Definition and research guide
This page combines a MeSH definition, publication statistics and selected research abstracts. It is a starting point for reading the literature, not a medical textbook or a systematic evidence review.
Content available: 3 complete abstracts (460 words), 9 references. Full article text is not stored or reproduced here; follow the PMID, DOI or PMC links to read the original sources and their access terms.
Definition
Products or parts of products used to detect, manipulate, or analyze light, such as lenses, refractors, mirrors, filters, prisms, and optical fibers.
Definition: NLM Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) scope note (Public domain (U.S. National Library of Medicine); attribution requested). View the MeSH record.
Also known as: Device, Optical; Devices, Optical; Optical Device; Optical Components; Component, Optical; Components, Optical; Optical Component; Optical System.
Where it fits in the MeSH classification
- Broader topics
- Equipment and Supplies
- Narrower topics
- Lasers; Lenses; Optical Fibers; Telescopes
- See also
- Optics and Photonics
Related concepts
- Lenses
- Optical Fibers
Research landscape
PubMed indexes 117,045 records tagged with the MeSH heading “Optical Devices” (counts retrieved 2026-11-04). 22,684 of them (19.4%) were published from 2020 onward, and the busiest period so far is 2010-2019 with 35,845 records.
Reviews account for 7,478 records (6.4%) and meta-analyses for 692. Randomized controlled trials number 5,329 (4.6%) as a share of all records on the topic.
Show the data
| Period | Records |
|---|---|
| through 1999 | 34,759 |
| 2000-2009 | 23,757 |
| 2010-2019 | 35,845 |
| 2020 onward | 22,684 |
Publication-type chart data
| Type | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews | 7,478 | 6.4% |
| Meta-analyses | 692 | 0.6% |
| Randomized controlled trials | 5,329 | 4.6% |
Method: PubMed query "Optical Devices"[MeSH Terms] with publication-type and date filters, retrieved 2026-11-04.
Reading the evidence in diagnostics and medical technology
A test or device is judged by how well it detects a condition, how often it gives false alarms or misses cases, and whether using it improves outcomes for people. Accuracy depends on who is tested and how common the condition is, so a test that performs well in a specialist hospital can perform differently in the community. Check the reference standard, the population studied, the sensitivity and specificity and whether results were confirmed in a separate group.
Evidence from open-access studies
These open-access studies come from PubMed’s best-match results for this heading (papers whose main topic it is), ranked here by citation count, with one recent addition. Each abstract is reproduced in full under its recorded open licence so that you can read the authors’ own words. They illustrate the literature; they are not a systematic summary of it. Citation counts measure attention, not reliability or clinical benefit.
| Study / authors | Year | Source label / design | Europe PMC citations | Licence / source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hexagonal Hollow-Core Photonic Crystal Fiber for High-Sensitivity Terahertz Glucose Detection | 2026 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 1 | cc by PMID 42532811 · DOI · PMC13423730 |
| Spatiotemporal Control of Formation of Dynamic Protein Fiber Assemblies via Photophysical Effects of a Focused Laser Beam | 2026 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 1 | cc by PMID 42144744 · DOI · PMC13335755 |
| A Portable and Dual-Button Microneedle Device Enables Intelligent Multimodal Laser Sensing | 2026 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 1 | cc by PMID 42095509 · DOI · PMC13336013 |
Hexagonal Hollow-Core Photonic Crystal Fiber for High-Sensitivity Terahertz Glucose Detection [1]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Diabetes mellitus is a rapidly escalating global health concern, often leading to severe complications such as neuropathy, vision impairment, vascular dysfunction, and renal failure.
