outside the current aiming beam irradiation region without physically moving the aiming beam. This eliminates the need for troublesome re-aiming operations and reduces time loss while maintaining expanded treatment area coverage.
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
Facilitates easier observation of tissue conditions during aiming, reducing operator burden and improving efficiency when treating wide areas by intermittently switching the visibility of aiming beam spots.
Implementation Method 1
a treatment laser beam is sequentially irradiated on a spot-by-spot basis to fundus tissues of a patient's eye to thermally photocoagulate the tissues
Implementation Method 2
to thermally photocoagulate the tissues
Implementation Method 3
an irradiation unit including a zoom lens for changing a size of each irradiation spot of the treatment beam and the aiming beam
Data Source
AI summary
An ophthalmic laser treatment apparatus, comprising: an emitted treatment laser beam; an emitted aiming beam; an irradiation unit including a zoom lens and a scanner for scanning in two dimensions, and being arranged to irradiate both beams to the eye; an irradiation pattern setting unit including a switch for setting an irradiation pattern in which a plurality of spots is arranged; and a controller for controlling the aiming beam based on the set pattern during aiming before irradiation of the treatment beam, the controller being configured to divide the spots in the set pattern into two or more groups and switch the positions of the spots of the aiming beam at a predetermined time interval in each group to irradiate the aiming beam so that the irradiation spots of the aiming beam in a group before switching and another group after switching are not recognized simultaneously by an operator.