Patent ID: 8900139

Claim:
An illuminated microsurgical instrument comprising: a microsurgical instrument having a distal tip sized and shaped for insertion through an incision in an eye and into a vitreous region of the eye when performing an ophthalmic surgical procedure; and an optical fiber for delivering a beam of light to a surgical site of the eye, the optical fiber including a proximal end for receiving a light beam from a light source, and a distal end proximate to the distal tip of the microsurgical instrument for emitting the light beam, the distal end including a beveled end face oriented toward the distal tip of the microsurgical instrument at an oblique angle with respect to an optical axis of the optical fiber, wherein the index of refraction of the optical fiber is greater than an index of refraction of the vitreous region such that a propagation angle of the light beam relative to the beveled end face is greater within the vitreous region than within the optical fiber causing an angular distribution of the emitted light beam away from the optical axis of the optical fiber and away from the microsurgical instrument.