- Closing excerpt
- Because of its simple structural configuration and compatibility with established photonic fabrication methods, the proposed sensor demonstrates strong potential as a low-cost and highly sensitive diagnostic tool for early-stage diabetes screening and ongoing glucose monitoring in biomedical settings.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (149 words)
Diabetes mellitus is a rapidly escalating global health concern, often leading to severe complications such as neuropathy, vision impairment, vascular dysfunction, and renal failure. In this work, we present a newly designed hexagonal photonic crystal fiber (HPhCF) sensor for the noninvasive detection of urine glucose, offering a compact, fabrication-friendly design. The proposed HPhCF demonstrates strong RS performance across a range of analyte concentrations. Specifically, RS values of 96.90%, 96.86%, 96.40%, 96.35%, 95.88%, and 95.78% are obtained for concentrations of 0-15 mg·dL-1, 0.625 g·dL-1, 1.25 g·dL-1, 2.5 g·dL-1, 5 g·dL-1, and 10 g·dL-1, respectively. These results indicate a gradual decline in sensitivity with increasing analyte concentration, while overall maintaining consistently high performance. Because of its simple structural configuration and compatibility with established photonic fabrication methods, the proposed sensor demonstrates strong potential as a low-cost and highly sensitive diagnostic tool for early-stage diabetes screening and ongoing glucose monitoring in biomedical settings.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 42532811 · DOI · PMC13423730
Spatiotemporal Control of Formation of Dynamic Protein Fiber Assemblies via Photophysical Effects of a Focused Laser Beam [2]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Spatiotemporal control of the formation of highly ordered, protein fiber assemblies via photophysical effects of a focused laser beam is demonstrated.
- Closing excerpt
- We anticipate that this laser method will provide fundamental insights into the structure-motion relationship of biomolecular assemblies and expand the bioengineering of protein assemblies.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (151 words)
Spatiotemporal control of the formation of highly ordered, protein fiber assemblies via photophysical effects of a focused laser beam is demonstrated. Focused irradiation with a continuous laser beam at an air/solution interface can accumulate tubulin proteins at/around the laser focus, which leads to the formation of highly ordered microtubule assemblies. The assemblies can exhibit various dynamic behaviors such as translational motion, bundling, and cilia-like beating with motor protein and chemical energy, revealing their biological activities. The protein accumulation with a focused laser beam is attributed to the local increases in concentration and temperature produced through two-types of photophysical effects, i.e., laser trapping by optical forces and heat generation by photoabsorption, which can fabricate complex microtubule assemblies without specific photochemical reactions and deuterated water solvents (i.e., physiological conditions). We anticipate that this laser method will provide fundamental insights into the structure-motion relationship of biomolecular assemblies and expand the bioengineering of protein assemblies.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 42144744 · DOI · PMC13335755
A Portable and Dual-Button Microneedle Device Enables Intelligent Multimodal Laser Sensing [3]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Frequent blood testing remains invasive and impractical, hindering real-time health monitoring.
- Closing excerpt
- This user-friendly, rapid, cost-effective, and multiplexed device offers a powerful route toward clinical translation, bridging the gap between advanced laser spectroscopy and point-of-care applications.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (160 words)
Frequent blood testing remains invasive and impractical, hindering real-time health monitoring. Interstitial fluid (ISF) offers a promising alternative, yet current microneedle platforms are complex, inefficient, and lack multiplexing capability. Here, we present a portable and dual-button microneedle device for rapid ISF sampling, coupled with multimodal laser sensing for molecular and elemental analysis. The disposable device has a low material cost (< 2 USD). The dual-button design ensures user-friendly microneedle operation, while the hollow microneedles with built-in microfluidic channels enable ISF sampling within 1 min. In parallel, gold nanocubes coupled with MXene are engineered as a sensing module, providing signal enhancement for laser spectroscopy in molecular and elemental analysis. Furthermore, artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted data processing enhances spectral data interpretation for comprehensive health assessment. Both in vitro and in vivo studies demonstrate promising performance (with accuracies exceeding 88%). This user-friendly, rapid, cost-effective, and multiplexed device offers a powerful route toward clinical translation, bridging the gap between advanced laser spectroscopy and point-of-care applications.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 42095509 · DOI · PMC13336013
Key reviews and meta-analyses
The most cited review-type papers among PubMed’s best-match results for this heading, listed with bibliographic details only. Follow the links for the full text and access terms.
