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US 10,881,552 B2Granted
Vacuum device and method of monitoring an ophthalmological patient interface
AssigneeZiemer Ophthalmic Systems AG
InventorChristian Rathjen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A vacuum device comprises a vacuum generator and a vacuum interface for fluidically coupling the vacuum generator to a vacuum cavity for affixing an ophthalmological patient interface on a patient's eye. The vacuum device comprises a movement detector which is configured to detect movements of the patient's eye and a control unit that is configured to detect a faulty fluidic coupling of the vacuum cavity on the basis of a pressure that is ascertained by a coupled pressure sensor and to produce a control signal for interrupting an ophthalmological treatment that is carried out by an ophthalmological treatment device if an eye movement is detected by the movement detector at the same time as the detected faulty fluidic coupling of the vacuum cavity.
Claims23
A vacuum device for affixing an ophthalmological patient interface on a patient's eye, the vacuum device comprising:
- a vacuum generator and a vacuum interface, the vacuum interface being configured to fluidically couple the vacuum generator to a vacuum cavity of the ophthalmological patient interface;
- at least one of:
- an internal pressure sensor and a pressure-measuring interface, the internal pressure sensor being configured to be fluidically coupled to the ophthalmological patient interface, and the pressure-measuring interface being configured to receive a signal from an external pressure sensor of the ophthalmological patient interface;
- a movement detector which is configured to detect movements of the patient's eye, whereby the movement detector comprises a light transmitter and light detectors for optical coherence tomography and is configured to use the optical coherence tomography to execute repeatedly spatial scans on the patient's eye for detecting the movements of the patient's eye;
- and
- a control unit which is connected to an ophthalmological treatment device via a signal line and comprises an electronic circuit configured to detect a faulty fluidic coupling of the vacuum generator to the vacuum cavity by determining whether a pressure that is ascertained by either the internal pressure sensor or the external pressure sensor, during an ophthalmological treatment that is carried out by the ophthalmological treatment device, is below a reference pressure for a duration longer than a predetermined maximum time duration, indicative of a prolonged loss of pressure, to examine continuously the spatial scans of the patient's eye with respect to deviations indicative of movements of the patient's eye, and to produce and transmit to the ophthalmological treatment device via the signal line a control signal for interrupting the ophthalmological treatment that is carried out by the ophthalmological treatment device when an eye movement is detected at the same time as the faulty fluidic coupling of the vacuum generator to the vacuum cavity is detected with a prolonged loss of pressure.
3 more elements
A method of monitoring an ophthalmological patient interface which is affixed on a patient's eye by means of a vacuum that is produced by a vacuum generator in a vacuum cavity of the ophthalmological patient interface, the method comprising:
- ascertaining a pressure by using a first pressure sensor that is fluidically coupled to the ophthalmological patient interface and/or by using a second pressure sensor arranged at the ophthalmological patient interface, during an ophthalmological treatment that is carried out by an ophthalmological treatment device;
- detecting movements of the patient's eye by means of a movement detector which comprises a light transmitter and light detectors for optical coherence tomography and uses the optical coherence tomography to execute repeatedly spatial scans of the patient's eye for detecting the movements of the patient's eye;
- detecting a faulty fluidic coupling of the vacuum generator to the vacuum cavity by an electronic circuit of a control unit determining whether a pressure that is ascertained by either the first pressure sensor or the second pressure sensor, is below a reference pressure for a duration longer than a predetermined maximum time duration, indicative of a prolonged loss of pressure;
- examining continuously by the control unit the spatial scans of the patient's eye with respect to deviations indicative of movements of the patient's eye;
- and
- producing and transmitting the ophthalmological treatment device via a signal line by the electronic circuit of the control unit a control signal for interrupting the ophthalmological treatment that is carried out by the ophthalmological treatment device when an eye movement is detected at the same time as the faulty fluidic coupling of the vacuum generator to the vacuum cavity is detected with a prolonged loss of pressure.
