Solea RGB LED Light Source

Intraocular illumination of the surgical field plays a fundamental role in vitreoretinal surgery. It influences the success and efficiency of an operation.

• produce a colour rendering that allows correct conclusions to be drawn about the anatomy
• deliver the necessary brightness
• offer a high level of safety for users and patients before, during and after use

With the display of 16.7 million colours, RGB LED technology enables new insights into the posterior segment and thus new applications

Local contrast enhancement improves the visualisation of specific structures in the eye (e.g. vitreous body, ERM, ILM, etc.)

The SOLEA®, particularly through the use of a red LED, opens up new possibilities to make vitreoretinal surgery even safer

Due to the narrow-band emission of light from the RGB LEDs, the use of additional UV or IR filters is unnecessary

The user-friendly operating concept and intuitive user interface increase safety and efficiency in the operating room

The Geuder SOLEA® light source not only meets essential requirements, but thanks to the new RGB technology also offers new application possibilities.

Despite numerous innovations, some problems with the endoillumination of the eye could not yet be solved in recent years. Harmful UV and IR rays arriving from outside are largely filtered by the cornea and the lens of the eye, but this natural protective barrier is bypassed during endoillumination.

The greatest danger is the destruction of cells in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) due to blue light damage, also known as phototoxicity. The irradiation causes so-called oxidative stress on the photoreceptors in the RPE1, in which oxygen radicals (ROS) can form as a result of the photochemical processes, thereby inducing increased deposition of e.g. lipofuscin. This problem ultimately leads to increased cell death and thus promotes the development of other pathologies such as macular degeneration (AMD)

Studies show that high-energy, visible wavelengths of 415 – 455 nm carry the highest potential for oxidative stress on the RPE 2,3. These wavelengths are increasingly produced by cool-white LEDs, resulting in a non-negligible phototoxic share of light.

Further factors influencing the degree of phototoxicity are the intensity and duration of exposure to the irradiation as well as the size and type of the endoilluminator, but also the working distance to the retina. In addition to the choice of endoilluminator, e.g. a wide-angle light guide that disperses the light more broadly and thus exhibits lower irradiation intensities on the retina, the choice of the correct light source primarily plays a role in reducing the risk posed by phototoxic radiation. To minimise the risk further, corresponding standards such as ISO 15004-2 were created. Among other things, these define the safety of the application through limit values for the maximum irradiation in the eye. Nevertheless, the following applies: despite all measures taken so far, damage cannot be completely ruled out.

To further reduce the risk of phototoxicity, the new Geuder SOLEA® light source features an innovative retinal protection mode. This novel function deactivates the blue LED and thus minimises the phototoxic share almost completely. With the blue LED deactivated, the remaining light is composed of a red and a green LED which, due to their wavelengths in the relevant range between 500 and 635 nm, exhibit a lower phototoxicity than cool-white LEDs. In addition, this increases the safe irradiation duration to at least 30 min (in accordance with ISO 15004-2).

Switching off the blue LED changes the relative spectral irradiation of the SOLEA®

The short service life of xenon lamps is extended by up to 100 times thanks to the long-lasting properties of LEDs. While conventional xenon light sources require a lamp change after approx. 300 – 500 h, LEDs enable operating times of up to 60,000 h5 and thereby reduce the service effort and follow-up costs. LEDs also have a constant light output, whereas xenon lamps exhibit power losses (approx. 50% after 200 h).

Download our catalogue and learn more about Solea and its accessories.

Download our catalogue and learn more about our device systems and the respective accessories.

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