Systems and methods for treating glaucoma and systems and methods for imaging a portion of an eye

1. A method for treating glaucoma in an eye of a patient, the method comprising:

providing a combined system comprising a surgical microscope, an OCT apparatus, and a laser treatment apparatus;

imaging a part of the eye onto a spatially resolving detector using the surgical microscope of the combined system;

recording an image of the part of the eye detected by the spatially resolving detector;

storing the recorded image in a storage device;

processing the stored image using an image processing device, wherein processing the stored image comprises:

identifying a distinguishable anatomical structure of an anterior portion of the eye in the recorded image; and

predicting a volume portion of the anterior portion of the eye based on the identified anatomical structure;

then acquiring a first OCT-image of the predicted volume portion of the anterior portion of the eye using the OCT apparatus of the combined system, wherein acquiring the first OCT-image comprises:

selecting, based on the predicted volume, a scanning path extending within the predicted volume portion of the anterior portion of the eye;

scanning an OCT measuring beam along the scanning path;

recording OCT data corresponding to the scanning path; and

generating the first OCT-image based on the recorded OCT data, wherein the first OCT-image is three-dimensional; and

treating the volume portion using the laser treatment apparatus of the combined system to direct a laser beam to the volume portion to modify material in the predicted volume portion of the anterior portion of the eye based on the first OCT-image.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

using the OCT apparatus for acquiring a second OCT-image of the volume portion of the eye; and

further treating the volume portion by the laser beam based on at least one of the first and the second OCT-images.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the treating of the volume portion by directing the laser beam to the volume portion comprises adjusting at least one of

a) an output energy of the laser beam,

b) a positioning of the laser beam, and

c) a spot size of the laser beam based on at least one of the first OCT-image, the second OCT-image, and a difference between the first and the second OCT-images.

4. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the acquiring of at least one of the first or the second OCT-images comprises laterally scanning the OCT measuring beam across the volume portion according to the scanning path and detecting light intensities emanating from scanned parts of the volume portion, wherein a geometry of the scanning path is based on the recorded image.

5. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising:

locating a trabecular meshwork;

modifying at least a part of the trabecular meshwork by the laser beam; and

identifying in at least one of the first or the second OCT-images a Schlemm's canal, wherein the modifying the at least a part of the trabecular meshwork comprises preventing modifying Schlemm's canal.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the locating of the volume portion comprises locating a volume portion in a cornea extending from an anterior chamber to a sclera close to an anterior irido-corneal chamber angle opening and close to a trabecular meshwork and wherein the treating comprises directing the laser beam to the located volume portion to modify material of the located volume portion.

7. The method according to claim 6 , further comprising analysing at least one of the first and the second OCT-images to determine whether material in the located volume portion in the cornea extending from the anterior chamber to the sclera has been modified providing a fluid conduit connecting the anterior chamber to the sclera through the cornea, wherein the treating is stopped when the fluid conduit is formed.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the locating of the volume portion comprises locating a trabecular meshwork and the treating comprises modifying at least a part of the trabecular meshwork by the laser beam.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the locating the volume portion comprises locating an iris and the treating comprises modifying the iris by the laser beam to provide a fluid conduit connecting an anterior chamber to a posterior chamber of the eye through the iris.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the locating of the volume portion comprises locating a ciliary body adjacent to a posterior chamber of the eye and the treating comprises modifying the ciliary body by the laser beam.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the predicted volume portion is located outside of the identified anatomical structure.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the identified anatomical structure comprises an iris of the eye and wherein the predicted volume portion includes at least one of a Schlemm's canal of the eye and a trabecular meshwork of the eye.

13. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the predicted volume portion comprises an anatomical structure different from the distinguishable anatomical structure identified in the recorded image.

14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the distinguishable anatomical structure comprises an iris of the eye and wherein the predicted volume portion includes at least one of a Schlemm's canal of the eye and a trabecular meshwork of the eye.

15. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the lateral scanning is performed using a scanning apparatus having a maximal scanning range, wherein the lateral scanning across the volume portion comprises less than 80% of the maximal scanning range.

16. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the predicted volume portion is located outside of the identified anatomical structure.

17. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the identified anatomical structure comprises an iris of the eye and wherein the predicted volume portion includes at least one of a Schlemm's canal of the eye and a trabecular meshwork of the eye.

18. A method for treating glaucoma in an eye of a patient, the method comprising:

providing a combined system comprising a surgical microscope and an OCT apparatus;

imaging a part of the eye onto a spatially resolving detector using the surgical microscope of the combined system;

recording an image of the part of the eye detected by the spatially resolving detector;

storing the recorded image in a storage device;

processing the stored image, using an image processing device, wherein processing the stored image comprises:

identifying a distinguishable anatomical structure of an anterior portion of the eye in the recorded image; and

predicting a volume portion of the anterior portion of the eye based on the identified anatomical structure;

then acquiring a first OCT-image of the predicted volume portion of the eye using the OCT apparatus of the combined system, wherein acquiring the first OCT-image comprises:

selecting, based on the predicted volume, a scanning path extending within the predicted volume portion of the anterior portion of the eye;

scanning an OCT measuring beam along the scanning path and recording OCT data corresponding to the scanning path;

generating the first OCT-image based on the recorded OCT data, wherein the first OCT-image is three-dimensional; and

treating the volume portion by inserting an implant at the volume portion based on the first OCT-image.

19. The method according to claim 18 , further comprising:

using the OCT apparatus for acquiring a second OCT-image of the volume portion of the eye; and

further treating the volume portion based on at least one of the first and the second OCT-images.

20. The method according to claim 18 , wherein the locating the volume portion comprises locating a Schlemm's canal and the treating comprises inserting a fibre into at least a part of the Schlemm's canal.

21. The method according to claim 20 , further comprising analysing at least one of the first OCT-image, the second OCT-image, and the optical microscopic image to determine an amount of dilatation of the Schlemm's canal due to the inserted fibre.

22. The method according to claim 21 , further comprising adjusting at least one of a positioning and a length of the fibre such that an amount of dilatation of the Schlemm's canal deviates less than a predetermined threshold from a predetermined amount of dilatation.

23. The method according to claim 18 , wherein the locating of the volume portion comprises locating a Schlemm's canal and locating an anterior chamber and wherein the treating comprises inserting a tube shunt into a portion of the eye such that the tube shunt provides a fluid conduit from the anterior chamber to the Schlemm's canal.

24. The method according to claim 18 , wherein the locating the volume portion comprises locating a sclera and locating an anterior chamber and wherein the treating comprises inserting a tube shunt into a portion of the eye such that the tube shunt provides a fluid conduit from the anterior chamber to the sclera.

25. The method according to claim 18 , wherein the predicted volume portion comprises an anatomical structure different from the distinguishable anatomical structure identified in the recorded image.

26. The method according to claim 25 , wherein the distinguishable anatomical structure comprises an iris of the eye and wherein the predicted volume portion includes at least one of a Schlemm's canal of the eye and a trabecular meshwork of the eye.

27. The method according to claim 18 , wherein the lateral scanning is performed using a scanning apparatus having a maximal scanning range, wherein the lateral scanning across the volume portion comprises less than 80% of the maximal scanning range.