Selective laser targeting of pigmented ocular cells
AssigneeThe General Hospital Corporation
InventorMark A. Latina
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Abstract
A method of damaging pigmented intraocular cells, a patient with a disease, which involves selectively damaging pigmented cells in an intraocular area by irradiating the area with laser radiation of radiant exposure between about 0.01 and about 5 Joules/cm.sup.2, while sparing nonpigmented cells and collagenous structures within the irradiated area. The method is useful for the treatment of glaucoma, intraocular melanoma, and macular edema.
Claims29
A method of selectively damaging pigmented intraocular cells in a patient with a disease, comprising:
- selecting an intraocular area containing a pigmented cell and a nonpigmented cell, wherein the pigment is either endogenously synthesized or exogenous pigment synthesized by another intraocular cell,
- irradiating the area with laser radiation having a wavelength which is absorbed more in the pigmented cell than in the nonpigmented cell, wherein said radiation has a radiant exposure of between about 0.01 and about 5 Joules/cm.sup.2, and
- damaging said pigmented cell without killing said nonpigmented cell.
A method of damaging trabecular meshwork cells, comprising:
- selecting a region containing trabecular meshwork cells and collagen beams, wherein the trabecular meshwork cells contain pigment which is either endogenously synthesized or synthesized by another intraocular cell,
- irradiating the region of trabecular meshwork cells and collagen beams with laser radiation characterized by radiant exposure of between about 0.01 and about 5 Joules/cm.sup.2 and a wavelength which is absorbed more in the trabecular meshwork cells than in the collagen beams, and
- damaging the trabecular meshwork cells without damaging the collagen beams.
A method of damaging conjunctival pigmented epithelial cells in a patient with a disease, comprising:
- selecting an area of conjunctiva containing pigmented cells and nonpigmented cells, wherein the pigment is either endogenously synthesized or exogenous pigment synthesized by another intraocular cell,
- irradiating the area with radiation, wherein said radiation has radiant exposure of between about 0.01 and about 5 Joules/cm.sup.2 and has a wavelength which is absorbed more in the pigmented cells than in the nonpigmented cells, and
- damaging said pigmented cells without killing said nonpigmented cells.
A method of selectively damaging a pigmented phagocytic cell in a patient with a disease, comprising:
- selecting an intraocular area containing said phagocytic cell and a nonpigmented cell,
- introducing exogenous pigment into said phagocytic cell by contacting said cell with exogenous pigment introduced into the aqueous humor of said patient by laser iridotomy of the iris of said patient,
- irradiating the intraocular area with laser radiation having a radiant exposure of between about 0.01 and about 5 Joules/cm.sup.2, and
- damaging said phagocytic cell without killing said nonpigmented cell.
A method of selectively damaging a pigmented trabecular meshwork cell in a patient with a disease, comprising:
- selecting an intraocular area containing said trabecular meshwork cell and a nonpigmented cell,
- introducing exogenous pigment into said trabecular meshwork cell by contacting said cell with exogenous pigment introduced into the aqueous humor of said patient by laser iridotomy of the iris of said patient,
- irradiating the intraocular area with laser radiation having a radiant exposure of between about 0.01 and about 5 Joules/cm.sup.2, and
- damaging said trabecular meshwork cell without killing said nonpigmented cell.
A method of treating glaucoma in a patient, said method lowering an intraocular pressure in the patient by selectively damaging pigmented intraocular cells, said method comprising:
- selecting an intraocular area containing a pigmented cell and a nonpigmented cell, wherein said pigment is either endogenously synthesized or exogenous pigment synthesized by another intraocular cell,
- irradiating the intraocular area with laser radiation having a wavelength which is absorbed more in said pigmented cell than in said nonpigmented cell, wherein said radiation has a radiant exposure of between about 0.01 and about 5 Joules/cm.sup.2, and
- damaging said pigmented cell without killing said nonpigmented cell to lower the intraocular pressure in the patient.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.