KR20000053044A - Device for Optically Examining and/or Treating the Human Eye - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A device for optically examining and treating the human eye is provided which make it possible to safely and conveniently examine or treat the human eye through an intensive laser beam. CONSTITUTION: A device for optically examining and/or treating a patient's eye has a lighting and/or observation optical unit (3) that can be freely moved and oriented in the direction of all co-ordinates in space above the left or right eye (29) and has a flat area that can be set on the surface of the eye. The optical unit is preferably retained in the adjusted position relative to the eye so as to maintain itself in a fixed position in relation to the patient's head and to move together with the head, when the patient can move his head. The treating doctor thus does not need to carry out manual positioning and/or securing operations while diagnosing and/or treating the patient. On the contrary of known optical treatment devices, unwanted degrees of freedom of motion are excluded by the disclosed device, and the risk of injuries is considerably reduced.

Description

Device for Optically Examining and / or Treating the Human Eye

U.S. Patent No. 4,477,159 discloses a technique in which a surgeon pushes a lens onto the surface of the eye by hand with a focus lens or contact lens. A telescope is attached to the head, which allows the surgeon to observe the patient's eyes and to insert a hand held contact lens into the eye. The laser beam guided by the light inductor enters the telescope and is guided out of the telescope to become free light and irradiated with a contact lens. Illumination light similar to laser light is irradiated to the contact lens.

The present invention relates to the apparatus of claim 1, which relates to an apparatus for inspecting and treating an eye of a patient.

Lighting is needed for eye examination. In examining the patient's eyes, the forehead should be placed on a fixed table fixed to the table, and the head should be fixed by placing the chin on the jaw mounting stationary fixed to the table. Forehead straps or jaw restraints prevent the head from moving during examination and treatment of the patient. Illuminations that are pivotally installed on the table are used as light sources, which are installed in a device called Biomicroscope. At the time of examination, the doctor manipulates the contact lens on a line of irradiation light such as a biomicroscope or a light. The physician should keep the patient stationary while looking at the eyes through the biomicroscope.

1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention

2 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a brief explanatory diagram for explaining the structure of the operation unit in the embodiment shown in FIG.

4 is an enlarged view of the contact lens holder viewed in the direction of arrow III in the embodiment shown in FIG.

5 is another embodiment of the operation unit shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a contact lens used in the contact lens holder shown in FIG.

An object of the present invention is to provide a device that allows a doctor to perform a safe and trouble-free eye examination and treatment using a high laser light.

Compared with the conventional ophthalmic treatment device, the present invention has the advantage that the operation part for illumination and treatment during ophthalmic treatment does not require the doctor to hold it in the eye area of the patient by hand. The operation portion can be changed by the surgeon by hand or by a remote controller, thereby positioning it in position and attaching a lens such as a contact lens to the eye surface of the patient. The lens attached to the eye can be removed to replace it with a new lens. Even if the patient moves the head, the device of the present invention moves in response to the movement of the head so that the relative position with the eye is constant. The patient may not have to make efforts to fix the head in a fixed position for a long time.

The device of the present invention can extend the distance from the light source to the eye, thereby facilitating treatment with a laser to treat diseases such as retina coagulation. And the present invention solves the problem of safety which has been a problem until now. The ophthalmologist no longer needs the third and fourth hands.

The fixing and guiding apparatus in this invention can be installed in the apparatus which covers the head of a patient in general. As such a fixed guide device, any means for fixing the head by fixing the forehead and the jaw in a fixed position can be taken.

The device of the invention should be configured as simply as possible. For this reason, it is preferable that a light source generator for illuminating or especially treating eyes is provided in addition to the apparatus of the present invention, and light or light (hereinafter referred to as "light" in the form of visible light such as infrared rays) is a light induction machine (light Guided by means such as an optical fiber cable of an induction guide.

The present invention obviates the need for direct observation by means such as a microscope, and the image display device including the retina, chamber angle or other elements in the back of the eye is a CCD chip weighing only a few grams (g). It can be replaced by the image forming apparatus. This allows the weight to be reduced, allowing the ophthalmologist to examine the patient more easily, and to control the patient or device more easily.

A further advantage of the present invention is that the patient can be examined or treated not only sitting but also lying down.

The work of the light inductor for guiding the acting force for the illumination light or the treatment, such as the image transmission means, is aside from the weight reduction, as in the case of the image transmission by the wire. The patient is freed, such as no need to fix his head to a treatment device provided on the treatment table. The patient is able to move his head.

