Patent classifications
A61F2009/00865
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TREATING CONNECTIVE TISSUE
A method and system of treating connective tissue to increase flexibility of the connective tissue or decrease tension in the connective tissue includes forming perforations in the connective tissue to at least 90% of the depth or thickness of the connective tissue and maintaining the perforations in the connective tissue. The method alters the tissue to enhance the fundamental mechanisms involved the immunology, biochemistry, and molecular genetics of the metabolism of the connective tissue.
Image guidance methods and apparatus for glaucoma surgery
An imaging probe comprises a camera or endoscope with an external detector array, in which the probe is sized and shaped for surgical placement in an eye to image the eye from an interior of the eye during treatment. The imaging probe and a treatment probe can be coupled together with a fastener or contained within a housing. The imaging probe and the treatment probe can be sized and shaped to enter the eye through an incision in the cornea and image one or more of the ciliary body band or the scleral spur. The treatment probe may comprise a treatment optical fiber or a surgical placement device to deliver an implant. A processor coupled to the detector can be configured with instructions to identify a location of one or more of the ciliary body band, the scleral spur, Schwalbe's line, or Schlemm's canal from the image.
Scleral translocation elasto-modulation methods and apparatus
A laser delivery system is configured to delivery light energy to soften and realign the tissue of the eye in order to increase accommodation and treat glaucoma. The laser system can be configured to increase a circumlental space of the eye and increase movement of a posterior vitreous zonule in order to increase accommodation. The light energy may comprise wavelengths strongly absorbed by collagen of the sclera. In many embodiments a heat sink is provided to couple to the conjunctiva and the heat sink comprises a material transmissive to the light energy absorbed by collagen, for example Zinc Selenide. The heat sink can be chilled to inhibit damage to the conjunctiva of the eye. In many embodiments, one or more layers of the epithelium of the eye remain substantially intact above the zone where the eye has been treated when the heat sink has been removed.
Apparatus for patterned plasma-mediated laser ophthalmic surgery
A system for ophthalmic surgery on an eye includes: a pulsed laser which produces a treatment beam; an OCT imaging assembly capable of creating a continuous depth profile of the eye; an optical scanning system configured to position a focal zone of the treatment beam to a targeted location in three dimensions in one or more floaters in the posterior pole. The system also includes one or more controllers programmed to automatically scan tissues of the patient's eye with the imaging assembly; identify one or more boundaries of the one or more floaters based at least in part on the image data; iii. identify one or more treatment regions based upon the boundaries; and operate the optical scanning system with the pulsed laser to produce a treatment beam directed in a pattern based on the one or more treatment regions.
PERSONALIZATION OF EXCIMER LASER FIBERS
The invention provides personalized laser probes for use in laser systems, wherein each laser probe includes one or more characteristics tailored to a given user to thereby improve performance of and outcome of a laser treatment procedure.
Methods and Probes for Intrascleral Laser Surgery
Methods of treating an eye are provided that entail partially penetrating the sclera and delivering light energy from an optical fiber within the penetration to treat the a target tissue in the eye, for example, to coagulate vasculature underlying the sclera within a planned incision area. Also provided are treatment probes for treating an eye of a patient includes an elongate body that defines a handle and an advanceable penetrating member and optical fiber housed within the elongate body. The probe is configured to advance the penetrating member so as to penetrate the sclera, only partially, and advance the treatment fiber into the penetration to deliver treatment light energy to coagulate the vasculature underlying the sclera. The probe can include one or more penetrating members and corresponding optical fibers to form one or more penetrations concurrently within the planned incision area.
Probes having fiber taper and fluid collection channel for ophthalmic laser treatment
A treatment probe for treating an eye of a patient includes an elongate body that defines a handle and a treatment fiber that is housed within the elongate body. The treatment fiber is configured to deliver treatment light energy to the eye. A contact member is disposed on an end of the elongate body. The contact member has a contact surface for positioning on a surface of the eye, two side edges that are positioned on opposite sides of the contact surface, and a fluid channel. The contact surface conforms to the shape of the eye's sclera and the two side edges are shaped to direct fluid that is present on the surface of the eye toward the fluid channel when the contact member is moved laterally across the surface of the eye. The fluid aggregates within the fluid channel and contacts a distal end of the treatment fiber.
IMAGE GUIDANCE METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR GLAUCOMA SURGERY
An imaging probe comprises a camera or endoscope with an external detector array, in which the probe is sized and shaped for surgical placement in an eye to image the eye from an interior of the eye during treatment. The imaging probe and a treatment probe can be coupled together with a fastener or contained within a housing. The imaging probe and the treatment probe can be sized and shaped to enter the eye through an incision in the cornea and image one or more of the ciliary body band or the scleral spur. The treatment probe may comprise a treatment optical fiber or a surgical placement device to deliver an implant. A processor coupled to the detector can be configured with instructions to identify a location of one or more of the ciliary body band, the scleral spur, Schwalbe's line, or Schlemm's canal from the image.
Image guidance methods and apparatus for glaucoma surgery
An imaging probe comprises a camera or endoscope with an external detector array, in which the probe is sized and shaped for surgical placement in an eye to image the eye from an interior of the eye during treatment. The imaging probe and a treatment probe can be coupled together with a fastener or contained within a housing. The imaging probe and the treatment probe can be sized and shaped to enter the eye through an incision in the cornea and image one or more of the ciliary body band or the scleral spur. The treatment probe may comprise a treatment optical fiber or a surgical placement device to deliver an implant. A processor coupled to the detector can be configured with instructions to identify a location of one or more of the ciliary body band, the scleral spur, Schwalbe's line, or Schlemm's canal from the image.
SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR OCULAR LASER SURGERY AND THERAPEUTIC TREATMENTS
Disclosed are systems, devices and methods for laser microporation for rejuvenation of tissue of the eye, for example, regarding aging of connective tissue and rejuvenation of connective tissue by scleral rejuvenation. The systems, devices and methods disclosed herein restore physiological functions of the eye including restoring physiological accommodation or physiological pseudo-accommodation through natural physiological and biomechanical phenomena associated with natural accommodation of the eye. In some embodiments, the laser system may be configured to treat ocular tissue off axis or in a region of the eye which is distinct from the visual axis or directed away from the pupil of the eye where the gaze of the eye is.