Novartis Ag

Alcon Research, Ltd.

Alcon, Inc.

Dean Lin

Ronald T Smith

Jack Robert Auld

Barry Lynn Wheatley

Kambiz Parto

Lingfeng Yu

Timothy C Ryan

Edouard G Schmidtlin

Michael James Papac

Tammo Heeren

Dyson William Hickingbotham

Christopher L McCollam

Mauricio Jochinsen

Tammo Hereen

An adjustment system for an Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) imaging system includes an OCT light source; a beam splitter, splitting the OCT light beam into an imaging beam to an imaging arm, and a reference beam to a reference arm; a probe, guiding the imaging beam onto a target and receiving a returned imaging beam from the target; the beam splitter generating an interference beam from the returned imaging beam and a returned reference beam from the reference arm; an imaging detector, detecting the interference beam; an imaging processor, generating an OCT image from the detected interference beam; and an adjustment device, removably coupled to the probe, the adjustment device comprising the target attached to a distal region of a target holder at a working distance from a distal end of the imaging probe, wherein an optical length of the reference arm is adjustable to improve a calibration of the OCT image.

Devices, systems, and methods for calibrating an OCT imaging system in a laser surgical system

In certain embodiments, a scanning system includes optical elements and a movement system. The optical elements include an optical fiber and a gradient-index (GRIN) lens. The optical fiber has a fiber axis that extends to an imaginary fiber axis, and is configured to transmit a light ray. The GRIN lens has a GRIN perimeter and a GRIN lens optical axis, and is configured to refract the light ray. The movement system moves a first optical element relative to a second optical element in a closed path such that the GRIN lens optical axis substantially aligns with the imaginary fiber axis at at least one point of the path and the GRIN perimeter intersects the imaginary fiber axis at at least two points of the path.

Forward scanning optical probes

In certain embodiments, a scanning system comprises optical elements and a movement system. The optical elements comprise an optical fiber and a focusing element. The optical fiber transmits a light ray and has a fiber axis that extends to an imaginary fiber axis. The focusing element refracts the light ray and has a focusing element optical axis that is substantially aligned with the imaginary fiber axis. The movement system rotates the focusing element about the focusing element optical axis to scan the light ray. In other embodiments, a scanning system comprises optical elements and a movement system. The optical elements comprise an optical fiber, a focusing element, and a prism. The prism has a prism optical axis and receives the light ray from the focusing element. The movement system rotates the prism about the prism optical axis to scan the light ray.

Forward scanning optical probes with one or more rotating components

Embodiments of endo-illuminators and related methods are disclosed. One embodiment of an illuminator can comprise a cannula defining a passage, an optical element disposed at an end of the cannula, and an optical fiber running through the passage with the distal end of the optical fiber in contact with the optical element. The optical fiber includes at least a heat preconditioned distal portion that terminates in the distal end that is in contact with the optical element. One embodiment of a method can comprise inserting an optical fiber through a proximal portion of a cannula and optical element assembly until the distal end of the optical fiber contacts the optical element, heating a distal portion of the optical fiber to between a softening temperature and a melting temperature for a period of time to cause the distal portion to axially shrink and moving the optical element so that the optical element is in contact with the distal end of the optical fiber when the distal portion of the optical fiber has axially shrunk. Moving the optical element so that the optical element is in contact with the distal end of the optical fiber when the distal portion of the optical fiber has axially shrunk can comprise applying a force to the cannula and optical element assembly to maintain the optical element in continuous contact with the distal end of the optical fiber while the optical fiber axially shrinks.

Preconditioned illuminator system and method

Embodiments of endo-illuminators and related methods are disclosed. One embodiment of an illuminator can comprise a cannula defining a passage, an optical element disposed at an end of the cannula, and an optical fiber running through the passage with the distal end of the optical fiber in contact with the optical element. The optical fiber includes at least a heat preconditioned distal portion that terminates in the distal end that is in contact with the optical element.

A transparent illuminated infusion cannula is provided for illuminating an area during eye surgery. An optical fiber may be spaced a certain distance away from the cannula such that fluid flow around the distal end of the fiber and into the transparent cannula may occur with a much higher flow rate than what had previously been possible. The fiber cannula airspace may be optimized so that the cross-sectional area of the fluid conduit remains substantially constant in order to achieve a best compromise between high light transmittance and high fluid flow rate.

Growing community of inventors

Chino Hills, CA, United States of America

Dean Lin