Patent ID: 8172834

Claim:
An ophthalmic surgical illumination system comprising: a power source configured and arranged to produce a power output of a desired power; a portable ophthalmic surgical handpiece configured for intraocular illumination including: an illumination system configured and arranged to emit light in response to power received from the power source, the illumination system comprising a plurality of light emitting diodes; a microprocessor configured to generate a pulse signal for sending to the plurality of light emitting diodes, wherein the pulse signal is configured to maintain the portable ophthalmic surgical handpiece at a desired temperature by reducing heat dissipation by the plurality of light emitting diodes; a temperature sensor connected to the microprocessor, the temperature sensor configured to provide feedback to the microprocessor to maintain the portable ophthalmic surgical handpiece at the desired temperature; a coupling system configured and arranged to select a wavelength range of the light from the illumination system; a coupling interface configured and arranged to couple light from the coupling system into one or more optical fibers; and a fiber output stage including one or more optical fibers and configured and arranged to deliver light from the coupling interface to a surgical site; wherein the plurality of light emitting diodes comprises a first light emitting diode configured to emit white light and a second light emitting diode configured to emit color light to enerate contrast ratios for surgical illumination.