JPH0994255A - Microscope for surgery - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a microscope for surgery which can form a black spot to protect the retina even if a patient's retina is not located at the center of a visual field of the microscope. SOLUTION: The microscope comprises an XY stage 1 to move the microscope body, a CCD camera 4 to photograph images in a visual field of the microscope, a liquid crystal device 10 equipped with a light transmitting face composed of indication dots which transmit illumination light and are arranged in a matrix form, and a control device 400 to control and drive the liquid crystal device 10. The control device 400 recognizes position of the retina of an eye to be inspected by analyzing images in the visual field of the microscope photographed by the CCD camera 4, and constitutes a black spot filter by coloring selectively indication dots positioned within an area on the light transmitting face of the liquid crystal device 10, which have been decided in correspondence with the recognized position.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a surgical microscope, and more particularly to a surgical microscope capable of forming a black spot that protects the retina of an eye to be examined from illumination light during surgery.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art IOL (Intraocuc) is used for cataract patients.
When the lens is removed and the IOL is inserted in the operation of wearing a large lens, if the illumination light is directly applied to the patient's retina, the patient's retina may be damaged. Therefore, the conventional surgical microscope is provided with a so-called black dot filter that protects the patient's retina by inserting and removing a circular black dot printed on glass or the like into and out of the illumination optical path as needed.

[0003]

However, the black dot formed by the black dot filter provided in the conventional surgical microscope is usually located at the center of the microscope field of view. However, during operation, the retina part is not always located at the center of the visual field, and the black spot position may deviate from the retina part. This is because the operator often moves the microscope main body by operating the XY stage, and often sets the optimum place at the center of the visual field for each operation process. As a result, the conventional black spot filter has a problem that when the patient's retina is not located in the center of the visual field, the formed black spot does not cover the retina, and the function of protecting the retina does not work sufficiently.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and a surgical microscope capable of forming a black spot for protecting the retina of a patient even when the retina of the patient is not in the center of the microscope visual field. The purpose is to provide.

In ophthalmic surgery, not only is the eye to be inspected uniformly illuminated, but also a specific site to be operated is optically marked, or a specific optical pattern (for example, slit shape or concentric circle shape). If it is possible to irradiate the surgical site, the surgery can proceed more smoothly and efficiently.

Another object of the present invention is a light-transmitting surface having a variable transmittance in a predetermined area, which is capable of irradiating an eye with an optical pattern used for more efficiently performing ophthalmic surgery. An object of the present invention is to provide a surgical microscope provided with a light transmission element having the above.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a surgical microscope including an illumination optical system for illuminating an eye to be inspected and an observation optical system for observing the illuminated eye to be inspected. Arranged in the optical path of the illumination optical system, a light transmission element having a light transmission surface whose transmittance of illumination light is variable, and a light transmission surface of the light transmission element, a predetermined area is designated,
And a control unit that changes the transmittance of the region.

[0008]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment of a surgical microscope to which the present invention is applied will be described below with reference to the drawings.

A surgical microscope according to the present invention is shown in FIG.
As shown in the external view, the microscope main body 100 and the XY stage 1 for moving the microscope main body 100 in the X and Y directions are provided. The microscope main body 100 includes an eyepiece unit 3, a CCD camera 4 that acquires a visual field image of the microscope, an observation optical system for observing the eye 2 and an illumination optical system that illuminates the eye 2. There is. The XY stage 1 moves the microscope body 100 in the X and Y directions, respectively.
A shaft motor and a Y-axis motor are provided, and can be driven to a desired position by an operation switch that controls the operation of each motor.

When using the surgical microscope, the operator looks at the eyepiece 3 and moves the XY stage 1 so that a specific part of the eye 2 to be inspected enters the visual field of the microscope.

An example of the configuration of the optical system of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

The eyepiece unit 3 has an image forming lens 31, an erecting prism 32, a rhombic prism 33, and an eyepiece lens 34. The observation optical system 200 includes an objective lens 201 and a pair of zoom lens systems 202 for stereoscopically viewing the subject's eye 2.
(Only one is shown). In addition, 40 has shown the operator's eye part.