Measuring elements for measuring eye movements, intraocular pressure, etc. may be coupled to the device of the present invention.

A light emitting element such as an LED may be installed in the contact lens.

The apparatus of the present invention can be used in addition to the laser beam compensator of US Patent No. 4,477,159 as described above. Compared with the known laser beam scavenger, the ophthalmologist no longer has to move the operation part by hand or head, which makes it immovable or restricts the viewing range, by using the apparatus of the present invention. The necessity of adjusting the control panel for examination or treatment is due to the patient moving his head, which is no longer necessary. In addition, the position of the device required for the treatment can be set to the moved position even if the patient moves. In the present invention, for example, installation of a laser beam path in a laser beam compactor is particularly easy. There is a risk of damaging the eyes if the lens is installed in the wrong position by inadvertently sliding the contact lens, but the present invention has eliminated this concern.

When described in detail by the accompanying drawings an embodiment of the present invention as follows. Other advantages of the present invention can be understood from the following description.

As shown in FIG. 1, the apparatus of the present invention has a fixing part 1 which can be fixed to a patient's head, and the fixing part 1 is provided with an operation part 3 as shown in FIG. 4. This is a device for lighting, inspection and treatment. This device of the present invention is installed in the head of the patient.

In the fixing part 1, a head band 5a is provided to surround the head, and a holding band 5b is provided, and the operation part 3 is provided by the bending bar 2. The bending bar 2 allows the operation unit 3 to be moved to an arbitrary position, and is not arbitrarily moved to another position by elasticity or the like in the moved position. And the top band 7 is provided in the fixed part 1. One end of the head band 5a, the holding band 5b and the top band 7 pass through the ear part from side to side when worn on the head, and are bound by means such as fasteners 6a and 6b.

The headband 5a and the topband 7 have flexibility, and are preferably formed of the pads 9a and 9b. The length of the headband 5a and the topband 7 should be able to be adjusted according to the size of the patient's head, and the length adjusting means may be composed of the adjusters 10a and 10b.

2 is another embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. The operation part shown by the code | symbol 3 is attached and detached by the clamp 11 to the headband 5a freely. Then, it is moved along the holding band 5b in the direction of the arrow 12 so that it can be moved from the corresponding position of one eye to the corresponding position of the other eye. The detachable operation part 3 can install it in an arbitrary head holder. The operation part 3 is provided with the position adjustment mechanism 13 so that the handle part 22a, 22b can move the operation part head 15 in three directions. The operation unit head 15 is provided with an illumination and an apparatus for inspection and treatment described below.

At approximately the position of the clamp 11, the operation part 3 has the position adjustment tool 13 in which the rotation tool 19 was provided. Rotating opening 19 is to stop the operation by operating the handle 20, by pressing the handle (not shown in the figure) installed on the opposite side to release the stop. The pivoting tool 19 is comprised so that it can be rotated about an axis | shaft, and the shaft is provided in substantially parallel with the connecting shaft of the two fixtures 6a and 6b. As shown in FIG. 2, the position adjusting tool 13 is provided with a moving tool 21 below the rotating tool 19. Thereby, the operation part head 15 can be rotated in the perpendicular direction with respect to the axis of the rotational opening 19. As shown in FIG. The moving tool 21 may be fixed by the left and right stop levers 22a and 22b. The stop levers are on the left and right, so that the ophthalmologist can operate them with any of the left and right hands. Likewise, the handle 20 is also preferably installed on both sides so that it can be used with both hands. The operation unit head 15 is configured to be installed in the ball pivot so that it can be moved in three directions, the movement of the operation unit head 15 facilitates its adjustment, especially during inspection or treatment of the eye.

The rotating tool and the moving tool are constituted by a clamp having a spring tension to enable magnetic restraint. The spring force for clamping is preferably in a range that can be completely locked from the fully released state by the stop levers 22a and 22b or the handle 20.

As shown in FIG. 2, an electric wire, a signal line, and a light guide or a light guide rod 37 are provided in the operation unit 3, which are integrated in the cable 25 and guided by a plug 26. . The light guide rod 37 for the laser beam is installed separately, but it may be installed together with the cable 25 like the other parts of the operation unit head 15. The cable 25 is attached to the top band 7 with a clamp 27.

