Techniques for alteration of iris pigment

• US 20050049584A1
• Filed: 10/08/2004
• Published: 03/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stroma Medical Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lumineyes LLC
• Inventors: Homer, Gregg S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,206,379 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/33
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2009/00876 Iris
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2009/00897 Scanning mechanisms or algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00817 Beam shaping with masks
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00825 for photodisruption

Abstract

Techniques for altering iris pigment in a human or animal, thereby altering iris color of an iris from a first iris color to a second iris color, are provided. An apparatus includes at least one laser device and a masking device. Another apparatus includes at least one laser device and a contact lens. The at least one laser device can generate at least one beam to selectively remove iris pigment of at least one preselected pigment color from the iris. The energy level of the at least one beam is within a predetermined range. The masking devices include a transparent portion and an opaque portion. The opaque portion of one such masking device occludes a portion of the at least one beam to protect a pupil area. The opaque portion of another such masking device creates an elliptical beam for application of the beam laterally from the side of the iris or some other different angle for lateral exposure of the iris. The contact lens includes a transparent portion and an opaque portion. The opaque portion of such contact lens occludes a portion of the at least one beam to protect a pupil area. In a specific embodiment, the apparatus further includes a second laser device capable of generating a second beam to selectively remove iris pigment of a second preselected pigment color from the iris.

Claims

1. An iris pigment alteration apparatus for altering perceived iris color of an iris from a first iris color to a second iris color comprising:

at least one electromagnetic radiation device capable of generating at least one beam to selectively remove iris pigment of at least one preselected pigment color from the iris; and

a masking device, the masking device comprising a transparent portion and an opaque portion, the opaque portion to occlude a portion of the at least one beam,

wherein an energy level of the at least one beam is within a predetermined range.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the predetermined range is sufficient to at least one of destroy, kill off, and burst pigmented cells of an anterior stroma.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the predetermine range is insufficient to at least one of destroy, kill off, and burst non-pigmented cells of a cornea, stroma, and endothelium.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one beam is adapted to selectively shut off a first form of melanin and not shut off a second form of melanin.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the first and second forms of melanin are at least one of eumalanin and pheomelanin.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one beam is sized to entirely cover the iris.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one beam has a wavelength of between 50 nanometers to about 2000 nanometers.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one beam has a wavelength of at least 2000 nanometers.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the opaque portion is a circle disposed in a central region of the transparent portion.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein a diameter of the opaque portion ranges from about 0.5 millimeters to 5 millimeters.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the transparent portion is an ellipse disposed in a central region of the opaque portion.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein a diameter of the opaque portion is at least about 10 millimeters.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein a width of the transparent portion is less than about 12 millimeters.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein a height of the transparent portion is less than about 1.5 millimeters.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the masking device is one of a set of masking devices, the set of masking devices includes a plurality of sizes of an opaque portion to accommodate variations in a pupil size.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one beam has a diameter of about a diameter of the iris.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one beam has a diameter of less than about a diameter of the iris.

18. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the electromagnetic radiation device is a pulse dye laser.

19. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the electromagnetic radiation device is a Nd:

YAG infrared laser.

20. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the electromagnetic radiation device is a frequency doubled Nd:

YAG visible (green) laser.

21. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an optical scanning device, wherein the optical scanning device is capable of mapping iris pigmentation.

22. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an optical positioning or guidance device to guide the at least one electromagnetic radiation device a surface of the iris.

23. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the masking device is permanently coupled to the at least one electromagnetic radiation device.

24. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the masking device is removably coupled to the at least one electromagnetic radiation device.

25. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the second color is violet.

26. An iris pigment alteration apparatus for altering perceived iris color of an iris from a first iris color to a second iris color comprising:

a first electromagnetic radiation device capable of generating a first beam to selectively remove iris pigment of first preselected pigment color from the iris;

a second electromagnetic radiation device capable of generating a second beam to selectively remove iris pigment of a second preselected pigment color from the iris;

a first masking device, the first masking device comprising a transparent portion and an opaque portion, the opaque portion of the first lens cap to occlude a portion of the first beam; and

a second masking device, the second masking device comprising a transparent portion and an opaque portion, the opaque portion of the second lens cap to occlude a portion of the second beam.

27. An iris pigment alteration system for altering perceived iris color of an iris from a first iris color to a second iris color comprising:

at least one electromagnetic radiation device capable of generating at least one beam to selectively remove iris pigment of at least one pigment color from the iris, the at least one beam being sized to entirely cover the iris; and

a contact lens comprising an opaque portion, the contact lens adapted to be disposed on the eye to protect a pupil from the at least one beam.

28. A protective pupil contact lens comprising:

a circular opaque portion, the opaque portion having a size about that of a pupil area of an eye,

wherein the contact lens is contoured to uniformly rest on a surface of the eye,

the opaque portion prevents an electromagnetic beam directed towards the eye from entering the pupil area, and

the electromagnetic beam has a wavelength of between 50 nanometers to about 2000 nanometers, and has sufficient energy to destroy pigmented cells of an iris.

