3D nanoprinted catadioptric fiber sensor for dual-axis distance measurement during vitrectomy

Retinal damage is a common intraoperative complication during vitrectomy, caused by a complex interplay between the suction of the vitrectome, the cut- and aspiration rate, and the distance of the instrument to the retina. To control this last factor, we developed two miniaturized fiber-optic distance sensors based on low-coherence interferometry for direct integration into the vitrectome. Both sensors have a diameter of 250 µm, which makes them compatible with a 25G vitrectome. The first sensor measures distance in the lateral direction. The second sensor is capable of simultaneously measuring distance in both the lateral and the axial direction. Axial and lateral directions correspond to the direction of the cutter port of the vitrectome and the direction along the vitrectome's shaft, respectively. In both sensors, a free-form mirror deflects and focuses the beam in the lateral direction. In the dual-axis distance sensor, an additional lens is integrated into the free-form mirror for distance measurement in the axial direction. The beam-shaping micro-optics at the tip of the sensor fibers were fabricated through two-photon polymerization and are selectively gold coated for increased reflectivity of the mirror. Distance measurements were successfully demonstrated in artificial samples and in ex vivo pig eyes with a back-end that uses a current-tuned VCSEL as a swept-source. We experimentally demonstrate that the complete sensor system can attain a S N R _max of up to 80 dB. The small dimensions of the developed sensors make them a potential solution for various other medical applications.