Microsurgical Visualization System Eye Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
In microsurgical visualization systems, particularly in neurosurgery, there is a need to protect the eyes of patients from high irradiance while maintaining accurate topography data, as existing solutions do not effectively prevent phototoxic damage without compromising illumination intensity or requiring additional sensors.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that identify the eye area in captured images and adjust the illumination source to reduce irradiance only in the overlapping regions, using camera and control device configurations, such as machine learning methods, to control the illumination source and prevent phototoxic damage without additional devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the brightness of the light source is increased to obtain accurate topography data, then the signal-to-noise ratio of images is improved, but phototoxicity and thermal damage risks to patient tissue increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating illumination intensity based on the detected region. The system identifies eye areas in the captured image and applies different illumination strategies: full intensity for non-eye regions to ensure measurement accuracy, and reduced intensity for eye regions to prevent phototoxicity. This spatially varying illumination quality resolves the contradiction between needing high brightness for accurate topography and avoiding harmful effects on sensitive tissue.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes the illumination parameter (brightness/intensity) based on the detected scene content. By detecting the presence of eye areas and adjusting the light source intensity accordingly, the system transitions between different brightness states: high intensity for general illumination and accurate data acquisition, and low intensity for eye protection. This parameter adaptation allows the system to achieve both accurate topography measurement and patient safety.
2Measurement precision
If the eyes of a patient under anesthesia are illuminated with strong infrared light, then topography data can be captured, but the eyes are not automatically closed due to lack of optical reflex
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of eye areas before conducting illumination-intensive topography capture. By identifying the presence and location of eyes in advance, the system can proactively adjust illumination intensity to protective levels, preventing potential eye damage before it occurs. This preliminary detection and preventive action resolve the contradiction by ensuring eye safety is addressed before harmful illumination is applied.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If additional sensors are used to detect eye presence and control illumination, then eye protection is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the existing camera serve multiple functions: it continues to capture topography images for measurement purposes while simultaneously detecting eye areas for illumination control. By enabling the camera to perform both topography acquisition and eye detection functions, the system achieves improved eye protection without adding separate detection sensors, thus avoiding increased device complexity while maintaining protective capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for operating a microsurgical visualization system, wherein the microsurgical visualization system comprises at least one camera for capturing a capture region and at least one illumination source for illuminating at least a part of the capture region, wherein a presence of an eye area of a patient in an image captured by means of the at least one camera is identified, wherein a region in the captured image illuminated by the at least one illumination source is identified and/or the illuminated region is determined, and wherein an irradiance is reduced, at least in the identified eye area, by controlling the at least one illumination source if an overlap between the eye area and the illuminated region is ascertained. The invention also relates to a microsurgical visualization system.