Optical fiber having proximal taper for ophthalmic surgical illumination

• US 10,441,157 B2
• Filed: 12/02/2015
• Issued: 10/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alcon Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Novartis Ag
• Inventors: Smith, Ronald T., Mirsepassi, Alireza
• Primary Examiner(s): Truong, Bao Q
• Application Number:
  US14/957,248
• Publication Number:
  US 20170156581A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,413 Days
• Field of Search: 362572
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/0008 provided with illuminating means A61B3/117 takes precedence; goniolenses used for laser treatment A61F9/009; illuminating means for optical instruments G02B27/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/007 Methods or devices for eye surgery
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0006 Coupling light into the fibre in general G02B6/4298
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0008 the light being emitted at the end of the fibre

Abstract

An ophthalmic illumination system can include an optical fiber configured to transmit a light beam output by a light source and focused by a condenser. The optical fiber can include proximal, distal, and central portions. The proximal portion can be configured to receive the light beam focused by the condenser. The distal portion can be configured to emit the light beam to illuminate a surgical field. The central portion can extend between the proximal and distal portions. A core diameter of the proximal portion can be larger than core diameters of the central and distal portions. An ophthalmic illumination method can include focusing, using a condenser, a light beam emitted by a light source onto a proximal portion of an optical fiber. The method can also include transmitting, using the optical fiber, the light beam to a surgical field.

Claims

1. An ophthalmic illumination apparatus, comprising:

a condenser;

an optical fiber having a core diameter and configured to transmit a light beam output by a light source and focused by the condenser, the optical fiber including;

a proximal portion configured to receive the light beam focused by the condenser onto a focal point at the proximal portion, the proximal portion comprising a first tapered portion comprising a proximal end having a core diameter D₁ and a terminal end having a core diameter D₂, wherein D₁ is greater than D₂ and a distance from the proximal end to the terminal end of the first tapered portion is greater than or equal to 100*(D₁−

D₂),

a distal portion configured to emit the light beam to illuminate a surgical field, and

a central portion extending between the proximal portion and the distal portion, wherein the core diameter is constant over the central portion;

wherein at the focal point on the proximal portion of the optical fiber, a numerical aperture of the light beam (NA_beam) equals (a numerical aperture of the optical fiber (NA_fiber)) divided by N, wherein N equals the core diameter D₁ divided by a core diameter of the central portion;

wherein;

the central portion of the optical fiber has a length in the range of 10 millimeters (mm)-1000 mm; and

the central portion is configured such that the numerical aperture of the light beam NA_beam is equal to a numerical aperture of the central portion NA_fiber.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the proximal portion of the optical fiber includes a straight section positioned proximal to the first tapered portion.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

a core diameter of the proximal portion of the optical fiber is a multiple of the core diameter of the central portion of the optical fiber.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein:

the condenser configured to have an effective focal length based on the core diameter of the proximal portion of the optical fiber.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein:

the condenser is configured to focus the light beam such that an angular spread of the light beam focused by the condenser is based on the core diameter of the proximal portion of the optical fiber.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the condenser is configured to focus the light beam such that:

an angular spread of the light beam focused by the condenser is less than an angular spread of the light beam transmitted by the optical fiber.

7. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the condenser is configured to focus the light beam such that:

an angular spread of the light beam focused by the condenser is a fractional multiple of an angular spread of the light beam transmitted by the optical fiber.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

the light source.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

the condenser.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:

a surgical instrument configured to be positioned within the surgical field and coupled to the optical fiber.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein:

the light source and the condenser are disposed within a housing.

16. The ophthalmic illumination apparatus of claim 1,

wherein:

the proximal portion comprises a straight section proximal to the first tapered portion; and

the core diameter of the fiber is constant over the straight section of the proximal portion.

17. The ophthalmic illumination apparatus of claim 16,

wherein:

the distal portion comprises a second tapered portion over which the core diameter of the optical fiber varies distally.