The illumination optical system 300 includes an illumination power source 306,
An illumination bulb 305 such as a halogen lamp fed from an illumination power source 306, an optical fiber 304 for transmitting illumination light from the illumination bulb 305, a condenser lens 303, a relay lens 302 for guiding the illumination light from the optical fiber 304 to the eye 2 to be inspected, And a half mirror 301.

The optical system of this embodiment further includes a transmissive liquid crystal device (light transmissive element) 10 arranged in the illumination optical path between the condenser lens 303 and the relay lens 302 of the illumination optical system 300. It is equipped. The liquid crystal device 10 is one of the characteristic configurations of the present invention,
It has a light-transmitting surface that can change the transmittance of an arbitrary region. Therefore, by changing the transmittance of a predetermined area of the light transmitting surface of the liquid crystal device 10, the light emitting surface corresponding to the predetermined area in the illumination area illuminated by the illumination light passing through the light transmitting surface. The light intensity in the area can be changed.

In this embodiment, the liquid crystal device 1 is designed so that black spots for protecting the retina of the eye to be examined are formed in the illumination light.
A case of designating a region in which the transmittance is changed within the light transmission plane of 0 will be described. Of course, by changing the position and shape of the region that changes the transmittance of the liquid crystal device 10, it is possible to form not only a black dot but an arbitrary optical pattern and irradiate it on the eye to be inspected.

As the liquid crystal device 10, for example, as shown in FIG. 3, a device in which display dots of a predetermined size are arranged in a matrix to form a light transmitting surface 11 is used.
Such a dot matrix liquid crystal device 10
Is used as a black dot filter for the purpose of protecting the retina of the eye to be inspected, the necessary display dots in the light transmitting surface 11 are colored (transmittance is reduced), and the circular area 12 corresponding to the black dot is formed. Form. The control of the liquid crystal device 10 will be described later.

Although the liquid crystal device 10 is used in the present embodiment, the light transmitting element of the present invention is not limited to the liquid crystal device, and, for example, of the illumination light to be transmitted such as an electrochromic element. Another optical element may be used as long as it is an optical element capable of forming light and dark in a region designated in advance.

The optical system of this embodiment further includes a beam splitter 41 disposed between the imaging lens 31 and the observation optical system 200 as an optical system for guiding the field image of the microscope to the CCD camera 4. It has a projection lens 42 and a mirror 43 for guiding the light split by the splitter 41 to the CCD camera 4.

Next, an example of the circuit configuration of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

The apparatus of the present embodiment receives the data from the CCD camera 4 and the XY stage 1 described above,
A control device 400 for controlling the liquid crystal device 10, and an XY
X that accepts operations related to the designation of the amount of movement of stage 1
It has a Y-stage operation switch 410 and a trackball 420 that accepts a manual operation for moving the position of a black dot to be formed. Although the trackball 420 is used in the present embodiment, instead of this, a joystick or the like that can input an arbitrary operation amount may be used as the input device.

The apparatus of the present embodiment further forms a tracking auto / manual switch 430 for switching the position of the black dot automatically (automatically) or manually. Black spot ON-OFF switch 44 for controlling whether to do
0.

The control device 400 is a memory 4 for storing various programs for setting the control method of the liquid crystal device 10.
02 and a CPU 40 that controls the liquid crystal device 10 by executing a program stored in the memory 402.
1 and a liquid crystal driver 406 that drives the liquid crystal device 10 under the control of the CPU 401.

The control device 400 further receives an A / D converter 403 which receives the image signal of the eye 2 to be inspected and its surroundings from the CCD camera 4 and converts it digitally, and an image memory 404 which temporarily stores the digitized image data.
And image data stored in the image memory 404,
Further, it has a D / A converter 405 which converts the image data indicating the position or area of the black spot set by the CPU 401 into an analog signal and outputs it as an image signal to a monitor display device (not shown).

The monitor display device receives the image signal from the D / A converter 405 and displays the image in the microscope field of view, or superimposes it on the image in the microscope field of view at the time of initial setting of the black dot or when the black dot is turned off. The position or area of the black dot to be generated is displayed by a predetermined object or the like.

