Ophthalmic illumination system with light intensity control on individual illumination fibers

A method for attenuation of a first light beam and a second light beam, comprising:

• accessing user input indicating desired intensities of light to be provided to a patient's eye via each of a first optical fiber and a second optical fiber, the first light beam being coupled to the first optical fiber and the second light beam being coupled to the second optical fiber;
• accessing data specific to a first surgical instrument and data specific to a second surgical instrument, the first optical fiber being integrated with the first surgical instrument and the second optical fiber being integrated with the second surgical instrument;
• determining, based at least in part on the accessed user input and the data specific to the first surgical instrument, a desired intensity of the first light beam exiting a first attenuator located in a path of the first light beam;
• determining, based at least in part on the accessed user input and the data specific to the second surgical instrument, a desired intensity of the second light beam exiting a second attenuator located in a path of the second light beam;
• communicating a first signal to the first attenuator, the first signal configured to cause adjustment of a position of the first attenuator to achieve the determined desired intensity of the first light beam exiting the first attenuator;
• and
• communicating a second signal to the second attenuator, the second signal configured to cause adjustment of a position of the second attenuator to achieve the determined desired intensity of the second light beam exiting the second attenuator.