As shown in FIG. 2, a contact lens 30 is loaded toward the eye 29 in the operation unit head 15 that approaches the eye 29. For example, the contact lens 30 is held by the tubular body 32 as shown in FIG. 4, and upper and lower eyelid openings 29a and 28b are formed at the end of the tubular body 32.

The tube body 32 may have means for attaching or engaging contact lenses of different sizes as described below.

Such contact lenses can be mounted in a ring holder. Other contact lenses can be used in specific areas of the eye such as the base of the retina, peri-retinal, chamber angle, and the like. The surface of the contact lens 30 to be used for the eye 29 is composed of spherical surfaces having two different radii rF and rG, as shown in FIG. The center portion 33a of the lens surface has a small radius rG, and the radius thereof is smaller than the radius rF of the peripheral portion 33b. Small radius (rG) is determined by the attachment site, but 6mm to 8mm, large radius (rF) is 10mm to 14mm.

The ring holder for holding the contact lens 30 is located in the tube body 32. Of course, as described above, in addition to the lens 30 having two radii rG and rF, a single spherical lens having one radius may be used. However, the above-described contact lens 30 shows better results in improving vision.

In order to illuminate the eye 29, as shown in FIG. 3, illumination light is guided by the light guide 37 through the cable 25 and the plug 26.

Installing a light source outside the control panel head 15 reduces its weight, facilitates the exchange of light sources, and provides a space for installing other members or sensors to be installed in accordance with the eye 29. To the head 15, and also reduces heat generation in the immediate vicinity of the eye 29, and frees the hands of the ophthalmologist. A device for guiding light for the illumination source can be installed, which can be implemented with the lens 39. A filtration device may be installed to filter the illumination light, but this illumination light may use an external light source. After the illumination light 40 passes through the device guided by the beam and the filter for filtering color, intensity and polarization light, it passes through the first reflector 41 and passes through the focus lens 44 and through the contact lens 30. Irradiated with eyes 29. The first reflector 41 is installed so that the illumination light passes almost unobstructed (99% or more). However, as will be described later, the laser beam is reflected. Tempering is also done by selection of the appropriate light path. The second reflector 43 allows a small portion of the illumination light to pass through and reflects the rest of the light toward the lens 44. The laser beam is almost completely reflected. Light from the illuminated part of the eye appears on the image output device (CCD chip) (45).

This is an inspection apparatus through the lens 44 through the second reflecting mirror 43 having an optical loss rate of 50% or less. The electronic signal of the image output element 45 appears as an image on the monitor, and is simultaneously stored in a computer and provided for later use. Computer storage may not be installed, and the monitor can be configured as a separate stand-alone device such as a monitor installed in the headband. This small headband monitor should be placed on the head of the treating ophthalmologist.

If necessary, the image output device 45 may observe the inside or surface of the illuminated eye without a microscope, which is commonly referred to as a biomicroscope.

The drawing device and the inspection device make this a separate matter, and an optical device is installed in the operation unit head 15. The optical device is supplied with a light beam guided by a separate light inductor 47 to the sensor 49. Thus, the laser beam supplied by the light guide 47 is simultaneously oriented for inspection or the like. As shown in FIG. 3, the sensor 49 is provided so as to rotate three-dimensionally by means, such as housing a ball bearing in a casing.

In particular, the beam forming apparatus 51 is provided so as to use the laser beam from the light guide 47. The laser beam is guided to the eye by the reflectors 41 and 43, the focus lens 44 and the contact lens 30.

In addition to the devices described above, a helmet can be used to cover the head of the patient. However, since the movement is small, it is more preferable to use the apparatus as described above. When using a helmet, there is an advantage in that it is easy to install a listening device that can listen to music, information or instructions.

As shown in Fig. 5, a light path not passing through the center of the contact lens can be selected.

A beam forming apparatus for forming the laser beam 53 is shown as a pair of lenses 52. The object to be converted into the image by the image converting element is indicated by reference numeral 55, and the image device is shown by a pair of lenses 56. The reflecting mirror 57 provided in the laser beam path is formed with a "transparent coating" so that the laser beam passes through both sides. The observation light path 59 whose direction is changed by the reflectors 57 and 61 passes through the contact lens 65 along the side path in which the reflector 61 reflects the axis 62 of the eye by the axis 61 of the eye. Enter the eyeball. For such a configuration, a lighting device having no beam forming apparatus cannot be used. The tip of the light guide 66 connected to the light source is fitted into a gap or a hole 67 formed in the contact lens 65. The contact lens 65 here is in contact with the surface 63 of the eye. (The light can be formed in a ring-shaped light.)

