Ophthalmoscope laser attachment
AssigneeLitechnica Limited
InventorsJohn Robert Gutridge, Timothy Ralph Snellgrove
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A binocular indirect laser ophthalmoscope comprising binocular eyepieces each having an optical axis defining an optical plane, the ophthalmoscope having a central viewing axis lying in said optical plane; and an optical element adapted to position a laser beam into said optical plane substantially on said viewing axis and substantially parallel to said viewing axis.
Claims56
A binocular indirect laser ophthalmoscope comprising binocular eyepieces each having an optical axis defining an optical plane, the ophthalmoscope having a central viewing axis lying in said optical plane;
- and an optical element adapted to position a laser beam into said optical plane substantially on said viewing axis and substantially parallel to said viewing axis.
A laser-directing attachment for attaching to an indirect ophthalmoscope comprising:
- an attachment mechanism adapted to attach said attachment to the ophthalmoscope;
- a laser fibre connector adapted to connect to an optical fibre adapted to carry a laser beam;
- a director adapted to direct a laser beam in a direction relative to said attachment;
- and
- direction controls adapted to control the director to place a laser beam emitted via said connector in a line generally superimposed upon a central viewing axis of said indirect ophthalmoscope.
A binocular laser indirect ophthalmoscope comprising:
- a pair of eyepieces for a user to look through, and respective image-capture optics associated with respective eyepieces, said eyepieces and associated image-capture optics having respective optical axes, said optical axes defining an optical plane, and there being a central line of view of said ophthalmoscope lying in said optical plane;
- a laser beam coupler for coupling a laser beam delivery device to said ophthalmoscope;
- a laser beam director for directing a laser beam provided from said laser beam coupler forwards, away from said ophthalmoscope;
- an adjustment mechanism for controlling the position or orientation of said laser beam director so as to vary the position or direction of a laser beam propagating from said director;
- and wherein said laser beam coupler is provided disposed laterally to one side of said image capture optics and said laser beam director is provided in front of said image capture optics, and wherein said adjustment mechanism is adjustable to position a laser beam propagating from said director substantially in said optical plane, substantially undivergent therefrom, and substantially on said central line of view.
A device for attachment to an indirect ophthalmoscope for fitting a laser to said ophthalmoscope, said device comprising:
- a support member;
- an attachment formation provided associated with said support member for attaching said support member to said ophthalmoscope;
- a laser director coupled to said support member by a mechanical coupling mechanism so as to be movable relative to said support member;
- a control mechanism for moving said laser director relative to said support member;
- wherein
- said device has a forward-facing front portion away from which a laser beam is directed in use, and a rearward facing back portion which in use is disposed towards an operator's face, and a side portion laterally disposed to one side of said device;
- and wherein said mechanical coupling mechanism is provided at said side portion.
A method of aligning a laser beam of an indirect binocular laser ophthalmoscope with a visual plane of said ophthalmoscope defined by first and second optical axes of first and second eyepiece optics of said binocular ophthalmoscope, said method comprising providing a reflector between said optical axes such that said reflector intersects said visual plane;
- directing a laser beam onto said reflector at about the position where said reflector intersects said visual plane;
- and controlling the orientation or position of said reflector so as to cause a laser beam reflected from said reflector to be in or parallel to said visual plane
A method of aligning a laser beam of an indirect binocular laser ophthalmoscope with a visual plane of said ophthalmoscope defined by first and second optical axes of first and second eyepiece optics of said binocular ophthalmoscope, said method comprising providing a beam manipulator between said optical axes, such that said beam manipulator intersects said visual plane, and causing said laser beam to enter said ophthalmoscope laterally to one side thereof.
A method of laser treatment of an eye comprising controlling the position at which a laser beam encounters a structure of said eye by using an indirect ophthalmoscope having a laser director optical element, by providing said laser beam from the side of said ophthalmoscope and providing said optical element substantially in a vertical plane inclined at about 45° to a line of propagation of said laser beam, thereby directing said laser beam away from said ophthalmoscope substantially in and parallel to a plane defined by optical axes of binocular optics of said ophthalmoscope.
A method of laser treatment of an eye comprising controlling the position at which a laser beam encounters a structure of said eye by using an indirect ophthalmoscope having a laser director optical element provided in a frame, the user looking through said frame at the eye to be treated;
- bodily moving said frame so as to move the path of said laser beam to lie in or parallel to a visual plane defined by optical axes of the binocular optics of said binocular ophthalmoscope;
- and
- activating said laser beam.
A method of controlling the angle of a laser beam relative to a viewing plane of a binocular laser ophthalmoscope, said viewing plane being defined by first and second optical axes of respective first and second optical pathways of said binocular ophthalmoscope, said method comprising providing an optical element on a carrier mounted on said ophthalmoscope;
- looking through said carrier;
- moving said carrier relative to other parts of said ophthalmoscope so as to move said optical element thereby altering the angle at which said laser beam will propagate relative to said visual plane.
A binocular indirect ophthalmoscope having first and second image capture optics having respective first and second optical pathways which define a viewing plane, and delivery means for delivering a laser beam to an optical element located adjacent said image capture optics for causing said laser beam to be emitted in a direction substantially in said viewing plane, undivergent therefrom.
A binocular indirect ophthalmoscope whose eyepieces have optical axes which define a viewing plane, a mirror carrier frame which has a viewing opening or window registered with said eyepieces and has a dichroic mirror mounted in that viewing plane extending across said viewing opening, and delivery means for delivering a laser beam to said mirror for reflection into said viewing plane and along a central viewing axis of said ophthalmoscope.
An accessory for a binocular indirect ophthalmoscope which comprises a frame having viewing openings located to either side of a reflective surface, and directing means for directing a laser beam onto said reflective surface for reflection into a viewing direction.
An accessory for a binocular indirect ophthalmoscope which comprises a frame having a viewing aperture and an optical element disposed across said viewing aperture, said optical element being adapted to reflect light of a selected laser wavelength and transmit light of at least another selected optical wavelength such that in use a user is able to look through said viewing aperture and through said optical element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.