SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR AFFECTING THE BIOMECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF CONNECTIVE TISSUE
A device for delivering ablative medical treatments to improve biomechanics comprising a laser for generating a beam of laser radiation used in ablative medical treatments to improve biomechanics, a housing, a controller within the housing, in communication with the laser and operable to control dosimetry of the beam of laser radiation in application to a target material, a lens operable to focus the beam of laser radiation onto a target material, and a power source operable to provide power to the laser and controller.
1 . A system for ablating biological tissue to create a pattern of pores on the globe of an eye off the visual axis and excludes the cornea of the eye, that improves biomechanics, comprising:
a laser for generating a beam of laser radiation in a goniometric motion to create the pattern of pores;
a lens configured to focus the beam of laser radiation on a treatment axis that is not aligned with a patient's visual-axis and excludes the cornea of the eye;
a controller within a housing and in communication with the laser; and
an automated subsurface anatomy imaging, tracking, measuring and avoidance system.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the automated subsurface anatomy imaging, tracking, measuring and avoidance system comprises a scanning system configured to monitor and track eye movement for application of the beam of laser during a treatment.
3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the automated subsurface anatomy imaging, tracking, measuring and avoidance system further comprises one or more biofeedback sensors.
4 . The system of claim 1 further comprises a second laser for generating a beam of low power laser radiation as a spotting beam to aid visualization of a focus spot location on the tissue.
5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the beam of laser traces an arc with an offset center of curvature that is at the center of the eye.
6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the beam of laser starts the tracing along an axis through the center of the eye.
7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the beam of laser is along an axis distinct from the axis through the center of the eye.
8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the beam of laser is along an axis through the center of the eye or along an axis distinct from the axis through the center of the eye.
9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is configured to maintain perpendicularity to the surface of a treatment area on the globe of the eye off the visual axis and excluding the cornea.
10 . The system of claim 1 further comprises a mount assembly for the laser, wherein the mount assembly is movable along an arc and rotatable in an annular pattern.
11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the mount assembly move in a plurality of angles.
12 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is configured to ablate biological tissue in more than one treatment zones on the globe of the eye off the visual axis and excluding the cornea.
13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the system is configured to provide a distinct fixation target for each treatment zone.
14 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the pattern of pores is generated by a golden spiral algorithm, the pattern having at least one of clockwise direction, counterclockwise direction, and a combination thereof.
15 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the automated subsurface anatomy imaging, tracking, measuring and avoidance system provides an automated real-time biofeedback loop for sensing and monitoring tissue characteristics within a tissue, including thickness, topography, and focus to identify biological features.
16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the automated subsurface anatomy imaging, tracking, measuring and avoidance system provides real-time position feedback to the controller and, upon identification of specific biological features based on tissue characteristics, the controller both gauges and ceases the treatment intraoperatively.
17 . The system of claim 1 further comprises a fixator configured to fix the system relative to the eye.
18 . A method for ablating biological tissue to create a pattern of pores in a treatment area on the globe of an eye off the visual axis and excludes the cornea of the eye, that improves biomechanics, comprising:
providing a first fixation target that is along an axis distinct from the axis at the center of the eye and excludes the cornea of the eye;
locating coordinates of a first pore of the pattern;
initiating tracking movement of the eye;
generating a beam of laser radiation in a goniometric motion to ablate the first pore while tracking movement of the eye;
locating coordinates of a second pore of the pattern;
generating a beam of laser radiation to ablate the second pore while tracking movement of the eye;
repeating the locating, generating and ablating until the pattern of pores is complete.
19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the treatment area is in a first quadrant of the globe of eye off the visual axis and excludes the cornea of the eye.
20 . The method of claim 19 further comprises repeating all the steps of claim 17 wherein the treatment area is in a second quadrant of the globe of eye off the visual axis and excludes the cornea of the eye.
21 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the pattern of pores is generated by a golden spiral algorithm, the pattern having at least one of clockwise direction, counterclockwise direction, and combination thereof.
22 . The method of claim 18 further comprises receiving tissue characteristics within a tissue, including thickness, topography, and focus to identify biological features, and both gauging and ceasing the treatment intraoperatively upon identification of specific biological features based on the tissue characteristics.