Optic fibers are used widely in the medical field for diagnosing and treating a variety of ailments. Because optic fibers can be made extremely thin and made into flexible strands, they can be used for insertion into blood vessels, lungs and other parts of the body. Optic fibers have been enabling physicians to look and work inside the body through tiny incisions with an instrument called an Endoscope. An Endoscope is a medical instrument made to carry two bundles of optic fibers inside one long tube. One bundle of optic fiber directs light at the tissue being examined, while the other bundle of optic fiber transmits light reflected from the tissue, producing a detailed image. Endoscopes may be designed to look into specific areas of the human body. For example, physicians can use the optic fibers in the Endoscope to examine knees, shoulders and other joints in the body.
