Controlling beam intensity in ophthalmic illumination systems using serial rotatable shapes

1. An ophthalmic illumination system comprising:

an optical fiber having an entrance onto which a light beam may be focused for transmission to an ophthalmic light probe;

a plurality of substantially planar shapes positioned in a path for the collimated beam, the shapes configured serially along an optical axis of the system and rotationally symmetric with one another relative to the optical axis, each shape having a central rotational axis that intersects the optical axis;

each shape having a plurality of generally wedge-shaped segments spaced apart around and converging at the optical axis and configured to provide generally wedge-shaped apertures to the beam between the segments; and

the shapes rotatable on the rotational axes along the optical axis to assume a plurality of configurations including an open configuration in which faces of the shapes are parallel to the optical axis and a closed configuration in which faces of the shapes are normal to the optical axis.

2. The ophthalmic illumination system of claim 1 , wherein the rotational axes of the shapes intersect the optical axis at regular degree intervals around the optical axis.

3. The ophthalmic illumination system of claim 2 comprising two planar shapes, each degree interval being ninety (90) degrees.

4. The ophthalmic illumination system of claim 2 comprising four planar shapes, each degree interval being forty-five (45) degrees.

5. The ophthalmic illumination system of claim 1 , wherein the open configuration allows a substantially maximum intensity of the beam to be focused onto the optical fiber and the closed configuration blocks a substantially maximum intensity of the beam.

6. The ophthalmic illumination system of claim 1 , configured to allow at least some of the beam through the apertures at substantially all radii of the beam relative to the optical axis.

7. The ophthalmic illumination system of claim 1 , wherein the segments tessellate and comprise curved edges.

8. The ophthalmic illumination system of claim 1 , wherein the segments of one of the shapes are equally spaced apart around the optical axis.

9. An ophthalmic illumination system comprising:

a light source;

light collection optics through which a beam from the light source may be focused onto an entrance of an optical fiber for transmission to an ophthalmic light probe;

the light collection optics including a plurality of planar shapes positioned serially in a path for the collimated beam, each shape centered on an optical axis of the light collection optics through a rotational axis of the shape that intersects the optical axis, the shapes rotationally symmetric with one another relative to the optical axis, the rotational axes of the shapes intersecting the optical axis at regular degree intervals around the optical axis;

each shape having a plurality of generally tapered segments each having a tapered end at the optical axis and spaced apart to provide generally tapered apertures to the beam; and

the shapes rotatable on the rotational axes along the optic axis to selectively vary an intensity of the beam.

10. The ophthalmic illumination system of claim 9 , wherein the shapes are movable between an open configuration in which faces of the shapes are parallel to the optical axis and a closed configuration in which faces of the shapes are normal to the optical axis.

11. The ophthalmic illumination system of claim 9 , wherein each of the tapered ends of the segments has a ninety-degree taper.

12. The ophthalmic illumination system of claim 9 , wherein each of the tapered ends of the segments has a forty-five-degree taper.

13. The ophthalmic illumination system of claim 12 , comprising four shapes.

14. The ophthalmic illumination system of claim 9 , wherein the shapes tessellate and comprise curved edges.

15. The ophthalmic illumination system of claim 9 , wherein the rotational axes of the shapes intersect the optical axis at degree intervals equally spaced apart around the optical axis.

16. A method of using an ophthalmic illumination system having a light source and light collection optics for focusing a beam onto the entrance of an optical fiber for transmission to an ophthalmic light probe, the method comprising:

moving a plurality of planar shapes serially positioned in a path of the collimated beam, each shape centered on an optical axis of the light collection optics through a rotational axis of the shape that intersects the optical axis, the shapes rotationally symmetric with one another relative to the optical axis, the rotational axes of the shapes intersecting the optical axis at regular degree intervals around the optical axis, each shape having a plurality of generally tapered segments each having a tapered end at the optical axis and spaced apart to provide generally tapered apertures to the beam; and

the moving including rotating the shapes on the rotational axes.

17. The method of claim 16 , the moving performed to selectively vary an intensity of the beam.

18. The method of claim 16 , further comprising moving the shapes to an open configuration in which faces of the shapes are parallel to the optical axis.

19. The method of claim 16 , further comprising moving the shapes to a closed configuration in which faces of the shapes are normal to the optical axis.

20. The method of claim 16 , further comprising moving the shapes to allow light through the apertures at substantially all radii of the beam relative to the optical axis.