29. A method to alter perceived iris color of an iris from a first iris color to a second iris color, the method comprising:

providing an electromagnetic radiation device capable of generating a first beam to selectively remove iris pigment of a first pigment color from the iris of an eye;

protecting a pupil region of the eye; and

directing the first beam towards the iris, thereby altering at least one of iris color, hue, and saturation.

30. The method of claim 29 further comprising:

providing a second electromagnetic radiation device capable of generating a second beam to selectively remove iris pigment of a second preselected pigment color from the iris, the first preselected pigment color being different from the second preselected pigment color; and

directing the second beam towards the iris, thereby altering at least one of iris color, hue, and saturation.

31. The method of claim 29 further comprising making an opening in a cornea of the eye before directing the first beam, wherein the directing of the first beam directs the first beam through the opening.

32. The method of claim 29 wherein the protecting and the directing are repeated at least once after a period of time.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein the period of time ranges from about one day to about two years.

34. The method of claim 29 wherein the electromagnetic radiation device is a pulse dye laser.

35. The method of claim 29 wherein the electromagnetic radiation device is a Nd:

YAG infrared laser.

36. The method of claim 29 wherein the electromagnetic radiation device is a frequency doubled Nd:

YAG visible (green) laser.

37. The method of claim 29 wherein first beam comprises at least one of ultrasound waves, microwaves, radio frequency waves, infrared rays, visible rays, ultraviolet light rays, x-rays, gamma rays, t-rays, and combinations thereof.

38. A method for altering iris pigmentation in a human, thereby altering perceived iris color of a first iris from a first iris color to a second iris color, the method comprising:

applying one or more than one laser beam to the first iris of a first iris color to remove iris pigment of a first preselected pigment color,

wherein the removal of the iris pigment of the first preselected color causes an alteration in the iris color of the first iris from the first iris color to the second iris color.

39. The method of claim 38 wherein the second iris color is a different hue than the first iris color.

40. The method of claim 38 wherein the second iris color is substantially the same hue as the first iris color but less saturated than the first iris color.

41. The method of claim 38 wherein the second iris color is substantially a different hue than the first iris color and less saturated than the first iris color.

42. The method of claim 38 wherein the hue of the second iris color is a hue that does not naturally occur in a human iris.

43. The method of claim 38 wherein the second iris color is violet.

44. The method of claim 38 wherein the one or more than one laser preselected is a pulse dye laser.

45. The method of claim 38 wherein the one or more than one laser preselected is a Nd:

YAG infrared laser.

46. The method of claim 38 wherein the one or more than one laser preselected is a frequency doubled Nd:

YAG visible (green) laser.

47. The method of claim 38 wherein the one or more than one laser beam generated has a wavelength of between about 50 nanometers and about 2000 nanometers.

48. The method of claim 38 further comprising altering iris pigmentation in the human, thereby altering perceived iris color of a second iris from a third iris color to a fourth iris color, the method comprising:

applying the one or more than one laser beam to the second iris of the third iris color to remove iris pigment of the second preselected pigment color;

wherein the removal of the iris pigment of the second preselected color causes an alteration in the color of the second iris from the third iris color to the fourth iris color.

49. The method of claim 38 further comprising repeating the applying.

50. The method of claim 38 further comprising creating an opening in the cornea of the human before applying the one or more than one laser beam, and then applying the one or more than one laser beam through the opening.

51. The method of claim 50 wherein the second iris color is substantially same as the fourth iris color.

52. The method of claim 50 wherein the second iris color is substantially different than the fourth iris color.

53. The method of claim 38 further comprising at least one of increasing a flow of intraocular fluid, dilating a Schlemm'"'"'s canal, and combination of both.

54. The method of claim 38 further comprising protecting a pupil from the one or more than one laser beam, wherein the protecting is accomplished by at least one of an occlusive contact lens and an occlusive mask coupled to the one or more than one laser.

55. The method of claim 38 wherein an occlusive mask is coupled to the one or more than one laser to alter a shape of the one or more than one laser beam.

56. The method of claim 55 wherein the applying of the one or more than one laser beam to the first iris is directed at a lateral angle.

57. The method of claim 38 wherein the one or more than one laser beam has a diameter of about a diameter of the iris.

58. The method of claim 38 wherein the one or more than one laser beam has a diameter of less than a diameter of the iris.

59. The method of claim 58 further comprising applying the one or more than one laser beam to a plurality of regions of the iris.

60. The method of claim 38 further comprising applying a miotic solution to an eye to stretch the first iris.

61. The method of claim 38 wherein iris pigment is removed by at least one of killing pigmented cells and bursting pigmented cells.

62. The method of claim 38 wherein the one or more than one laser beam is continuous.

63. The method of claim 38 wherein the one or more than one laser beam is pulsed.

64. The method of claim 63 wherein the one or more than one laser beam has pulse rate period ranging from about 1 femtosecond to about 1 seconds.