Refractive Surgery Treatment Table Validation via Simulation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current refractive surgical procedures face challenges in accurately generating and validating treatment tables for laser eye surgery, which are crucial for ensuring safety and effectiveness, as existing methods may not adequately account for variations in patient-specific optical refractions and surface inclinations.

Innovation Solution

The development of a system and method that compares intended optical refractions with expected refractions derived from treatment tables, using polynomial terms to ensure accuracy and safety by qualifying treatment tables only if the difference falls within a predefined tolerance, thereby enhancing ablation control and process verification.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If treatment tables are generated based on wavefront analysis or other measurement procedures, then refractive surgery can be performed to correct vision conditions, but the accuracy and safety of the procedure cannot be sufficiently verified due to inadequate validation methods

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesafety and accuracy of refractive surgeryVSAvoidvalidation of treatment table accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by performing a simulation of the laser ablation process before the actual surgery. The treatment table is validated by comparing the intended refraction with the expected refraction calculated from the simulated ablation profile. This preliminary simulation and validation step ensures that the treatment table is accurate and safe before the real surgical procedure is performed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Manufacturing precision

If treatment tables include laser pulse instructions for corneal ablation, then vision correction can be achieved, but deviations from intended refraction may occur due to surface inclination effects and other variables

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveablation profile accuracyVSAvoidsurface inclination effects and refraction deviations
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements feedback by calculating the expected refraction from the simulated ablation profile and comparing it with the intended refraction. If the difference exceeds a predefined tolerance threshold, the treatment table is rejected. This feedback mechanism allows the system to detect and correct potential deviations caused by surface inclination effects and other variables before surgery occurs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Reliability

If treatment tables are validated by comparing intended and expected refractions, then safety is improved, but additional validation steps and computational resources are required

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetreatment table validationVSAvoidvalidation system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses copying by creating a virtual simulation model of the laser ablation process. Instead of physically testing every possible treatment scenario, the system creates a computational copy that simulates the ablation outcome. This virtual model allows for thorough validation of treatment tables without requiring complex physical testing equipment or procedures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentEP2552370B1System and method for evaluating treatment tables for refractive surgery
Publication Date: 2017.03.29 AMO DEVELOPMENT LLC
  • EP2552370B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2552370B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2552370B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Treatment table verification techniques involve comparing intended refraction information with expected optical refraction information, and validating or qualifying the treatment table based on such comparisons. Systems and methods for verifying treatment tables provide enhanced safety for laser vision correction treatments.