# US 2018/0021101 A1 · Methods and systems for pulsed illumination > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0021101 A1 - Document ID: US20180021101A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/709,504 - Filed: 2017-09-20 - Published: 2018-01-25 - Earliest claimed: 2016-02-16 - Assignees: Novartis AG - Applicants: Novartis AG - Inventors: Niels Alexander Abt - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180021101A1 ## CPC - A61B 90/30: Devices for illuminating a surgical field, the devices having an interrelation with other surgical devices or with a surgical procedure - A61B 3/0008: {provided with illuminating means (A61B3/117, A61B3/14 take precedence)} - A61B 3/13: Ophthalmic microscopes - A61B 3/14: Arrangements specially adapted for eye photography - A61B 90/361: {Image-producing devices, e.g. surgical cameras} - A61B 90/20: Surgical microscopes characterised by non-optical aspects - A61B 2017/00154: {pulsed} - A61B 2090/306: {using optical fibres} - A61B 2090/3612: {with images taken automatically} - A61F 9/007: Methods or devices for eye surgery - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C) ## Abstract Methods and systems for performing an ophthalmic surgical procedure include pulsed illumination of target tissue. The systems may include an illumination instrument arranged to illuminate tissue at a surgical site during the ophthalmic surgical procedure. A light source provides illumination to the illumination instrument for emission from the illumination instrument toward the surgical site. A controller communicates with the light source and activates the light source to provide illumination pulses at a frequency above the flickering perception in humans and with enough light for cameral exposure and human light perception. The light source pulses to minimize phototoxicity. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vitreoretinal surgical system for performing an ocular treatment procedure, comprising: an illumination instrument sized and structurally configured to illuminate tissue at a surgical site during an ocular treatment procedure; a light source arranged to provide illumination to the illumination instrument for emission from the illumination instrument toward the surgical site; and a controller in communication with the light source and configured to activate the light source in a manner providing illumination pulses at a frequency above a flickering perception in humans and at an illumination level sufficient to allow a user to perform the ocular treatment procedure. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vitreoretinal surgical system of claim 1, further comprising a microscope disposed and arranged to provide visualization of illuminated tissue at the surgical site to the user. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The vitreoretinal surgical system of claim 1, further comprising: a console including the light source; and an optical fiber extending from the console to the illumination instrument and connecting the light source and the illumination instrument. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The vitreoretinal surgical system of claim 3, further comprising a surgical instrument arranged to manipulate tissue at the surgical site, the surgical instrument being attached to and powered by the console. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The vitreoretinal surgical system of claim 1, wherein the controller is arranged to activate the light source to provide illumination pulses within a frequency range of 40 Hz to 1000 Hz. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The vitreoretinal surgical system of claim 1, further comprising a camera configured to capture images of the tissue at the surgical site, the controller being configured to synchronize a camera exposure time with an illumination pulse. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The vitreoretinal surgical system of claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to synchronize the camera exposure time to occur over two or more illumination pulses. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The vitreoretinal surgical system of claim 1, wherein the light source comprises at least one of a mercury vapor light source, a xenon light source, an LED, a LASER, a halogen light source, and a krypton light source. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The vitreoretinal surgical system of claim 1, wherein the controller is arranged to activate the light source to provide illumination pulses within a frequency range of 50 Hz to 75 Hz. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The vitreoretinal surgical system of claim 1, wherein time between adjacent illumination pulses is greater than a time period of a pulse width of each illumination pulse. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The vitreoretinal surgical system of claim 10, wherein the time between adjacent illumination pulses is at least twice the time period of the pulse width. ### Claim at position 12 12-17. (canceled) ### Claim 18 A vitreoretinal surgical system for performing a vitreoretinal procedure, comprising: an illumination instrument sized and configured to illuminate tissue at a surgical site for an ocular procedure; a light source arranged to provide illumination to the illumination instrument for emission from the illumination instrument; a controller in communication with the light source and configured to activate the light source in a manner providing illumination pulses at a frequency above a flickering perception in humans, and wherein a time period of each illumination pulse is smaller than the time between illumination pulses; and a microscope oriented relative to the surgical site and arranged to provide visualization of illuminated tissue at the surgical site to a user. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The vitreoretinal surgical system of claim 18, wherein the controller is arranged to activate the light source to provide illumination at a frequency in a range of 40 Hz to 100 Hz. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The vitreoretinal surgical system of claim 18, comprising a camera configured to capture images of the tissue at the surgical site, the controller being configured to synchronize a camera exposure with an illumination pulse.