Tailored Light Window for Eye Surgery Tool Visibility

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing eye surgery techniques face challenges with visibility issues due to competing light conditions, where adjusting room lighting affects the surgeon's vision, causing delays and potential eye strain.

Innovation Solution

A tailored light window technique using low intensity, monochromatic light between 5% and 30% illumination and less than 3,000 nm wavelength is directed at the surgical instrument, combined with fluorescent cannulas to maintain visibility without altering room lighting.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Illumination intensity

If the operating room is kept bright to ensure visibility of the cannula and surgical tool, then the surgeon can safely see the tool advancement, but the retina visibility is compromised due to insufficient contrast

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevisibility of cannula and surgical toolVSAvoidretina visibility contrast

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The illumination system is segmented into two independent components: ambient operating room lighting for general visibility, and a specialized microscope light for retinal illumination. This segmentation allows each lighting system to be optimized for its specific function without compromising the other, resolving the contradiction between tool visibility and retina contrast.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different illumination qualities are applied to different regions: the operating room receives diffuse ambient lighting for overall visibility, while the retinal area receives focused, high-contrast illumination through the microscope. This local differentiation enables simultaneous optimization of both tool advancement visibility and retinal feature contrast.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Illumination intensity

If the microscope light is turned on to illuminate the cannula and tool end, then visibility for safe tool advancement is sufficient, but the surgeon's vision requires adjustment time when the light is turned down

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevisibility at cannula and tool endVSAvoidsurgeon vision adjustment time

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The microscope light intensity is made dynamically adjustable rather than fixed. The surgeon can continuously modulate the light intensity to match the specific operational phase, transitioning smoothly between bright illumination for tool advancement and lower illumination for retinal work, thereby eliminating abrupt transitions and associated vision adjustment delays.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The illumination follows a periodic pattern matched to the surgical workflow: bright light is activated during tool advancement phases, then smoothly dimmed during retinal procedure phases. This rhythmic illumination pattern synchronizes with the surgical steps, preventing prolonged exposure to inappropriate light levels and reducing vision adjustment time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

3Illumination intensity

If the operating room lighting is adjusted to match illumination changes, then visibility conditions are maintained, but the surgeon's eyes are affected by substantial changes in illumination degrees

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoverall visibility consistencyVSAvoidsurgeon eye strain from illumination changes

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The illumination control for the microscope is extracted from the overall operating room lighting control. This allows the microscope light to be adjusted independently without requiring corresponding changes to ambient room lighting, thereby maintaining overall visibility consistency while protecting the surgeon's eyes from harmful illumination fluctuations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The microscope acts as an intermediary optical system with its own independent illumination pathway. By routing retinal illumination through the microscope rather than relying on direct ambient light changes, the system mediates between the need for bright illumination during tool advancement and the need for eye-friendly conditions during retinal work, isolating the surgeon's eyes from harmful illumination changes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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

Enhances surgical instrument visibility within the eye without requiring the surgeon to adjust to changing light conditions, ensuring safe and efficient surgery without delays.

Implementation Method 1

securing a fluorescent cannula at an eye surface

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFluorescence: Fluorescence

Data Source

PatentUS12458465B2Tailored light window technique for eye surgery

Publication Date: 2025.11.04 ALCON INC

AI summary

A technique for illuminating an end of a surgical tool near a front of an eye. The technique avoids increased illumination of an operating room and challenges to the surgeon associated with such increased illuminating. Instead, a tailored window of light may be directed at the end of the surgical tool that is to be guided into the eye. This tailored window of light is of such minimal illumination or narrow monochromatic light that visual enhancement is provided without a resultant constriction to the surgeon's own eyes. Further, a cannula for receiving the end of the surgical instrument may also be visually enhanced with similar fluorescent light.