Method and system for radio frequency ophthalmological presbyopia surgery

• US 20070088352A1
• Filed: 10/14/2005
• Published: 04/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Robert Rosen
• Original Assignee: Robert Rosen
• Inventors: Rosen, Robert
• Application Number:
  US11/250,351
• Publication Number:
  US 20070088352A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/45
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1402 Probes for open surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1422 Hook
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/0079 using non-laser electromagnetic radiation, e.g. non-coherent light or microwaves
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/013 Instruments for compensation of ocular refraction A61F9/008 takes precedence; Instruments for use in cornea removal, for reshaping or performing incisions in the cornea

Abstract

An ophthalmological surgical method and system for treating presbyopia in a living is provided. The method and system entail applying radio frequency energy to the sclera of the eye to produce a pattern of grooves therein. The pattern includes at least one furrow having a width in the range of approximately 200 to approximately 2000 microns and a depth in the range of approximately ninety percent to slightly less than one hundred percent of the thickness of the sclera.

Claims

1. An ophthalmic surgical method for treating a living being having presbyopia comprising applying radio frequency energy to the sclera of the eye in a desired pattern to remove portions of the scleral tissue in said pattern, said pattern comprising at least one furrow, said at least one furrow having a width in the range of approximately 200 to approximately 2000 microns and a depth in the range of approximately ninety percent to slightly less than one hundred percent of the thickness of the sclera.

2. The ophthalmic surgical method of claim 1 wherein said pattern comprises plural furrows.

3. The ophthalmic surgical method of claim 2 wherein each of said plural furrows are of the same shape.

4. The ophthalmic surgical method of claim 3 wherein each of said plural furrows are of the same size.

5. The ophthalmic surgical method of claim 1 wherein said at least one furrow is in the range of approximately 600 to approximately 1000 microns in width.

6. The ophthalmic surgical method of claim 1 wherein said at least one furrow is in the range of approximately ninety percent to approximately ninety-nine percent of the thickness of the sclera.

7. The ophthalmic surgical method of claim 5 wherein said at least one furrow is in the range of approximately ninety percent to approximately ninety-nine percent of the thickness of the sclera.

8. The ophthalmic surgical method of claim 2 wherein at least one of said plural furrows is in the range of approximately 600 to approximately 1000 microns in width.

9. The ophthalmic surgical method of claim 2 wherein at least one of said plural furrows is in the range of approximately ninety percent to approximately ninety-nine percent of the thickness of the sclera.

10. The ophthalmic surgical method of claim 8 wherein said at least one of said plural furrow is in the range of approximately ninety percent to approximately ninety-nine percent of the thickness of the sclera.

11. The ophthalmic surgical method of claim 1 wherein said at least one furrows is of a length in the range of approximately 3 to 7 millimeters.

12. The ophthalmic surgical method of claim 11 wherein said at least one furrow is of a length in the range of approximately 4.5 millimeters.

13. The ophthalmic surgical method of claim 2 wherein at least one of said plural furrows is of a length in the range of approximately 3 to 7 millimeters.

14. The ophthalmic surgical method of claim 13 wherein said at least one of said plural furrows is of a length in the range of approximately 4.5 millimeters.

15. The ophthalmic surgical method of claim 1 wherein said at least one furrow is generally linear in shape.

16. The ophthalmic surgical method of claim 1 wherein said at least one furrow includes at least a portion that is arcuate in shape.

17. The ophthalmic surgical method of claim 2 wherein at least one of said plural furrows is generally linear in shape.

18. The ophthalmic surgical method of claim 2 wherein at least one of said plural furrow includes at least a portion that is arcuate in shape.

19. The ophthalmic surgical method of claim 2 wherein said desired pattern comprises an array of generally radially extending furrows, each of which having an end portion closely adjacent the limbus.

20. The ophthalmic surgical method of claim 2 wherein said desired pattern comprises an array of generally radially extending furrows, at least a respective of said furrows extending into a respective quadrant of the sclera.

21. The ophthalmic surgical method of claim 19 wherein said pattern comprises at least four furrows.

22. The ophthalmic surgical method of claim 21 wherein said furrows are equidistantly disposed about the limbus.

23. The ophthalmic surgical method of claim 1 wherein said method comprises providing a radio frequency device having an electrode tip arranged for application to the sclera of the eye and another electrode for engagement with a portion of the body of the living being and wherein said device is operated by bringing said tip adjacent the scleral tissue of the eye so that said electrode tip removes a portion of the scleral tissue in said desired pattern.

24. The ophthalmic surgical method of claim 1 comprising placing visible indicia on the sclera to serve as a guide for forming said at least one furrow.

25. The ophthalmic surgical method of claim 2 comprising placing visible indicia on the sclera to serve as a guide for forming said at least one furrow.

26. The ophthalmic surgical method of claim 24 comprising utilizing a template for placing said visible indicia on the sclera.

27. The ophthalmic surgical method of claim 25 comprising utilizing a template for placing said visible indicia on the sclera.

28. A system for surgically treating presbyopia in a living being, said system comprising a template and a radio frequency energy applying device, said template being arranged for application to the eye of the being to enable at least one mark to be placed on the eye to indicate the location of a furrow to be created in the sclera of the eye, said radio-frequency energy applying device comprising an electrode member adapted to be positioned adjacent the mark on the eye to direct radio frequency energy adjacent or at the mark to ablate the underlying sclera and thereby create a furrow having a width in the range of approximately 200 to approximately 2000 microns and a depth in the range of approximately ninety percent to slightly less than one hundred percent of the thickness of the sclera.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein said device comprises a low power radio-frequency energy generator, an ablating electrode and a grounding electrode, said grounding electrode of one polarity electrically coupled to said generator and being arranged for engagement with a portion of the body of the being, said ablating electrode having a small tip of another polarity electrically coupled to said generator, said tip being arranged to be positioned at or closely adjacent the mark.

30. The system of claim 29 wherein the amount of radio-frequency energy produced by said generator is adjustable.