Ophthalmic phototherapy device and associated treatment method

• US 9,592,404 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2016
• Issued: 03/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Photospectra Health Sciences, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Photospectra Health Sciences, Inc.
• Inventors: Dotson, Robert S, Merry, Graham
• Primary Examiner(s): Thomson, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Downey, John
• Application Number:
  US15/050,482
• Publication Number:
  US 20160166853A1
• Time in Patent Office: 385 Days
• Field of Search: 606 4- 6
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/0025 characterised by electronic signal processing, e.g. eye models
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/102 for optical coherence tomography [OCT]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/1241 specially adapted for observation of ocular blood flow, e.g. by fluorescein angiography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0071 by measuring fluorescence emission
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7282 Event detection, e.g. detecting unique waveforms indicative of a medical condition A61B5/4094, A61B5/4818, A61B5/349, A61B5/0823 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2009/00868 Ciliary muscles or trabecular meshwork
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2009/00872 Cornea
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2009/00891 Glaucoma
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00 Methods or devices for treatment of the eyes; Devices for putting-in contact lenses; Devices to correct squinting; Apparatus to guide the blind; Protective devices for the eyes, carried on the body or in the hand caps with means for protecting the eyes A42B1/018; visors for helmets A42B3/22; retractors A61B17/02; manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; appliances to aid invalids to move about A61H3/00; exercisers for the eyes A61H5/00; eye baths A61H35/02; sunglasses or goggles having the same features as spectacles G02C
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/0079 using non-laser electromagnetic radiation, e.g. non-coherent light or microwaves
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/008 using laser
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0643 Applicators, probes irradiating specific body areas in close proximity
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0644 Handheld applicators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0651 Diodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0652 Arrays of diodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0659 infrared
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0662 Visible light
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0663 Coloured light
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0613 Apparatus adapted for a specific treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0622 Optical stimulation for exciting neural tissue

Abstract

An ophthalmic phototherapy device and associated phototherapy treatment method for promoting healing of damaged or diseased eye tissue. The ophthalmic phototherapy device includes a light emitting mechanism for transmitting light of at least one preselected wavelength to the eye tissue. The ophthalmic phototherapy method includes directing light of at least one wavelength for a selected period of time to a portion of damaged or diseased eye tissue, whereby the light transmitted to the damaged or diseased eye tissue stimulates cellular activity in the eye tissue to promote healing.

Claims

1. An ophthalmic phototherapy device for treating inflammatory eye disease inside an eye of a patient, said ophthalmic phototherapy device comprising:

a first light emitting mechanism comprising one or more arrays of LED(s), low power laser source(s), or any combination thereof, for emitting light of at least a first wavelength between approximately 490 nm and 810 nm;

a second light emitting mechanism comprising one or more arrays of LED(s), low power laser source(s), or any combination thereof, for emitting light of at least a second wavelength, wherein said first and second wavelengths are different; and

a controller comprising at least one microprocessor, said controller configured to control said first and second light emitting mechanisms so as to selectively direct light of said first and second wavelengths from the device into the eye of the patient being treated by the ophthalmic phototherapy device for first and second preselected periods of time, respectively.

2. The ophthalmic phototherapy device of claim 1, wherein each of said first and second light emitting mechanisms comprises at least one LED or low power laser.

3. The ophthalmic phototherapy device of claim 1, wherein each of said first and second light emitting mechanisms comprises an array of a plurality of LEDs, low power laser sources, or a combination thereof.

4. The ophthalmic phototherapy device of claim 2, wherein said at least one LED or low power laser source of said first light emitting mechanism emits light of the first wavelength, and wherein said first wavelength is selected from a red light wavelength and a yellow light wavelength, and said at least one LED or low power laser source of said second light emitting mechanism emits light of the second wavelength, and wherein said second wavelength is selected from a red light wavelength, a yellow light wavelength and a near infra-red light wavelength.

5. The ophthalmic phototherapy device of claim 1, wherein said controller controls when or for how long said light of at least said first wavelength is emitted and when or for how long said light of at least said second wavelength is emitted.

6. The ophthalmic phototherapy device of claim 1, wherein said controller enables emission of said light of at least said first wavelength and said light of at least said second wavelength at preselected first and second brightnesses, respectively.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein said controller controls one of a combination, a pulsed combination and a sequence in which the light of at least said first wavelength and the light of at least said second wavelength are emitted from the device.

8. The ophthalmic phototherapy device of claim 1, wherein said first light emitting mechanism comprises at least a first LED or low power laser source, said second light emitting mechanism comprises at least a second LED or low power laser source, and said at least the first and second LEDs or low power laser sources form a single array of LEDs or low power laser sources, and further wherein said controller selectively controls said at least first and second LEDs or low power laser sources in said array to vary the wavelength of light emitted from said device.

