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Methods and apparatuses for the treatment of glaucoma using visible and infrared ultrashort laser pulses

DC
  • US 10,064,757 B2
  • Filed: 06/05/2015
  • Issued: 09/04/2018
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2011
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method of creating a plurality of openings in a trabecular meshwork of a patient'"'"'s eye to conduct fluid from an anterior chamber into a Schlemm'"'"'s canal of the eye, comprising:

  • ablating a first crater to a first depth in the trabecular meshwork adjacent to the Schlemm'"'"'s canal with first laser pulses without entering the Schlemm'"'"'s canal;

    ablating a second crater to a second depth in the trabecular meshwork adjacent to the Schlemm'"'"'s canal with second laser pulses without entering the Schlemm'"'"'s canal;

    extending the first crater with third laser pulses to a third depth and extending the second crater with fourth laser pulses to a fourth depth, wherein the first crater is extended to the third depth and the second crater is extended to the fourth depth after the second crater has been extended to the second depth, so as to penetrate an inner wall of the Schlemm'"'"'s Canal, to form the plurality of openings to conduct fluid from the anterior chamber to the Schlemm'"'"'s canal, and to decrease optical pathway obscuration by blood reflux from the Schlemm'"'"'s canal; and

    wherein each of the femtosecond laser pulses comprises a wavelength of within a range from 0.4 to 2.5 microns, a fluence level to produce optical breakdown, and a pulse duration in a range from 20 femtoseconds to 300 picoseconds.

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