Ocular cross-linking system and method for sealing corneal wounds
Wounds in the eye following surgery or injury are sealed by soaking the area with a riboflavin solution containing iodide ion and irradiating the wound area with UVA radiation in a selected wavelength range for a selected time period to promote cross-linking of tissue between opposite surfaces of the wound or between the incised wound surfaces and a graft or implant.
1. A corneal collagen cross-linking system, the system comprising:
(a) a supply of a photosensitizer solution that promotes photochemical cross-linking in eye tissue, the photosensitizer solution comprising a hypotonic or aqueous solution containing
(i) 0.5 wt. % riboflavin, and
(ii) 0.015 wt. % to 5 wt. % sodium iodide, wherein the iodide is in ionized (I − ) form and the solution maintains a basic pH that permits iodide ion to catalytically break hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen; and
(b) a light source having an output in a selected UVA or UVA/blue or blue light range.
2. The corneal collagen cross-linking system of claim 1 , further comprising an adjustable optical treatment head, the treatment head comprising an optical projector defining an optical axis and configured to project a beam of light in a predetermined UVA or UVA/blue or blue light range along the optical axis.
3. The corneal collagen cross-linking system of claim 1 , further comprising a positioning control element for adjusting distance from the eye and the orientation of the optical axis relative to an axis of the eye.
4. The corneal collagen cross-linking of claim 1 , further comprising a beam intensity adjustment module for adjusting the light intensity incident on the eye.
5. The corneal collagen cross-linking system of claim 1 , further comprising a control module that controls a treatment time period.
6. The corneal collagen cross-linking system of claim 2 , wherein the adjustable optical treatment head is adjustable in at least one of an x-axis, a y-axis, and a z-axis.
7. The corneal collagen cross-linking system of claim 1 , wherein the UVA or UVA/blue radiation is in a wavelength range from 320 nm to 500 nm.
8. The corneal collagen cross-linking system of claim 1 , wherein the UVA radiation is in a wavelength range from 330 nm to 380 nm.
9. The corneal collagen cross-linking system of claim 1 , wherein the UVA/blue radiation is in a wavelength range from 400 to 470 nm.
10. The corneal collagen cross-linking system of claim 1 , wherein the UVA or UVA/blue radiation is in a wavelength range from 400 to 410 nm.
11. The corneal collagen cross-linking system of claim 1 , wherein the basic pH is between 7 and 8.4, not including 7.
12. A corneal collagen cross-linking system, the system comprising:
(a) a supply of a photosensitizer solution that promotes photochemical cross-linking in eye tissue, the photosensitizer solution comprising a hypotonic or aqueous solution containing
(i) 0.5 wt. % riboflavin, and
(ii) 0.015 wt. % sodium iodide, wherein the iodide is in ionized (I − ) form and the solution maintains a basic pH that permits iodide ion to catalytically break hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen; and
(b) a light source having an output in a selected UVA or UVA/blue or blue light range.