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THERMAL ANALYSIS OF INTRAOCULAR ELECTRONIC DISPLAY PROJECTOR VISUAL PROSTHESIS
D Gongal1, S Thakur2, A Panse2
1Department of Civil and Materials Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
Numerical Heat Transfer. Part A, Applications
|March 29, 2021
Summary
An intraocular projection device for corneal opacity may overheat. Adding an insulating air gap reduced tissue temperature below the 2°C limit, ensuring patient safety for this vision restoration technology.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Biomedical Engineering
- Medical Device Design
Background:
- Corneal opacity is a significant cause of global blindness, impairing vision by blocking light entry to the retina.
- Current treatments for corneal opacity are limited, necessitating innovative solutions like intraocular devices.
- Medical devices must adhere to strict thermal safety regulations, limiting tissue temperature increase to 2°C.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish the power budget for a novel intraocular projection device designed to treat corneal opacity.
- To evaluate the thermal impact of the intraocular device on surrounding eye tissues.
- To ensure the device's operational temperature remains within safe, internationally regulated limits.
Main Methods:
- Steady-state thermal finite element analysis was performed on two distinct eye models.
- The intraocular projection device was simulated at a distance of 9.98 mm from the retina.
- Thermal performance was analyzed with and without an integrated air gap insulator.
Main Results:
- The intraocular device operated at maximum powers of 82 mW and 91 mW in the two models without insulation.
- Extending the device by 0.5 mm to create an air gap significantly reduced tissue heating.
- With the air gap, tissue temperature remained below the 2°C limit even at 100 mW operation.
Conclusions:
- The intraocular projection device shows potential for treating corneal opacity.
- An integrated air gap effectively insulates ocular tissues, managing device-induced thermal load.
- This design modification ensures the device meets safety standards for clinical application in vision restoration.
