Glaucoma surgery methods and systems
DCFirst Claim
1. A method, for treating glaucoma in an eye, the eye comprising an anterior chamber, a Schlemm'"'"'s canal and a trabecular meshwork there between, the method comprising:
- inserting a probe into the eye to provide an ab interno approach to the trabecular meshwork and the Schlemm'"'"'s canal, the probe comprising an optical fiber coupled to an optical coherence tomography apparatus;
photoablating ocular tissue at a first treatment site with the probe, resulting in the formation of a first aperture in the ocular tissue, the first aperture extending from the anterior chamber through the trabecular meshwork into the Schlemm'"'"'s canal; and
photoablating the ocular tissue at a second treatment site with the probe, resulting in the formation of a second aperture in the ocular tissue, the second aperture extending from the anterior chamber through the trabecular meshwork into the Schlemm'"'"'s canal;
wherein the photoablating at the first treatment site and the second treatment is monitored with the optical coherence tomography apparatus.
0 Assignments
Litigations
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and systems are disclosed for creating an aqueous flow pathway in the trabecular meshwork, juxtacanalicular trabecular meshwork and Schlemm'"'"'s canal of an eye for reducing elevated intraocular pressure. Some embodiments described apparatus and methods useful in photoablation of tissues. In some embodiments, a photoablation apparatus is used to perforate a tissue, forming an aperture into a space behind the tissue. Gases formed during a photoablation process can be used to pressurize the space behind the tissue to enhance patency of the space. In some embodiments the tissue is the trabecular meshwork of the eye and a wall of Schlemm'"'"'s canal, and the space behind the tissue is a portion of the lumen of Schlemm'"'"'s canal. In some embodiments, the method is useful in the treatment of glaucoma by improving outflow from the anterior chamber of the eye into Schlemm'"'"'s canal, reducing intraocular pressure.
-
Citations
9 Claims
-
1. A method, for treating glaucoma in an eye, the eye comprising an anterior chamber, a Schlemm'"'"'s canal and a trabecular meshwork there between, the method comprising:
-
inserting a probe into the eye to provide an ab interno approach to the trabecular meshwork and the Schlemm'"'"'s canal, the probe comprising an optical fiber coupled to an optical coherence tomography apparatus; photoablating ocular tissue at a first treatment site with the probe, resulting in the formation of a first aperture in the ocular tissue, the first aperture extending from the anterior chamber through the trabecular meshwork into the Schlemm'"'"'s canal; and photoablating the ocular tissue at a second treatment site with the probe, resulting in the formation of a second aperture in the ocular tissue, the second aperture extending from the anterior chamber through the trabecular meshwork into the Schlemm'"'"'s canal; wherein the photoablating at the first treatment site and the second treatment is monitored with the optical coherence tomography apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
Specification