It is preferable to form the contact lens 65 similarly to the contact lens 19 [sic].

Correspondingly adjusted contact lenses are used for the eye observed at a pre-set angle.

The device of the present invention may also be formed as a goggle-like face protective glass instead of the configuration shown in FIG. Such face protectors may be installed in combination with inspection, lighting and, if necessary, a device having the configuration as described above. Instead of providing the operation part head 15 which has a shaft, the rotation tool 19, or the moving tool 21 in the holding band 56, the operation part which has a bending bar or a manipulator can be provided. The control unit head 15 may be configured by installing a flex bar or a controller on a fixed head support to keep the forehead and the jaw of the patient from moving.

In addition to the above-described contact lenses, there are contact lenses having various other configurations. The operation unit head 15 or the tube body 32 described above may be configured to have an attachment hole to which various contact lenses can be attached.

In this way, the contact lenses having different configurations can be used for different magnification and images of various sizes can be obtained. Contact lenses can be used to suit young eyes or the eyes of people of various races.

Depending on the needs of the treatment and examination, contact lenses 30 and 65 may be selected. Thus, it is possible to observe by the image conversion element 45 or 55 attached to this apparatus.

As shown in Fig. 3, a beam (laser) for illumination and treatment is gathered into the beam path by means such as reflector 41, which overlaps the observation beam by reflector 43. Illumination is by means of a separate beam path. The beam path for illumination, observation and treatment may be collected or spectroscopically collected by a light collecting and spectroscopic element as necessary. Condensing and spectroscopy can be performed by a polarizing filter. As the spectroscopic element and the light converging element, a spectroscopic prism or binary optics may be used in addition to the above-described reflecting mirror. A semiconductor laser is used, and such a device can be coupled to the operation unit head 15. Thus, the light inducer 47 can be installed. In this case, however, the weight is increased and additional installation space is required. Additional power supply cables are also needed for the laser.

The device of the present invention can be used not only to treat the human eye but also to treat the eye of an animal whose movement cannot be predicted.

Claims (9)

Detachment and movement of the illumination and / or observation members 3, 15 and 30 are provided at the positions of the left and right eyes corresponding to the surface portions 33a and 33b that can be attached to the eye surface, and the upper member ( 3, 15, and 30 are supported so that they can be supported without using a separate manpower at a position corresponding to the position of the eye 29, so that the ophthalmologist manipulates his attention for the treatment without the need to manipulate it during the treatment. Ophthalmic examination and treatment devices that allow you to concentrate on 2. The support member (1, 11, 13) for installing the illumination and / or observation member (3, 15, 30) has at least one support band (5a, 5b, 7). It is fixed to the moving head of the ophthalmic examination and treatment device, characterized in that the upper member moves together according to the movement of the head 3. An illuminating and / or observing member (15, 30) is provided in the operating portion (3), the operating portion (3) having a supporting means and a flow inhibiting means, and supporting members (1, 11, 13) and An ophthalmic examination and treatment apparatus coupled to the manipulator or flexure bar connected to the headband (5a, 5b, 7) to enable the movement of the integral. The illumination and / or observation member (15, 30) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the contact lens (65) has a contact lens (65), in which light-related means (66, 67, 37) are provided. Ophthalmic examination and treatment apparatus. The illumination and / or observation member (15, 30) according to any one of claims 1 to 4 has contact lenses (30, 65), which contact lenses are installed so as to be interchangeable. And ophthalmic examination and treatment devices adapted to be placed on any side of the eye The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the overlapping and spectroscopic devices (41, 43, 57) for illumination, observation and treatment are coupled to at least two illumination, observation and treatment devices. An ophthalmic examination and treatment device. 7. An ophthalmic examination and treatment apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the light for illumination and observation is directed by a light guide (37, 47). 8. An electronic imaging apparatus and erasable image display apparatuses 45 and 55 are provided on a viewing line, which can be converted into an electronic signal from a visual image. An ophthalmic examination and treatment device. The ophthalmic examination and treatment apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the image display apparatus that can be deleted is installed to be removable, and the microscope can be used to remove the displayed image.