9. The ophthalmic phototherapy device of claim 1, wherein said first and second wavelengths are each selected from a near-infrared light wavelength, a red light wavelength, and a yellow light wavelength.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein said controller comprises a timing circuit for allowing an operator to preselect one or more time periods during which said first and second light emitting mechanisms are energized.

11. The device of claim 1, further comprising a user interface that permits a user to select a treatment modality comprising delivering light of at least one of a sequence, combination or pulsed format of said first and second wavelengths into the eye of the patient.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said device may be pivoted or rotated into position to emit light of said first and second wavelengths into the eye of the patient.

13. The device of claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to cause said first and second light emitting mechanisms to emit one or more preselected sequences or combinations of light of different wavelengths.

14. The device of claim 1, further comprising a third light emitting mechanism for emitting light of at least a third wavelength, wherein said third wavelength is different from said first and second wavelengths.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein each of said first, second and third wavelengths are selected from a near infra-red light wavelength, a yellow light wavelength and a red light wavelength.

16. The device of claim 14 wherein one of the first, second and third wavelengths is between approximately 577 nm and 597 nm, and wherein another of the first, second and third wavelengths is between approximately 640 nm and 700 nm.

17. The device of claim 1, wherein said first and second preselected time periods are the same.

18. The device of claim 1, wherein said first and second preselected time periods are different.

19. An ophthalmic phototherapy device for treating inflammatory eye disease inside an eye of a patient, said ophthalmic phototherapy device comprising:

a first light emitting mechanism comprising one or more arrays of LED(s), low power laser source(s), or any combination thereof, for emitting light of at least a first wavelength;

a second light emitting mechanism comprising one or more arrays of LED(s), low power laser source(s), or any combination thereof, for emitting light of at least a second wavelength;

a third light emitting mechanism comprising one or more arrays of LED(s), low power laser source(s), or any combination thereof, for emitting light of at least a third wavelength,

wherein said first, second and third wavelengths are different from each other and are each selected from a near infra-red light wavelength, a yellow light wavelength and a red light wavelength; and

a controller comprising at least one microprocessor, said controller configured to control said first, second and third light emitting mechanisms so as to selectively direct light of said first, second and third wavelengths from the device into the eye of the patient being treated by the ophthalmic phototherapy device for one or more preselected periods of time, respectively.

20. The ophthalmic phototherapy device of claim 19, wherein each of said first, second and third light emitting mechanisms comprises at least one LED or low power laser source.

21. The ophthalmic phototherapy device of claim 19, wherein each of said first, second and third light emitting mechanisms comprises an array of a plurality of LEDs, low power laser sources, or a combination thereof.

22. The ophthalmic phototherapy device of claim 20, wherein said at least one LED or low power laser source of said first light emitting mechanism emits light of the first wavelength, and wherein said first wavelength is selected from a red light wavelength and a yellow light wavelength, and said at least one LED or low power laser source of said second light emitting mechanism emits light of the second wavelength, and wherein said second wavelength is selected from a red light wavelength, a yellow light wavelength and a near infra-red light wavelength.

23. The ophthalmic phototherapy device of claim 19, wherein said controller controls when or for how long said light of at least said first wavelength is emitted, when or for how long said light of at least said second wavelength is emitted, and when or for how long said light of at least said third wavelength is emitted.

24. The ophthalmic phototherapy device of claim 19, wherein said controller enables emission of said light of at least said first wavelength, said light of at least said second wavelength and said light of at least said third wavelength at preselected first, second and third brightnesses, respectively.

25. The device of claim 19, wherein said controller controls one of a combination, a pulsed combination and a sequence in which the light of at least said first wavelength, the light of at least said second wavelength and the light of at least said third wavelength are emitted from the device.

26. The device of claim 19, wherein said controller comprises a timing circuit for allowing an operator to preselect one or more time periods during which said first, second and third light emitting mechanisms are energized.

27. The device of claim 19, further comprising a user interface that permits a user to select a treatment modality comprising delivering light of at least one of a sequence, combination or pulsed format of said first, second and third wavelengths into the eye of the patient.

28. The device of claim 19, wherein the controller is configured to cause said first, second and third light emitting mechanisms to emit one or more preselected sequences or combinations of light of different wavelengths.

29. The device of claim 19 wherein one of the first, second and third wavelengths is between approximately 577 nm and 597 nm, and wherein another of the first, second and third wavelengths is between approximately 640 nm and 700 nm.

30. The device of claim 19, wherein at least a portion of said device may be pivoted or rotated into position to emit light of said first and second wavelengths into the eye of the patient.

31. The device of claim 19, wherein said controller is configured to control said first, second, and third light emitting mechanisms such that two or more of said first, second, and third wavelengths are communicated to the eye for the same preselected period of time.

32. The device of claim 19, wherein said controller is configured to control said first, second, and third light emitting mechanisms such that two or more of said first, second, and third wavelengths are communicated to the eye for different preselected periods of time.