Surgical Microscope Intra-ocular Lens Refraction Measurement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical microscopes used in eye surgery, particularly for cataract operations, face challenges in accurately determining the refractive power of intraocular lenses post-implantation, leading to potential mismatches that can result in unacceptable refraction outcomes, especially in patients who have undergone LASIK, requiring cumbersome and time-consuming sterility measures for external autorefractor use.
Innovation Solution
Integration of an imaging arrangement and a refraction arrangement within the surgical microscope that can switch between active and passive states, allowing for the generation and superimposition of a structure image on the observation beam path, enabling the surgeon to check the intraocular lens's refraction without altering the microscope's position, using a structure image that is coaxial with the observation beam path and adjustable for convergence or divergence to ensure sharp imaging on the retina.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If an external portable autorefractor is used to measure refraction after intraocular lens implantation, then refraction measurement can be performed, but the operation must be interrupted and sterility measures must be taken, causing time loss and procedural complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the refraction measurement function with the surgical microscope by integrating a light source and camera system into the microscope's observation beam path. This merging eliminates the need for external portable autorefractors and allows continuous intraoperative refraction measurement without interrupting the surgical procedure or compromising sterility.
Solution Approach 2:
The surgical microscope is enhanced with multi-functionality by adding refraction measurement capabilities to its existing observation and imaging functions. The same optical beam path used for surgical visualization is also utilized for refraction measurement, allowing the microscope to serve dual purposes and eliminating the need for separate measurement equipment.
2Measurement precision
If an external portable autorefractor is used to measure refraction after intraocular lens implantation, then refraction measurement can be performed, but sterility measures and equipment repositioning are required, increasing device complexity and operational difficulty
Solution Approach 1:
The refraction measurement system is merged with the surgical microscope, eliminating the need to reposition equipment or implement additional sterility measures. The measurement function is seamlessly integrated into the existing surgical workflow, allowing the surgeon to perform refraction checks as easily as visual observation without disrupting the sterile field or requiring equipment reconfiguration.
3Measurement precision
If the observation beam path is widened to view the structure image on the retina, then refraction can be checked, but the beam path is no longer focused in the plane of the lens of the eye
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically switches between two operational modes: a first mode for surgical observation where the beam path is focused in the plane of the lens of the eye, and a second mode for refraction measurement where the beam path is widened to view the structure image on the retina. This dynamic switching allows the system to optimize the beam path configuration according to the specific task being performed.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical parameters of the observation beam path are changed between two states: focused configuration for surgical visualization and widened configuration for refraction measurement. By adjusting the beam path parameters dynamically, the system achieves both precise surgical observation and accurate refraction checking without compromising either function.
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 a convenient and immediate check of the intraocular lens's refraction during surgery, allowing the operation to continue without delay, with the ability to detect mismatches and provide information on the degree of deviation, enhancing the accuracy and efficiency of refractive power assessment.
Implementation Method 1
A structure image is generated with the imaging arrangement, which impinges on the intraocular lens and which is imaged on the retina
Implementation Method 2
With the refraction arrangement, which is also in the active state, the eye surgeon is given the opportunity to view the structure image on the retina without a further adjustment of the observation beam path being necessary
Implementation Method 3
An observation beam path that can be focused in the eye lens plane is defined with the surgical microscope
Implementation Method 4
a magnification system and a viewfinder
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 3a
AI summary
The microscope has a front lens (10), a magnification system (11) and an insight (12) that defines an observation beam path (14) focused on a front section of an eye (16) of a patient. Active and passive conditions are provided for a light source, a structural substrate and a lens. The light source, the substrate and the lens produce a structure pattern on the front eye section in the active condition, and are adjusted such that structural imaging i.e. collimated beam bundle, is struck on the eye. An adjusting mechanism changes length of an optical path between the substrate and the lens.