The CPU 401 uses the image data stored in the image memory 404 to execute well-known image processing such as binarization at a predetermined cycle, thereby deciding at which position in the microscope visual field the pupil center, That is, it is sequentially detected whether the retina of the eye 2 to be inspected is present. The CPU 401 further specifies a region corresponding to the detected position of the retina of the eye 2 to be detected on the light transmitting surface 11 of the liquid crystal device 10, and displays the display dots of the liquid crystal device 10 located in the specified region. The transmittance is reduced to form black dots for retinal protection (see FIG. 3).

The control device 400 further includes a counter 409a for counting the operation amount of the trackball 420 in the X direction in a predetermined unit and a counter 409 for counting the operation amount of the trackball 420 in the Y direction in a predetermined unit.
b, an X-axis motor corresponding to the movement amount of the XY stage 1,
X-axis motor encoder 4 that detects the amount of rotation of the Y-axis motor
07a and Y-axis motor encoder 407b, and counters 408a and 408b that respectively count the amount of rotation detected by both encoders in a predetermined unit.

In the present embodiment, the tracking auto / manual switch 430 switches whether the operation for specifying the position of the retina is automatically performed or manually. Tracking auto / manual switch 4
When the manual is selected by the counter 30, a signal corresponding to the operation amount of the trackball 420 is displayed on the counter 40.
9 is read by the CPU 401 and the trackball 42
The CPU 401 controls the liquid crystal driver 40 according to the operation amount of 0.
6 is controlled to displace the region of the liquid crystal device 10 where the transmittance is reduced in the X and Y directions to move the black dot.

When the tracking auto is selected, the CPU 401 executes the image analysis processing using the image data acquired by the CCD camera 4 as described above, thereby
The position of the retina of the eye 2 to be inspected is sequentially specified, and a black dot is formed in the area corresponding to the position.

When tracking auto is selected,
Instead of the image analysis process described above, the black spot may be moved according to the amount of movement of the XY stage 1. That is, the center position and the area of the black dot are set by a predetermined initialization process, and then a signal indicating the movement amount of the XY stage 1 is sent to the CPU 40 via the counters 408a and 408b.
1 deciphers. Further, the CPU 401 controls the liquid crystal driver 4 according to the amount of movement in the X and Y directions by the XY stage 1.
Liquid crystal device 1 that controls 06 to correspond to the black dots
The black spot is moved by displacing the region where the transmittance of 0 is reduced in the X and Y directions.

Here, as the predetermined initial setting process, for example, first, a manual operation mode is set, and an operator operates the trackball 420 to receive designation of the center position of the retina of the eye 2 to be inspected. Next, the operator's designation regarding the size of the circular black dot centered on the center position designated in this way is received via the trackball 420. Finally, the specified center position and size are set as the center position and size of the black dot.

Next, the liquid crystal device 1 according to the present embodiment.
An example of the control operation of 0 will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS.

First, an operation example when the image analysis processing is used when the tracking mode for the retina portion of the black spot is auto will be described with reference to FIG.

In this operation example, in step 501, from the setting of the tracking auto / manual switch 430,
Determine whether tracking is automatic or manual. When the auto mode is selected, the process proceeds to step 502, and the image data in the microscope visual field captured by the CCD camera 4 is used, for example, by the image analysis process as described above.
The position and size of the retina of the subject's eye 2 are determined. In step 502, a region on the light transmitting surface of the liquid crystal device 10 corresponding to the determined position and size of the retina is further determined, and the display dot located in the determined region is specified.

Further, only the center position of the retina is determined by the image analysis processing in step 502, and the shape of the black dot is centered on the determined center position.
The configuration may be such that a circular shape having a predetermined size is provided.

In step 503, it is judged from the setting of the black spot ON-OFF switch 440 whether or not a black spot should be formed. When the black dot ON is selected, the process proceeds to step 504, and the transmittance of the display dot specified in step 502 among the display dots forming the light transmitting surface of the liquid crystal device 10 is reduced. If the black dot ON is not selected, the process returns to step 501.

