IP Library Granted Patent US 9,645,379
Granted Patent B2
US 9,645,379 · App. 14/584,685 · Granted May 9, 2017

Magnification in ophthalmic procedures and associated devices, systems, and methods

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,645,379
App. No.
14/584,685
Granted
May 9, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

An ophthalmic visualization system can include an imaging device configured to acquire images of a surgical field; a computing device configured to determine an area of interest based on the images; and a display device in communication with the computing device and a surgical microscope, wherein the display device is configured to provide a graphical overlay onto at least a portion of a field of view of the surgical microscope, and wherein the graphical overlay includes a magnified image of the area of interest. A method of visualizing an ophthalmic procedure can include receiving images of a surgical field acquired by an imaging device; identifying an area of interest; generating a graphical overlay including a magnified image of the area of the interest; and outputting the graphical overlay to a display device such that the graphical overlay is positioned over a field of view of a surgical microscope.

Claims (46)

1. An ophthalmic visualization system, comprising:

a first imaging device configured to acquire first images of a surgical field;

a computing device in communication with the first imaging device and configured to determine an area of interest in the surgical field based on the first images; and

a first display device in communication with the computing device and a surgical microscope configured to image the surgical field, wherein the first display device is configured to provide a graphical overlay onto at least a portion of a field of view of the surgical microscope, and wherein the graphical overlay includes a magnified image of the area of interest.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computing device is configured to determine the area of interest by identifying, in the first images, at least a portion of a surgical device disposed in the surgical field.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first display device is configured to provide the graphical overlay such that the graphical overlay is viewable in a fixed position relative to the field of view of the surgical microscope.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first display device is configured to provide the graphical overlay such that the graphical overlay is viewable in variable positions relative to the field of view of the surgical microscope.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein:

the computing device is configured to identify at least a portion of a surgical device in the first images as the at least a portion of the surgical device moves in the surgical field; and

the first display device is configured to provide the graphical overlay such that movement of the graphical overlay corresponds to the movement of the at least a portion of the surgical device.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first display device is configured to provide the graphical overlay in a transparent manner such that the surgical field is viewable through the graphical overlay using the surgical microscope.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computing device is configured to generate the graphical overlay based on the first images.

8. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a second imaging device in communication with the computing device and configured to acquire second images of the surgical field.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the computing device is configured to generate the graphical overlay based on the second images.

10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a second imaging device in communication with the computing device, wherein the second imaging device includes optical zoom components and is configured to acquire images of the area of interest.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the computing device is configured to:

determine the area of interest by identifying, in the first images, at least a portion of a surgical device disposed in the surgical field;

receive images of the area of interest acquired by the second imaging device; and

generate the graphical overlay based on the images of the area of interest.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein:

the computing device is configured to determine the area of interest in the first images by identifying at least a portion of a surgical device as the at least a portion of the surgical device moves in the surgical field; and

at least a portion of the second imaging device is movable such that the second imaging device is capable of acquiring the images of the area of interest as the at least a portion of the surgical device moves in the surgical field.

13. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a second display device in communication with the computing device and the surgical microscope, wherein the surgical microscope comprises a stereo microscope, and wherein the first display device and second display device are associated with different optical paths of the stereo microscope.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first imaging device and the first display device is removably coupled to the surgical microscope.

15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the surgical microscope comprises an optical microscope such that the field of view of the surgical microscope and the graphical overlay are observable through an eyepiece of the optical microscope.

16. The system of claim 1 , wherein the surgical microscope comprises a digital microscope and the first display device comprises an external display device configured to output at least one of two-dimensional images and three-dimensional images, and wherein the field of view of the surgical microscope and the graphical overlay are observable using the external display device.

17. A method of visualizing an ophthalmic procedure, the method comprising:

receiving first images of a surgical field acquired by a first imaging device;

identifying an area of interest in the surgical field based on the first images;

generating a graphical overlay including a magnified image of the area of the interest; and

outputting the graphical overlay to a display device in communication with a surgical microscope configured to image the surgical field such that the graphical overlay is positioned over at least a portion of a field of view of the surgical microscope.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein identifying the area of interest includes identifying, in the first images, at least a portion of a surgical device disposed in the surgical field.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein outputting the graphical overlay includes outputting the graphical overlay in a fixed position relative to the field of view of the surgical microscope.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein outputting the graphical overlay includes outputting the graphical overlay in variable positions relative to the field of view of the surgical microscope.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein:

identifying the area of interest includes identifying, in the first images, at least a portion of a surgical device disposed in the surgical field as the at least a portion of the surgical device moves; and

outputting the graphical overlay includes outputting the graphical overlay such that movement of graphical overlay corresponds to the movement of the at least a portion of the surgical device.

22. The method of claim 17 , wherein outputting the graphical overlay includes outputting the graphical overlay in a transparent manner such that the surgical field is viewable through the graphical overlay using the surgical microscope.

23. The method of claim 17 , wherein generating a graphical overlay includes generating the graphical overlay using the first images.

24. The method of claim 17 , further comprising receiving second images of the surgical field acquired by a second imaging device, and wherein generating a graphical overlay includes generating the graphical overlay using the second images.

25. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:

providing a control signal to move at least a portion of a second imaging device such that the second imaging device is capable of acquiring images of the area of interest, wherein identifying the area of interest includes identifying, in the first images, at least a portion of a surgical device as the surgical devices moves in the surgical field; and

receiving images of the area of interest acquired by the second imaging device, wherein generating a graphical overlay includes generating the graphical overlay using the second images.

Assignments (3)
CONFIRMATORY DEED OF ASSIGNMENT EFFECTIVE APRIL 8, 2019 Recorded Dec 10, 2019
From: NOVARTIS AG
To: ALCON INC.
Reel/Frame 051454/0788 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 31, 2014
From: ALCON RESEARCH, LTD
To: NOVARTIS AG
Reel/Frame 034606/0095 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 29, 2014
From: REN, HUGANG; YU, LINGFENG
To: ALCON RESEARCH, LTD.
Reel/Frame 034595/0173 →