OPHTHALMIC ENDOILLUMINATOR
A method and system provide an endoilluminator including a hand piece, a needle coupled with the hand piece and an optical fiber coupled with the needle. The needle has a channel therethrough and an outside diameter. The channel has an inside diameter that is smaller than the outside diameter. At least a portion of the optical fiber coupled with the needle has a diameter of not more than one half the inside diameter.
1 . An endoilluminator, comprising:
a hand piece;
a needle coupled with the hand piece and having a channel therethrough, the channel having an inside diameter, the needle having an outside diameter greater than the inside diameter; and
an optical fiber coupled with the needle, at least a portion of the optical fiber coupled with the needle having an optical fiber diameter of not more than one half the inside diameter;
wherein the optical fiber extends down the needle off of an interior channel wall such that fluid flowing through the needle circumscribes the optical fiber.
2 . The endoilluminator of claim 1 , wherein the optical fiber diameter is not more than one hundred micrometers.
3 . The endoilluminator of claim 2 , wherein the optical fiber diameter is not more than fifty micrometers.
4 . The endoilluminator of claim 1 , further including:
a fluid line coupled with the channel such that fluid may be provided or aspirated through the endoilluminator.
5 . The endoilluminator of claim 1 , wherein the needle includes an end and the optical fiber includes a tip proximate to the end of the needle.
6 . The endoilluminator of claim 5 , wherein the tip is selected from a tapered tip, a scattering tip and a flat cleaved tip.
7 . The endoilluminator of claim 1 , wherein the optical fiber extends down a center of the cannula.
8 . The endoilluminator of claim 1 , wherein the optical fiber extends off-axis down the cannula.
9 . An endoilluminator, comprising:
a hand piece;
a needle coupled with the hand piece, having an end and having a channel therethrough, the channel having an inside diameter, the needle having an outside diameter greater than the inside diameter;
an optical fiber coupled with the needle and having a tip, at least a portion of the optical fiber residing in the channel and having an optical fiber diameter of not more than fifty micrometers, the tip being selected from a tapered tip, a scattering tip and a flat cleaved tip, and
a fluid line coupled with the channel such that fluid may be provided or aspirated through the channel and adjacent to the at least the portion of the optical fiber;
wherein the optical fiber extends down the needle off of a channel wall such that fluid flowing through the needle circumscribes the optical fiber.
10 . The endoilluminator of claim 9 , wherein the optical fiber diameter is not more than fifty micrometers.
11 . The endoilluminator of claim 9 , wherein the needle includes an end and the optical fiber includes a tip proximate to the end of the needle, the tip being selected from a tapered tip, a scattering tip and a flat cleaved tip.
12 . The endoilluminator of claim 9 , wherein the optical fiber extends down a center of the cannula.
13 . The endoilluminator of claim 9 , wherein the optical fiber extends off-axis down the cannula.
14 . A method for treating an ophthalmic condition in an eye of a patient comprising:
infusing or aspirating fluid to or from the eye and providing illumination to an operating field within the eye using an endoilluminator and a single aperture in the eye, the endoilluminator including a hand piece, a needle and an optical fiber, the needle being coupled with the hand piece and having a channel therethrough, the channel having an inside diameter, the needle having an outside diameter greater than the inside diameter, the optical fiber being coupled with the needle, at least a portion of the optical fiber coupled with the needle having an optical fiber diameter of not more than one half the inside diameter, a fluid line being coupled with the channel such that fluid may be provided through the endoilluminator, wherein the optical fiber extends down the needle off of an interior channel wall such that fluid flowing through the needle circumscribes the optical fiber.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the optical fiber diameter is not more than fifty micrometers.
16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the needle includes an end and the optical fiber includes a tip proximate to the end of the needle, the tip being selected from a tapered tip, a scattering tip and a flat cleaved tip.
17 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the optical fiber extends down a center of the cannula.
18 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the optical fiber extends off-axis down the cannula.