Laser Eye Surgery Interface Force Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for cataract surgery, particularly phacoemulsification, face challenges in accurately accessing the lens nucleus due to difficulties in creating a smooth, continuous capsulotomy and maintaining intraocular pressure, leading to suboptimal IOL placement and visual acuity outcomes.
Innovation Solution
A laser eye surgery system with a patient interface that includes force transducers to monitor and adjust for intraocular pressure, allowing precise alignment and movement of the patient interface to maintain optimal eye alignment and reduce pressure, thereby enhancing the accuracy of laser beam placement during surgery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual continuous curvilinear capsulorhexis is performed to access the lens nucleus, then access to the nucleus is provided, but the shape, symmetry, and uniformity of the lens capsule opening become difficult to control, leading to suboptimal IOL placement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical capsulorhexis technique with a laser-based system. The laser eye surgery system uses controlled laser beams to create the capsulotomy, eliminating the need for manual mechanical manipulation of the lens capsule. This substitution provides precise control over the opening's shape, symmetry, and uniformity while maintaining ease of access to the lens nucleus.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the patient interface is rigid to maintain stable alignment, then alignment stability is improved, but intraocular pressure increases due to lack of compliance
Solution Approach 1:
The patient interface incorporates force transducers that enable dynamic adjustment of the interface's compliance. The system can adapt its rigidity in real-time based on detected forces, allowing it to maintain stable alignment when needed while accommodating eye movement and pressure changes to prevent harmful pressure increases. This dynamic behavior resolves the contradiction between stability and compliance.
Solution Approach 2:
The force transducers provide continuous feedback on forces applied to the eye, allowing the control system to adjust the patient interface's compliance in real-time. When excessive force is detected, the system can increase compliance to reduce intraocular pressure, while maintaining alignment stability through active control. This feedback mechanism enables the interface to adapt to changing conditions and prevent harmful pressure buildup.
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 system improves the precision and safety of cataract surgery by stabilizing the eye and reducing intraocular pressure, leading to better IOL placement and improved visual outcomes.
Implementation Method 1
The patient interface includes a plurality of force transducers to detect forces between the eye and the patient interface
Implementation Method 2
A laser eye surgery system with a patient interface that includes force transducers to monitor and adjust for intraocular pressure, allowing precise alignment and movement of the patient interface to maintain optimal eye alignment and reduce pressure, thereby enhancing the accuracy of laser beam placement during surgery
Data Source
AI summary
The patient interface may comprise an axis for alignment with an axis of the eye such as an optical axis of the eye. The interface may comprise a guide to allow the interface to move along the axis with the eye, which can inhibit increases in intraocular pressure when the patient is aligned with the laser. The interface may comprise a lock to hold the patient interface at a location along the axis, which can maintain alignment of the patient with the laser eye surgery system. The interface may comprise a plurality of transducers to measure forces to the eye during surgery. The laser eye surgery system can be configured in one or more of many ways to respond to the measured forces. For example, the system may offset the position of laser beam pulses to increase the accuracy of the placement of the beam pulses on the eye.