Wavelength-Selective Optical Filter for Retinal Protection in Laser Trabeculoplasty
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ophthalmological devices for treating glaucoma and ocular hypertension lack effective protection for the eye during trabeculoplasty procedures, as they fail to prevent stray radiation from reaching the retina.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus comprising an optical unit with a light source, beam-directing elements, and a radiation source, along with an optical filter that inhibits the passage of treatment beams while allowing visible light to pass, ensuring the eye is protected during the procedure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If an optical filter is introduced to block treatment beams, then retinal protection is improved, but visible light transmission is blocked preventing eye fixation
Solution Approach 1:
The optical filter is designed with wavelength-selective properties, allowing different wavelengths to pass through selectively. The filter transmits visible light (approximately 400-700 nm) while blocking the treatment beam wavelength (typically infrared or ultraviolet), creating local quality differentiation in the optical filter's transmission characteristics across different wavelength ranges
Solution Approach 2:
The optical filter acts as an intermediary element positioned between the treatment beam source and the patient's eye. It mediates the interaction by selectively transmitting beneficial visible light for fixation while blocking harmful treatment beam wavelengths, thus protecting the retina without compromising the fixation function
2Reliability
If the optical filter blocks all light, then radiation protection is improved, but the eye cannot fixate on the light source
Solution Approach 1:
The optical filter's transmission parameters are optimized to change based on wavelength. It exhibits high transmission for visible light wavelengths (maintaining fixation capability) and high absorption for treatment beam wavelengths (providing radiation protection), effectively using parameter differentiation to resolve the contradiction
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 solution effectively protects the retina from stray radiation by preventing treatment beams from reaching the pupil, while allowing the eye to fixate on the visible light source, thereby ensuring safe and efficient treatment.
Implementation Method 1
an optical filter configured to inhibit passage of the treatment beams, but not the visible light, therethrough
Implementation Method 2
a radiation source configured to irradiate an eye of a patient with one or more treatment beams by emitting the treatment beams
Implementation Method 3
a light source configured to transmit visible light while the eye fixates on the light source
Data Source
AI summary
A system for treating an eye of a patient includes a camera, configured to acquire an image of the eye, and a radiation source. A controller is configured to identify a static region in a field of view of the camera that, in the image, is outside a limbus of the eye, and to treat one or more target regions of the eye, by, for each target region ascertaining that the target region is not within the static region, and in response to the ascertaining, causing the radiation source to irradiate the target region.