Tailored Light Windows for Tool Visibility Without Room-Light Changes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing eye surgery tools face challenges with visibility due to competing illumination needs, where adjusting room lights affects the surgeon's vision, causing delays and discomfort.
Innovation Solution
A tailored light window system is used, comprising a low-intensity, monochromatic light between 5% and 30% illumination and less than 3,000 nm wavelength, directed at the surgical instrument end, combined with fluorescent cannulas for enhanced visibility without altering room lighting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If the operating room is made bright to illuminate the cannula and tool end, then visibility of the tool advancement is improved, but visibility of the retina and interior eye features deteriorates due to insufficient contrast
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing different illumination conditions to different locations: the cannula and tool end receive intense illumination for visibility during advancement, while the operating room maintains dim lighting to preserve contrast for viewing interior eye features through the microscope. This spatial differentiation of illumination quality resolves the contradiction between needing bright light for tool visibility and dim light for retinal contrast.
2Illumination intensity
If the microscope light is turned on to illuminate the cannula, then visibility of the tool end is improved, but the surgeon's vision adjusts and causes delay before continuing surgery
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary illumination system consisting of a ring light positioned around the cannula entry point. This intermediary light source provides localized illumination of the cannula and tool end without requiring the surgeon to adjust the overall operating room lighting or the microscope light intensity, thereby eliminating the adjustment delay while maintaining visibility.
3Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If the operating room lights are dimmed to improve contrast for retina visibility, then visibility of interior eye features is improved, but visibility of the cannula and tool end deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the illumination function into two independent systems: a general operating room lighting system that can be dimmed for contrast, and a localized ring light system that provides intense illumination specifically at the cannula entry point. This segmentation allows each lighting system to operate independently at optimal intensity levels for its specific purpose, resolving the contradiction between room-wide dimness and localized brightness.
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
Ensures continuous visibility during surgery without requiring the surgeon to adjust to changing light conditions, improving surgical efficiency and safety by maintaining consistent illumination levels.
Implementation Method 1
fluorescent cannulas for enhanced visibility
Data Source
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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.