Systems and methods for a laser-assisted topical treatment of nail fungal infections are provided. The laser-assisted topical treatment includes a laser that is configured to output a beam that penetrates the infected nail and creates a channel therethrough. The laser-assisted topical treatment further includes a treatment agent comprising a vehicle and a drug. The treatment agent is applied to an exterior surface of the infected nail so that the treatment agent may flow into the channel.

Exemplary methods and devices can be provided for improving the appearance of dermal melasma. This can be done, e.g., focusing electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength between about 600 nm and 850 nm into a region of the pigmented dermal tissue at a depth between about 150 and 400 microns, using a lens arrangement having a large numerical aperture between about 0.5 and 0.9. The exemplary local dwell time of the focused radiation can be less than a few milliseconds, and a local fluence provided in the focal region can be between about 50 and 500 J/cm.sup.2. The focal region can be scanned through the dermal tissue at speeds on the order of a few cm/s. Such parameters can provide sufficient energy absorption by pigmented cells in the dermis to disrupt them while avoiding damage to the overlying tissue and unpigmented dermal tissue.

Methods and apparatus for dermatological laser treatment, e.g. for the removal of unwanted tattoos or other skin pigmentation. Removal of multiple colors with a single pulsed laser beam may be achieved using intensities in excess of about 50 GB/cm.sup.2. Methods for reducing the pain and tissue damage associated with laser tattoo removal include using a spot size of less than 2 mm with a fluence in the range of 0.5-10 J/cm.sup.2. Scanning the laser beam over an area of skin to be treated allows such areas to be treated accurately with scanning patterns calculated to promote rapid dissipation of heat away from treated portions of the skin. Multiple treatment rooms may be served by a single pulsed treatment laser by beam toggling, splitting or pulse-picking to minimise downtime of the laser.

A system includes a focus optic configured to converge an electromagnetic radiation (EMR) beam to a focal region located along an optical axis. The system also includes a detector configured to detect a signal radiation emanating from a predetermined location along the optical axis. The system additionally includes a controller configured to adjust a parameter of the EMR beam based in part on the signal radiation detected by the detector. The system also includes a window located a predetermined depth away from the focal region, between the focal region and the focus optic along the optical axis, wherein the window is configured to make contact with a surface of a tissue.

For the purposes of working on eye tissue, an ophthalmological apparatus comprises a laser source that is configured to produce a pulsed laser beam, a focusing optical unit that is configured to focus the pulsed laser beam into the eye tissue, and a scanner system for deflecting the pulsed laser beam onto work target points in the eye tissue. The scanner system is configured to guide the pulsed laser beam onto work target points along a scan line that extends across a work line at an alignment angle and to tilt the scan line depending on the work target point on the work line in such a way that the scan line extends substantially along an outer face of a lenticule to be cut in the eye tissue.

An exemplary treatment system can be provided which can include a laser system configured to emit at least one laser beam, and an optical system configured to focus the laser beam(s) to a focal region at a selected distance from a surface of a tissue. The focal region can be configured to illuminate at least a portion of a target. The optical system can cause an irradiation energy transferred to the focal region of the laser beam(s) to (i) generate a plasma in a first region of the tissue adjacent to the target, and (ii) avoid a generation of a plasma in a second region of the tissue. The optical system has a numerical aperture that is in the range of about 0.5 to about 0.9. An exemplary method can also be provided to control such treatment system.

The invention relates to a cutting apparatus including a femtosecond laser source (10) for emitting a Gaussian laser beam, a shaping system (30) including a spatial modulator of light for modulating the Gaussian laser beam, a sweeping optical scanner (40) for moving the modulated laser beam, an optical focusing system (50) for focusing the modulated laser beam, characterised in that the processing device further comprises a control unit (60) for controlling the femtosecond laser source (10), the shaping system (30), the sweeping optical scanner (40) and the optical focusing system (50), in order to produce: at least one vertical cutting plane, and at least one horizontal cutting plane; the spatial light modulator of the shaping system (30) being capable of emulating an axicon for generating a Bessel beam.

Provided are a laser control method and a laser irradiation apparatus thereof, which can efficiently perform the laser treatment. The laser control method includes a setting step of setting a guide path on a surface of an object; and an irradiating step of irradiating a laser onto the surface of the object corresponding to the guide path, wherein at least one of a fluence or a frequency of the laser is gradually increased at the beginning stage of the laser irradiation and at least one of the fluence or the frequency of the laser is gradually decreased at the end of the laser irradiation.

For the purposes of working on eye tissue, an ophthalmological apparatus comprises a laser source that is configured to produce a pulsed laser beam, a focusing optical unit that is configured to focus the pulsed laser beam into the eye tissue, and a scanner system for deflecting the pulsed laser beam onto work target points in the eye tissue. The scanner system is configured to guide the pulsed laser beam onto work target points along a scan line that extends across a work line at an alignment angle and to tilt the scan line depending on the work target point on the work line in such a way that the scan line extends substantially along an outer face of a lenticule to be cut in the eye tissue.

An electromagnetic beam scanning system and corresponding method of use is provided. The system includes a motor, a reciprocating mechanism, and a focus optic. The motor is configured to generate a rotational movement. The reciprocating mechanism is operatively coupled with the motor and configured to convert the rotational movement to a reciprocating movement including a plurality of strokes along a first scanned axis. The reciprocating movement has a constant speed over a portion of at least one stroke of the plurality of strokes. The focus optic is operatively coupled to the reciprocating mechanism such that the focus optic moves experiences the reciprocating movement of the reciprocating mechanism. The focus optic is configured to focus an electromagnetic radiation (EMR) beam incident upon the focus optic to a focus along an optical axis substantially orthogonal to the first scanned axis.