Non-invasive and minimally invasive laser surgery for the reduction of intraocular pressure in the eye

The method of 2, wherein the eye comprises a circumferential angle and identifying the one or more locations of the Schlemm's canal for laser beam delivery comprises:

• obtaining images of the Schlemm's canal at a plurality of locations around at least a portion of the circumferential angle;
• and
• for each of the images:
• processing the image to determine a measure of an anatomical feature of the Schlemm's canal, and
• designating the location from which the image was obtained as one of the identified one or more locations of the Schlemm's canal for laser beam delivery based on an evaluation of the determined measure relative to a threshold measure.

An integrated surgical system for reducing intraocular pressure in an eye, the eye having a cornea, a Schlemm's canal with fluid therein, and one or more collector channels branching from the Schlemm's canal, the system comprising:

• a first optical subsystem including a focusing objective configured to be coupled to the cornea;
• a second optical subsystem including:
• a laser source configured to output a laser beam, and a plurality of components configured to one or more of condition, scan, and direct the laser beam;
• and
• a control system coupled to the second optical subsystem and configured to:
• instruct the laser source to output the laser beam, for delivery through the first optical subsystem and the cornea, and into the Schlemm's canal,
• instruct the plurality of components of the second optical subsystem to place a focus of the laser beam inside the Schlemm's canal, and
• instruct the laser source to deliver the laser beam to initiate a photo-disruptive interaction with the fluid inside the Schlemm's canal to create a pneumatic effect that expands the Schlemm's canal, wherein the laser beam operates with a pulse duration between 10 femtoseconds and 1 nanosecond and a pulse wavelength between 330 nanometers and 2000 nanometers;
• and
• to control the plurality of components of the second optical subsystem to maintain the focus of the laser beam inside the Schlemm's canal to avoid photo-disruptive interactions with tissue surrounding the Schlemm's canal.

The system of 8, wherein the eye comprises a circumferential angle and, the second optical subsystem includes an optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging apparatus configured to output an OCT beam, and the control system identifies one or more locations of the Schlemm's canal for laser beam delivery by being further configured to:

• instruct the OCT imaging apparatus to output the OCT beam through the first optical subsystem and the cornea, and into the Schlemm's canal,
• obtain OCT images of the Schlemm's canal at a plurality of locations around at least a portion of the circumferential angle;
• and
• for each of the images:
• process the image to determine a measure of an anatomical feature of the Schlemm's canal, and
• designate the location from which the image was obtained as one of the identified one or more locations of the Schlemm's canal for laser beam delivery based on an evaluation of the determined measure relative to a threshold measure.