When the manual mode is selected as the tracking mode in step 501, the process proceeds to step 512 and the position and size of the black dot are initialized. By default,
For example, the operator first moves the trackball 420 to specify the center position of the retina of the eye 2 to be inspected, and then to set the size such that the retina is sufficiently covered around the specified center position. The size of the black dot is set so that a circular black dot is formed.

At step 513, the counter 409a,
By reading the change in the value of 409b, it is determined whether or not the trackball 420 has been operated. If the trackball 420 has been operated, the process proceeds to step 514. If not, the determination process of the step is repeated after a predetermined time. .

When it is determined that the trackball 420 has been operated, in step 514, the operation amount of the trackball 420 is read via the counters 409a and 409b, and set at that time according to the read operation amount. Move the center position of the black dot. In step 514, a region on the light transmitting surface of the liquid crystal device 10 corresponding to the center position of the black spot after the movement is further determined,
The display dot located in the area is specified.

In step 515, it is judged from the setting of the black spot ON-OFF switch 440 whether or not a black spot should be formed. When the black dot ON is selected, the process proceeds to step 516, and among the display dots forming the light transmitting surface of the liquid crystal device 10, the transmittance of the display dot specified in step 514 is reduced. When the black dot ON is not selected, the process returns to step 513.

At step 517, it is determined from the setting of the tracking auto / manual switch 430 whether the tracking mode at that time is auto or manual. If auto is selected, the process returns to step 502, and if manual is selected, the process returns to step 513.

In this operation example, the image in the field of view of the microscope is set to the CCD.
By guiding the image to the camera 4 and analyzing the image, the location corresponding to the retina of the subject's eye 2 is recognized, and the display dots to be colored of the matrix-shaped liquid crystal device 10 are selected in accordance therewith, thereby forming a black dot filter. To do.

According to this operation example, since the position of the retina of the eye 2 is always grasped by the image analysis processing of the microscope field image, even if the XY stage 1 is operated to move the microscope field, The display dots of the liquid crystal device 10 to be colored can be automatically changed accordingly. For this reason,
It is possible to realize a black dot filter that always functions as a means for protecting the patient's retina.

Next, an operation example in the case where the black spot is moved according to the moving amount of the XY stage 1 when the tracking mode is auto will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

In this operation example, first, the initial setting process of the black dots similar to step 512 of FIG. 5 is performed in step 60.
In step 602, it is determined whether the tracking mode at that time is auto or manual based on the setting of the tracking auto / manual switch 430. If auto is selected, the process proceeds to step 613, and if manual is selected, the process proceeds to step 603.

When the manual is selected, the steps 603 to 606, which are the same processes as the steps 513 to 516 of FIG. 5, are executed to set the black point position according to the operation amount of the trackball 420. Processing such as moving is performed, and the process returns to step 602.

If auto is selected, in step 613 it is determined whether the XY stage 1 has been moved by reading the values of the counters 408a and 408b.
If it has not been moved, the determination process of the step is repeated after a predetermined time.

If it is determined in step 613 that the XY stage 1 is moved in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction in step 614, the encoder 407a,
407b and counters 408a and 408b are read, and the center position of the black dot set at that time is moved according to the read movement amount. Step 61
4 further corresponds to the center position of the black dot after movement,
The area on the light transmitting surface of the liquid crystal device 10 is determined, and the display dots located in the area are specified.

In step 615, it is judged from the setting of the black spot ON-OFF switch 440 whether or not a black spot should be formed. When the black dot ON is selected, the process proceeds to step 616, and the transmittance of the display dot specified in step 614 among the display dots forming the light transmitting surface of the liquid crystal device 10 is reduced. When the black dot ON is not selected, the process returns to step 602.

According to this operation example, even if the XY stage 1 is operated to move the microscope field of view, the display dot of the liquid crystal device 10 to be colored can be automatically changed according to the movement amount of the XY stage. . For this reason, it is possible to realize a black dot filter that always functions as a patient's retina protecting means.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the black spots for protecting the retina can cover the retina even if the retina of the eye 2 is not placed in the center of the microscope visual field. The effect of being able to protect the retina of is obtained.

