SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR APPLYING THERAPY TO AN EYE USING ENERGY CONDUCTION
First Claim
1. An energy conducting system for applying therapy to an eye, the energy conducting system comprising:
- an energy conducting element including a first conductor and a second conductor, the first conductor and the second conductor extending to an application end and being separated by a gap; and
a positioning system receiving the energy conducting element and positioning the application end relative to a feature of an eye, the gap between the first conductor and the second conductor providing a pattern by which energy is delivered to the eye, the pattern being at least one of non-annular and asymmetric with respect to the eye feature.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Thermokeratoplasty is applied to achieve a customized reshaping of a cornea, especially, for the treatment of astigmatism. Energy is applied to the cornea in a customized pattern using a specific configuration of two conductors. In one embodiment, an outer conductor and an outer conductor are separated by a gap. When a conducting element is applied to the corneal surface the area of the cornea at the periphery of the inner conductor is subject to an energy pattern with substantially the same shape and dimension as the gap between the inner and outer conductors. The inner and outer conductors may be positioned and shaped to form a gap having any desirable size and/or shape, including non-annular and asymmetrical shapes. The gap may be configured by altering the spatial relationships between the inner conductor and the outer conductor, by altering the size, shape, and/or position of the inner and/or outer conductors, or by forming one or more indentations or protrusions in or on the inner conductor and/or the outer conductor. Additionally or alternatively, energy is applied to the cornea in a customized pattern defined by a specific arrangement of one or more dielectric materials providing varying impedance.
69 Citations
98 Claims
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1. An energy conducting system for applying therapy to an eye, the energy conducting system comprising:
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an energy conducting element including a first conductor and a second conductor, the first conductor and the second conductor extending to an application end and being separated by a gap; and a positioning system receiving the energy conducting element and positioning the application end relative to a feature of an eye, the gap between the first conductor and the second conductor providing a pattern by which energy is delivered to the eye, the pattern being at least one of non-annular and asymmetric with respect to the eye feature. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. An energy conducting system for applying therapy to an eye, the energy conducting system comprising:
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an outer conductor having an interior surface defining an interior passageway; and an inner conductor positioned within the interior passageway, the inner conductor having an exterior surface separated from the interior surface of the outer conductor by a gap, the gap being at least one of non-annular and asymmetric, wherein the outer conductor and inner conductor define an application end positionable at an eye, the outer conductor and inner conductor conducting energy to the eye via the application end according to a pattern defined at least by the gap. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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29. The energy conducting system of 22, wherein the gap has a substantially constant thickness defined by substantially one distance between the first conductor and the second conductor.
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43. An energy conducting system for applying therapy to an eye, the energy conducting system comprising:
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an energy conducting element including a first conductor and a second conductor, the first conductor and the second conductor extending to an application end and being separated by a gap; and one or more materials providing varying impedance, the one or more materials being applied, at the application end, to at least one of the first conductor and the second conductor, the first conductor and the second conductor conducting energy to the eye via the application end at least according to a pattern defined by the varying impedance. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61)
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62. A method for applying therapy to an eye with a conducting system comprising an energy conducting element including a first conductor and a second conductor, the first conductor and the second conductor extending to an application end and being separated by a gap, and a positioning system receiving the energy conducting element, the method comprising the steps of:
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determining a gap separating the first conductor and the second conductor; positioning, with the positioning system, the application end of the energy conducting element at an eye; and reshaping an eye feature by applying energy to the eye via the conducting element according to a pattern, the pattern being defined at least by the gap and the position of the application end relative to the eye and being at least one of non-annular and asymmetric with respect to the eye feature. - View Dependent Claims (63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82)
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83. A method for applying therapy to an eye with a conducting assembly comprising an energy conducting element including a first conductor and a second conductor, the first conductor and the second conductor extending to an application end and being separated by a gap;
- and one or more materials providing varying impedance, the one or more materials being applied, at the application end, to at least one of the first conductor and the second conductor, the first conductor and the second conductor conducting energy to the eye via the application end at least according to a pattern defined by the varying impedance, the method comprising;
positioning the application end of the conducting assembly at an eye; and reshaping an eye feature by applying energy to the eye via the conducting element according to the varying impedance. reshaping an eye feature by applying energy to the eye via the conducting element according to a pattern, the pattern being defined at least by the one or more materials and the position of the application end relative to the eye feature. - View Dependent Claims (84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98)
- and one or more materials providing varying impedance, the one or more materials being applied, at the application end, to at least one of the first conductor and the second conductor, the first conductor and the second conductor conducting energy to the eye via the application end at least according to a pattern defined by the varying impedance, the method comprising;
Specification