Robert K Fischer

US Patent:

7150530, Dec 19, 2006

Filed:

May 21, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/442740

Inventors:

Alexander N. Artsyukhovich - Aliso Viejo CA, US
Bruno X. Lassalas - Irving CA, US
T. Scott Rowe - Dana Point CA, US
Mark Fink - Tucson AZ, US
Robert E. Fischer - Westlake Village CA, US

Assignee:

Alcon, Inc. - Hunenberg

International Classification:

A61B 3/10

US Classification:

351216, 351211, 351221, 362250, 362268, 359210

Abstract:

The present invention provides variable spot size illuminators that provide a light spot on a treatment plane by utilizing a zoom lens to direct light received from an image of a light source formed on an intermediate image plane onto the treatment plane. The zoom lens allows varying the size of the treatment spot while ensuring that the treatment spot exhibits parfocality. An illuminator of the invention can be utilized for performing a number of ophthalmic surgical procedures, such as, photocoagulation, transpupillary thermal therapy, and photodynamic therapy.

US Patent:

20040151008, Aug 5, 2004

Filed:

Feb 3, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/357006

Inventors:

Alexander Artsyukhovich - Aliso Viejo CA, US
Burno Lassalas - Irvine CA, US
T. Rowe - Dana Point CA, US
Robert Fischer - Westlake Village CA, US

International Classification:

G02B006/00

US Classification:

362/572000, 362/551000, 362/268000, 362/558000

Abstract:

The present invention provides both continuously variable spot size illuminators and discretely variable spot size illuminators that can be utilized in many applications, e.g., photo-dynamic therapy, to provide a light spot on a treatment plane, e.g., a patient's retina, whose size can be continuously or discretely adjusted while ensuring that the light fluence and the working focal distance remain substantially constant at all spot sizes, thereby preserving parfocality with other optical systems. In a continuous variable spot size illuminator of the invention, a focusing lens system is employed to form an image of a light source on an intermediate plane, and a variable aperture is utilized to select a portion of the intermediate image. An objective lens system then images the selected portion of the intermediate image onto a treatment plane. A discrete variable spot size illuminator of the invention employs a plurality of light shaping diffusers each imparting a pre-defined far field intensity distribution to light transmitted therethrough to select the shape and/or size of an image formed on a treatment plane from among a discrete number of choices, each associated with coupling one of the diffuser with a light source.