3 more elements
An ophthalmological treatment device comprising a laser system for the ophthalmological treatment of a patient's eye, an application head and an ophthalmological patient interface for attaching the application head to the patient's eye, wherein the ophthalmological treatment device further comprises:
- a vacuum device for affixing the ophthalmological patient interface on the patient's eye, the vacuum device comprising a vacuum generator and a vacuum interface, the vacuum interface being configured to fluidically couple the vacuum generator to a vacuum cavity of the ophthalmological patient interface;
- a pressure sensor arranged at the ophthalmological patient interface;
- a movement detector which is configured to detect movements to the patient's eye, whereby the movement detector comprises a light transmitter and light detectors for optical coherence tomography and is configured to use the optical coherence tomography to execute repeatedly spatial scans of the patient's eye for detecting the movements of the patient's eye;
- and
- a control unit comprising an electronic circuit configured to detect a faulty fluidic coupling of the vacuum generator to the vacuum cavity by determining whether a pressure that is ascertained by the pressure sensor, during an ophthalmological treatment that is carried out by the ophthalmological treatment device, is below a reference pressure for a duration longer than a predetermined maximum time duration, indicative of a prolonged loss of pressure, to examine continuously the spatial scans of the patient's eye with respect to deviations indicative of movements of the patient's eye, and to produce for the ophthalmological treatment device a control signal for interrupting the ophthalmological treatment that is carried out by the ophthalmological treatment device when an eye movement is detected at the same time as the faulty fluidic coupling of the vacuum generator to the vacuum cavity is detected with a prolonged loss of pressure.
2 more elements
A vacuum device for affixing an ophthalmological patient interface on a patient's eye, the vacuum device comprising:
- a vacuum generator and a vacuum interface, the vacuum interface being configured to fluidically couple the vacuum generator to a vacuum cavity of the ophthalmological patient interface;
- at least one of:
- an internal pressure sensor and a pressure-measuring interface, the internal pressure sensor being configured to be fluidically coupled to the ophthalmological patient interface, and the pressure-measuring interface being configured to receive a signal from an external pressure sensor of the ophthalmological patient interface;
- a movement detector which is configured to detect movements of the patient's eye;
- and
- a control unit which is connected to an ophthalmological treatment device via a signal line and comprises an electronic circuit configured to detect a faulty fluidic coupling of the vacuum generator to the vacuum cavity by determining whether a pressure that is ascertained by either the internal pressure sensor or the external pressure sensor, during an ophthalmological treatment that is carried out by the ophthalmological treatment device, is below a reference pressure for a duration longer than a predetermined maximum time duration, indicative of a prolonged loss of pressure, and to produce and transmit to the ophthalmological treatment device via the signal line a control signal for interrupting the ophthalmological treatment that is carried out by the ophthalmological treatment device when an eye movement is detected by the movement detector at the same time as the faulty fluidic coupling of the vacuum generator to the vacuum cavity is detected with a prolonged loss of pressure.
3 more elements
A method of monitoring an ophthalmological patient interface which is affixed on a patient's eye by means of a vacuum that is produced by a vacuum generator in a vacuum cavity of the ophthalmological patient interface, the method comprising:
- ascertaining a pressure by using a first pressure sensor that is fluidically coupled to the ophthalmological patient interface and/or by using a second pressure sensor arranged at the ophthalmological patient interface, during an ophthalmological treatment that is carried out by an ophthalmological treatment device;
- detecting movements of the patient's eye by means of a movement detector;
- detecting a faulty fluidic coupling of the vacuum generator to the vacuum cavity by an electronic circuit of a control unit determining whether a pressure that is ascertained by either the first pressure sensor or the second pressure sensor, is below a reference pressure for a duration longer than a predetermined maximum time duration, indicative of a prolonged loss of pressure;
- and
- producing and transmitting to the ophthalmological treatment device via a signal line by the electronic circuit of the control unit a control signal for interrupting the ophthalmological treatment that is carried out by the ophthalmological treatment device when an eye movement is detected by the movement detector at the same time as the faulty fluidic coupling of the vacuum generator to the vacuum cavity is detected with a prolonged loss of pressure.
2 more elements
An ophthalmological treatment device comprising a laser system for the ophthalmological treatment of a patient's eye, an application head and an ophthalmological patient interface for attaching the application head to the patient's eye, wherein the ophthalmological treatment device further comprises:
- a vacuum device for affixing the ophthalmological patient interface on the patient's eye, the vacuum device comprising a vacuum generator and a vacuum interface, the vacuum interface being configured to fluidically couple the vacuum generator to a vacuum cavity of the ophthalmological patient interface;
- a pressure sensor arranged at the ophthalmological patient interface;
- a movement detector which is configured to detect movements to the patient's eye;
- and
- a control unit comprising an electronic circuit configured to detect a faulty fluidic coupling of the vacuum generator to the vacuum cavity by determining whether a pressure that is ascertained by the pressure sensor, during an ophthalmological treatment that is carried out by the ophthalmological treatment device, is below a reference pressure for a duration longer than a predetermined maximum time duration, indicative of a prolonged loss of pressure, and to produce for the ophthalmological treatment device a control signal for interrupting the ophthalmological treatment that is carried out by the ophthalmological treatment device when an eye movement is detected by the movement detector at the same time as the faulty fluidic coupling of the vacuum generator to the vacuum cavity is detected with a prolonged loss of pressure.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.