Fogging prevention for surgical contact lenses
View Patent ↗A contact lens for use with a surgical microscope may be equipped with an anti-fogging device to prevent obscuring the view of a surgeon due to condensation during ophthalmic surgery. The anti-fogging device may deliver thermal energy to a surface of the contact lens to heat the contact lens above an ambient dew point. The thermal energy may be delivered by an air duct with a fan nozzle, a fluid duct in thermodynamic contact with the contact lens circulating a heat transfer fluid, or generated with electrical energy to an electrical heating element disposed on the surface of the contact lens. The thermal or electrical energy may be delivered via a handle for supporting the contact lens during surgery.
1. A method for performing ophthalmic surgery, comprising:
positioning a first optical axis of a surgical microscope along a second optical axis of an eye of a patient;
viewing an interior portion of the eye using a contact lens in contact with the eye; and
activating an anti-fogging device coupled to the contact lens, wherein the anti-fogging device delivers thermal energy to the contact lens.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the anti-fogging device comprises an air duct in fluid coupling to an air nozzle directed to a surface of the contact lens, and wherein the air duct transports heated air towards the air nozzle to deliver the thermal energy.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the air nozzle is a fan beam nozzle.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the anti-fogging device comprises an electrical heating element disposed on a surface of the contact lens to deliver the thermal energy.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the electrical heating element comprises a transparent conductor.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the anti-fogging device comprises an electrical heating element disposed on a ring surrounding the contact lens.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the anti-fogging device comprises a fluid duct in thermodynamic contact with the contact lens, and wherein the fluid duct circulates a heat transfer fluid to deliver the thermal energy.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the heat transfer fluid is an aqueous saline or a sterile water solution.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the anti-fogging device further comprises a handle for supporting the contact lens on the eye during surgery.
10. A contact lens for ophthalmic surgery, the contact lens comprising:
an anti-fogging device coupled to the contact lens, wherein the anti-fogging device delivers thermal energy to the contact lens while the contact lens is in use during ophthalmic surgery to view an interior portion of an eye of a patient using a surgical microscope.
11. The contact lens of claim 10 , wherein the anti-fogging device comprises an air duct in fluid coupling to an air nozzle directed to a surface of the contact lens, and wherein the air duct transports heated air towards the air nozzle to deliver the thermal energy.
12. The contact lens of claim 11 , wherein the air nozzle is a fan beam nozzle.
13. The contact lens of claim 10 , wherein the anti-fogging device comprises an electrical heating element disposed on a surface of the contact lens to generate the thermal energy.
14. The contact lens of claim 13 , wherein the electrical heating element comprises a transparent conductor.
15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the anti-fogging device comprises an electrical heating element disposed on a ring surrounding the contact lens.
16. The contact lens of claim 10 , wherein the anti-fogging device comprises a fluid duct in thermodynamic contact with the contact lens, and wherein the fluid duct circulates a heat transfer fluid to deliver the thermal energy.
17. The contact lens of claim 16 , wherein the heat transfer fluid is an aqueous saline or a sterile water solution.
18. The contact lens of claim 10 , wherein the anti-fogging device further comprises a handle for supporting the contact lens on the eye during surgery.
19. The contact lens of claim 18 , wherein the thermal energy is delivered via the handle.
20. The contact lens of claim 18 , wherein electrical energy to generate the thermal energy is delivered via lead lines attached to the handle.