Laser surgical procedures for treatment of glaucoma
AssigneePremier Laser Systems, Inc.
InventorsColette Cozean, Michael Colvard, Robert C. Allen, Edwin U. Keates
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A laser is used to reopen the natural drainage passageways in the eye or to form new passageways to enable the drainage of the aqueous humor from the eye. In one procedure, an Er:YAG laser is used to ablate occluding tissue in Schlemm's canal. In another procedure, the Er:YAG laser is used to open occluded openings in the ciliary body. In yet another procedure, the Er:YAG laser is used to form a new passageway comprising a plurality of interconnected passageway segments from the exterior of the eye through the sclera to the anterior chamber to enable the drainage of the aqueous humor.
Claims23
A method of performing a sclerotomy in an eye, comprising:
- forming a passageway in said eye comprised of a plurality of interconnected passageway segments, the forming of said passageway comprising (a) orienting said plurality of segments so that said passageway follows a crooked, non-linear path through scleral tissue and terminates at an anterior chamber of said eye, and (b) cross sectionally sizing the segments to drain fluid from the anterior chamber, whereby intraocular pressure in said eye is reduced.
A method of performing a sclerotomy in an eye, comprising:
- forming a first passageway segment that extends from an exterior surface of the eye to the sclera of the eye;
- and
- forming a second passageway segment that extends through the sclera along a crooked path.
An apparatus for performing an ab-externo sclerotomy in an eye, comprising:
- a source of mid-infrared laser energy pulses;
- a single laser probe configured to form a passageway extending from an exterior of the eye through the sclera of the eye by directing said pulses of mid-infrared laser energy in a direction substantially along a longitudinal axis of said probe and advancing said probe through said passageway as it is formed;
- said probe being cross-sectionally sized such that (i) the portion of said passageway extending through the sclera is greater than 350 microns in diameter when the probe is withdrawn, and (ii) a portion of said passageway adjacent the exterior of the eye substantially self-seals when the probe is withdrawn so as to prevent substantial leakage of fluid from said eye, the diameter of the probe being more than 350 microns and less than 600 microns, said probe comprising an optical fiber having a core, a solid cladding and a stiffening layer wherein said stiffening layer is attached to the cladding to provide rigidity to a distal portion of said probe whereby said distal portion of said probe is sufficiently rigid to manipulate tissue.
A laser probe configured for treatment of glaucoma, comprising:
- a probe tip configured for insertion into conjunctival tissue of an eye and through scleral tissue, said probe tip having a longitudinal axis and comprising a single optical fiber having a core which directs light in a direction along said longitudinal axis, said probe tip comprising a stiffening layer which surrounds the core of said single optical fiber, said stiffening layer being attached to said optical fiber so as to provide sufficient rigidity to said tip to allow said fiber tip to manipulate tissue such that a crooked passageway is formed through the sclera;
- said probe tip having a sufficiently small diameter to cause said conjunctival tissue to substantially self-seal when said probe is withdrawn, said diameter being greater than 350 microns such that said passageway is sufficiently large for reliable drainage of fluid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.