Contact tip for laser surgery

A laser surgery apparatus, comprising:

• a laser which produces optical energy having a wavelength;
• an optical waveguide with a contact tip at an end thereof, said waveguide connected to receive said energy from said laser and deliver said energy to an interior of said contact tip such that substantially the entire interior of said contact tip receives said optical energy from said waveguide, said contact tip having a tissue contacting portion for contact with tissue, said contact tip comprised of a substantially optically transparent substrate, substantially all of the optical energy passing through said contact tip contacting an exterior surface of said transparent substrate, said contact tip additionally comprising a coating on the exterior of the transparent substrate, said coating having an exterior which substantially corresponds in shape to that of said transparent substrate, said coating comprising a material which is substantially opaque to said optical energy, said opaque coating being in direct contact with said transparent substrate such that said opaque coating is directly exposed to optical energy, said opaque coating covering the exterior of said transparent substrate throughout substantially the entire tissue contacting portion of said contract tip and forming a reflecting cavity which substantially confines said optical energy within said contact tip, said opaque coating being sufficiently reflective to optical energy at said wavelength such that said confined optical energy undergoes multiple reflections which distribute said optical energy within said cavity to substantially uniformly heat the coating on said tissue contacting portion of said contact tip.