25. The ophthalmic illumination apparatus of claim 1, wherein a diameter of the light beam is equal to a toleranced core diameter of the optical fiber minus (a maximum off axis angle of collimated beam into the condenser) times 2 times an effective focal length for N.

12. An ophthalmic illumination method, the method comprising:

focusing, using a condenser, a light beam emitted by a light source onto a focal point at a proximal portion of an optical fiber, the optical fiber including the proximal portion, a distal portion, and a central portion extending between the proximal portion and the distal portion, wherein the proximal portion comprises a first tapered portion comprising a proximal end having a core diameter D₁ and a terminal end having a core diameter D₂, wherein D₁ is greater than D₂; and

wherein the core diameter is constant over the central portion, wherein at the focal point on the proximal portion of the optical fiber, a numerical aperture of the light beam (NA_beam) equals (a numerical aperture of the optical fiber (NA_fiber)) divided by N, wherein N equals the core diameter D₁ divided by a core diameter of the central portion; and

transmitting, using the optical fiber, the light beam to a surgical field;

wherein;

the central portion of the optical fiber has a length in a range of 10 mm-1000 mm; and

the central portion is configured such that the numerical aperture of the light beam NA_beam is equal to a numerical aperture of the central portion NA_fiber.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein focusing the light beam includes:

focusing the light beam onto a straight section or a tapered section of the proximal portion of the optical fiber.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein focusing the light beam includes:

focusing the light beam using the condenser having an effective focal length based on a core diameter of the proximal portion of the optical fiber.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein focusing the light beam includes:

focusing the light beam using the condenser such that an angular spread of the light beam is based on a core diameter of the proximal portion of the optical fiber.

26. The ophthalmic illumination method of claim 12, wherein a diameter of the light beam is equal to a toleranced core diameter of the optical fiber minus (a maximum off axis angle of collimated beam into the condenser) times 2 times an effective focal length for N.

18. An ophthalmic illumination apparatus, comprising:

an optical fiber having a core diameter and configured to transmit a light beam output by a light source and focused by a condenser, the optical fiber including;

a proximal portion configured to receive the light beam focused by the condenser onto a focal point at the proximal portion, the proximal portion comprising a first tapered portion in which the core diameter varies distally;

a distal portion configured to emit the light beam to illuminate a surgical field, and

a central portion extending between the proximal portion and the distal portion, wherein the core diameter is constant over the central portion;

wherein at the focal point on the proximal portion of the optical fiber, a numerical aperture of the light beam (NA_beam) equals (a numerical aperture of the optical fiber (NA_fiber)) divided by N, wherein N equals a core diameter D₁ divided by a core diameter of the central portion; and

wherein;

the central portion of the optical fiber has a length in a range of 10 mm-1000 mm; and

the central portion is configured such that a numerical aperture of the light beam NA_beam is equal to a numerical aperture of the central portion NA_fiber.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the core diameter of the first tapered portion decreases distally.

20. The ophthalmic illumination apparatus of claim 18,

wherein:

the proximal portion comprises a first section proximal to the first tapered portion; and

the core diameter of the fiber is constant over the first section of the proximal portion.

21. The ophthalmic illumination apparatus of claim 18, wherein the distal portion comprises a second tapered portion over which the core diameter of the optical fiber varies distally.

22. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein:

the core diameter of the first tapered portion decreases distally; and

the distal portion comprises a second tapered portion over which the core diameter of the optical fiber decreases distally.

23. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the condenser is configured to focus the light beam such that:

an angular spread of the light beam focused by the condenser is less than an angular spread of the light beam transmitted by the optical fiber.

24. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the condenser is configured to focus the light beam such that:

an angular spread of the light beam focused by the condenser is a fractional multiple of an angular spread of the light beam transmitted by the optical fiber.

27. The ophthalmic illumination apparatus of claim 18, wherein a diameter of the light beam is equal to a toleranced core diameter of the optical fiber minus (a maximum off axis angle of collimated beam into the condenser) times 2 times an effective focal length for N.