- Research article Efficacy Comparison of 16 Interventions for Myopia Control in Children: A Network Meta-analysis [4]
- Research article Postoperative Efficacy, Predictability, Safety, and Visual Quality of Laser Corneal Refractive Surgery: A Network Meta-analysis [5]
- Research article Identified risk factors for dry eye syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis [6]
- Research article Effectiveness of multifocal and monofocal intraocular lenses for cataract surgery and lens replacement: a systematic review and meta-analysis [7]
- Research article Microbial keratitis in overnight orthokeratology: review of the first 50 cases [8]
- Research article Studies using concentric ring bifocal and peripheral add multifocal contact lenses to slow myopia progression in school-aged children: a meta-analysis [9]
References
- Abdullah-Al-Shafi M, Sen S, Mubassera M, Hawlader MTH. Hexagonal Hollow-Core Photonic Crystal Fiber for High-Sensitivity Terahertz Glucose Detection. . 2026. PMID 42532811 · DOI · PMC13423730
- Yoshikawa HY, Shirata R, Takeshige T, Yoshida R, Kiryu F, Takano K, et al.. Spatiotemporal Control of Formation of Dynamic Protein Fiber Assemblies via Photophysical Effects of a Focused Laser Beam. . 2026. PMID 42144744 · DOI · PMC13335755
- Liu Y, Hu X, Shi S, Li B, Ge Z, Long Y, et al.. A Portable and Dual-Button Microneedle Device Enables Intelligent Multimodal Laser Sensing. . 2026. PMID 42095509 · DOI · PMC13336013
- Huang J, Wen D, Wang Q, McAlinden C, Flitcroft I, Chen H, et al.. Efficacy Comparison of 16 Interventions for Myopia Control in Children: A Network Meta-analysis. Ophthalmology. 2016. PMID 26826749 · DOI
- Wen D, McAlinden C, Flitcroft I, Tu R, Wang Q, Alió J, et al.. Postoperative Efficacy, Predictability, Safety, and Visual Quality of Laser Corneal Refractive Surgery: A Network Meta-analysis. Am J Ophthalmol. 2017. PMID 28336402 · DOI
- Qian L, Wei W. Identified risk factors for dry eye syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS One. 2022. PMID 35984830 · DOI · PMC9390932
- Khandelwal SS, Jun JJ, Mak S, Booth MS, Shekelle PG. Effectiveness of multifocal and monofocal intraocular lenses for cataract surgery and lens replacement: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol. 2019. PMID 30627791 · DOI
- Watt K, Swarbrick HA. Microbial keratitis in overnight orthokeratology: review of the first 50 cases. Eye Contact Lens. 2005. PMID 16163011 · DOI
- Li SM, Kang MT, Wu SS, Meng B, Sun YY, Wei SF, et al.. Studies using concentric ring bifocal and peripheral add multifocal contact lenses to slow myopia progression in school-aged children: a meta-analysis. Ophthalmic Physiol Opt. 2017. PMID 27880992 · DOI
About this article
- Sources
- NLM Medical Subject Headings (definition, synonyms); NCBI PubMed (counts, identifiers); Europe PMC (open-access abstracts and citation counts).
- Verification
- Every reference was resolved against PubMed on 2026-11-04; title, year and DOI matched.
- Review state
- automated source verified; no human expert review has been recorded yet.
- Version
- 1, last updated 2026-11-04.
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Evidence strength
EvidenceHelix's computed view of the study designs behind this topic: how common meta-analyses, randomized trials and reviews are, how recent the literature is, and a plain-language reading. It describes the design mix of the literature. It is not a quality appraisal of any study, and it is not medical advice.