In this embodiment, the example in which the liquid crystal device (light transmitting element) provided in the surgical microscope is used to form the black dots for protecting the retina has been described. However, the liquid crystal device has the following applications. It can also be used for.

For example, it can be used for marking a corneal incision position during IOL surgery. Also in this case, the transmittance on the light transmitting surface of the liquid crystal device 10 is adjusted so that a specific portion is recognized by the image analysis processing as in the above embodiment and the portion is irradiated with an optical mark having a predetermined shape. Specify the area to reduce. Further, like the above embodiment, the liquid crystal device 10 is controlled to irradiate a predetermined optical mark at a position selected by initial setting and move the mark according to the movement of the XY stage 1. Also good. According to such a configuration, it is possible to always optically mark a specific portion regardless of the movement of the microscope visual field, and thus it is possible to proceed with the surgery more efficiently.

Further, it may be used as a slit lamp by designating a region in which the transmittance is reduced so that the illumination light is transmitted like a slit through the light transmitting surface of the liquid crystal device. Furthermore, astigmatism is confirmed by selecting a region that reduces the transmittance of the liquid crystal device and irradiating the corneal surface of the patient with the optical pattern so that a large number of concentric optical patterns are formed. It may be configured to.

[0054]

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a surgical microscope capable of forming a black dot for protecting the retina of a patient even when the retina of the patient is not in the center of the microscope visual field. it can.

Further, according to the present invention, there is provided a light transmissive element having a light transmissive surface having a variable transmittance, which is capable of irradiating an eye with an optical pattern used for more efficiently performing ophthalmic surgery. A surgical microscope having the same can be provided.

[0056]

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an outline view of a surgical microscope of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an optical path diagram showing a configuration example of an optical system in the embodiment of FIG.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an example in which a black dot filter for the purpose of protecting the retina is constructed by a dot matrix type liquid crystal device.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an example of a circuit configuration in the embodiment of FIG.

5 is a flow chart showing an example of a control processing operation of the liquid crystal device in the embodiment of FIG.

6 is a flowchart showing another example of the control processing operation of the liquid crystal device in the embodiment of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 ... XY stage, 2 ... Eye to be examined, 3 ... Eyepiece part, 4 ... CCD camera, 10 ... Liquid crystal device, 11 ... Light transmission surface, 100 ... Microscope main body, 200 ... Observation optical system, 300 ... Illumination optical system.

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A surgical microscope comprising: an illumination optical system for illuminating an eye to be inspected; and an observation optical system for observing the illuminated eye to be inspected, the illumination microscope being disposed in an optical path of the illumination optical system. A light-transmitting element having a variable light-transmitting surface, and a control unit for designating a predetermined area of the light-transmitting surface of the light-transmitting element and changing the transmittance of the area. Surgical microscope. 2. The surgical microscope according to claim 1, wherein the light transmissive element is a transmissive liquid crystal device. 3. The control unit according to claim 2, wherein, when illuminating the eye to be inspected, the control unit changes the transmittance of a black spot for protecting the retina of the eye to be inspected from illumination light in a predetermined region of the liquid crystal device. A surgical microscope characterized by being formed by the above. 4. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 2, which captures an image reflected in the visual field of the observation optical system, and image data from the image pickup apparatus is used to detect the subject's eye included in the image in the visual field. An image processing device for recognizing a predesignated part and specifying the position of the recognized part in the visual field is further provided, and the control unit is the position in the visual field specified by the image processing device. The surgical microscope, wherein the black dots are formed in a predetermined region of the liquid crystal device corresponding to. 5. The plurality of drive mechanisms for changing the position of the eye to be inspected in the visual field of the observation optical system, and the movement amount detection device for detecting the movement amount of each of the plurality of drive mechanisms according to claim 2. The operating microscope, wherein the control unit changes the position of the black spot formed on the liquid crystal device according to the movement amount detected by the movement amount detection device.