Ophthalmology Microscopy Fluorescence Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ophthalmology surgical microscopes face challenges in visualizing structures in the eye using fluorescent dyes, particularly due to the low biocompatibility and limited visibility of indocyanine green, which requires high doses for effective staining.
Innovation Solution
An ophthalmology microscopy system that utilizes a specialized imaging and illumination system to detect fluorescent radiation at low doses by isolating the fluorescence band from the excitation band, using a filter system and adjustable illumination sources to observe fluorescence without overlapping radiation, allowing for efficient visualization of structures stained with fluorescence dyes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If high doses of indocyanine green are used for effective staining, then visibility of structures in the eye is improved, but biocompatibility and safety are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and isolates only the fluorescent radiation from the dye by using optical filters that block the excitation band while transmitting the fluorescence band. This allows detection of fluorescence at low doses without requiring high concentrations of the potentially harmful dye.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the fluorescence property of the dye, which converts absorbed light at one wavelength range into emitted light at a different wavelength range. By detecting this wavelength-shifted fluorescence emission, the system achieves high visibility with minimal dye dosage.
2Device complexity
If the excitation band and fluorescence band overlap, then detection of fluorescence is simplified, but accuracy of fluorescence detection is worsened due to interference from excitation radiation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces optical filters as intermediary elements between the dye and the detector. These filters selectively transmit the fluorescence band while blocking the excitation band, acting as a mediator that separates the two wavelength ranges and eliminates interference.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the spectral parameters of the detected radiation by using filters with specific transmission characteristics. The observation filter is designed to transmit only the fluorescence wavelength range while blocking the excitation wavelength range, thereby changing the spectral composition of the detected light.
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
Enables the visualization of structures in the eye using low doses of fluorescence dyes by isolating and detecting fluorescent radiation, providing clear and accurate imaging of the stained areas without interference from excitation radiation.
Implementation Method 1
Some of the dyes used in ophthalmology are so called fluorescence dyes which, apart from the general characteristic of dyes of either absorbing or reflecting light of different wavelengths, absorb light of a first wavelength range (the so called excitation band) and convert it into light of a second wavelength range (the so called fluorescence band) different to the first wavelength range.
Data Source
AI summary
An ophthalmology microscopy system for observing fluorescence comprises an imaging system and an illumination system. The imaging system provides at least one optical imaging path producing a magnified multi-dimensional image of an object disposable in a focal plane of the imaging system, and comprises at least one optical observation filter. The illumination system provides an illumination beam path intersecting the focal plane of the imaging system at a variable angle of less than 90°. The microscopy system comprises first and second operating states. In the first operating state, radiation passing through the illumination beam path has at least in a section along the illumination beam path a spectrum free of a pass band of the observation filter. In the second operating state, radiation passing through the illumination beam path has a spectrum having a bandwidth of at least 200 nm in a range from 380 nm to 780 nm.