Abstract: An aperture card is provided for insertion into a laser refractive ablation system for use in laser ablating the cornea. The aperture card is designed for single surgical use for surgical precautionary considerations and to achieve the highest quality ablations, in addition to reproducibility. The aperture card is loaded into the laser refractive ablation system in a path between the laser system and the eye. The aperture card is precisely located by positioning means and ablative lasing action is inhibited if the card is not positioned within tolerance. Alternatively, the laser system can determine the position of the aperture card and adjust a computed ablation profile or otherwise adjust the optical system to adapt for any misalignment of the apertures in the aperture card. The card contains a “soft spot” aperture capable of shaping a spatial intensity distribution with a unique profile.

Abstract: A compact excimer laser system is provided that includes argon fluoride laser gas, electronic, and laser head all compactly arranged such that the patient bed can rotate over all of these components. This allows the patient bed to be rotated for easy egress of the patient without striking the head against an optical extension through which the excimer laser is fired onto the patient's eye. Further, an automated lamellar keratoplasty system is incorporated into the electronics and components of the laser system so that laser in situ keratomileusis can be easily performed.

Abstract: A thermokeratoplasty system and method for locally heating and reshaping a cornea in a manner that produces a minimal regression of the corneal correction. The system includes a probe that is coupled to a power source which can provide current at a predetermined power, frequency and time duration. The probe has a sharp tip that is inserted into the stroma of the cornea. The tip has an insulated stop that controls the depth of tip penetration. Current flows into the cornea through the probe tip to locally heat and denature the corneal tissue. The denatured tissue causes a subsequent shrinkage of the cornea. A pattern of denatured areas can be created around the cornea to correct the vision of the eye.

Abstract: In photodynamic diagnosis and photodynamic therapy, the oscillating wavelength of laser light from a light source is fitted to a plurality of different kinds of photosensitizers and exciting conditions thereof. Moreover, diagnosis and treatment are achieved using concurrent diagnosis during treatment is realized as well. A semiconductor laser generates laser light having an oscillating wavelength which is variable and a full width at half maximum which is narrow. A light transmission line guides an irradiated laser light to the vicinity of a focus, an image transmission line observes the focus and the periphery thereof, a fluorescence light extracting device extracts only the fluorescence light emitted from a photosensitizer excited by the irradiated laser light, an image-pick-up/analyzing device picks up and analyzes an image of the extracted fluorescence light and an image display device displays the analyzing result.

Abstract: To provide a medical energy irradiation apparatus which, having a simple and inexpensively manufacturable structure, enables a doctor using it in the heat curing of prostatic hypertrophy or the like to accurately and stably irradiate a prescribed site deep in a living body with a laser beam and, even if its observation window is smeared, to observe tissues of a living body. An inserting portion of the medical energy irradiation apparatus to be inserted into a living body according to the invention has an emitting portion for emitting a laser beam toward tissues of the living body; an observation window, provided near the tip of the inserting portion in its inserting direction, for observing the tissues of the living body; and a hollow pipe for supporting a supporting member, which supports the emitting portion, shiftably in the lengthwise directions of the inserting portion and feeding detergent to the observation window.

Abstract: A laser surgery system having a computer control system coupled to a laser subsystem and a patient seat. The control system is coupled to the laser through a laser alignment system. The control system can be coupled to the patient seat through a patient alignment system. The control system sends a nominal position signal to move the patient seat, laser subsystem, or both so that the patient's first eye is moved into substantial alignment with the laser beam axis. The control system can send a second nominal signal to move the patient's second eye into substantial alignment with the laser beam axis. The control system can optionally comprise both an operator display and an assistant display. The assistant display provides real-time information to an assistant positioned at an assistant station adjacent the patient seat. The control system can be programmed to display edit fields with different colors to provide an obvious indication of the refractive information of the eye.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for performing a therapeutic treatment on a patient's skin by concentrating applied radiation of at least one selected wavelength at a plurality of selected, three-dimensionally located, treatment portions, which treatment portions are within non-treatment portions. The ratio of treatment portions to the total volume may vary from 0.1% to 90%, but is preferably less than 50%. Various techniques, including wavelength, may be utilized to control the depth to which radiation is concentrated and suitable optical systems may be provided to concentrate applied radiation in parallel or in series for selected combinations of one or more treatment portions.

Abstract: A method of modifying a cornea of an eye to reduce refractive error, the cornea having a surface and a main optical axis, including the steps of aiming and firing a laser at the cornea of the eye. The laser first separates an internal portion of the cornea forming a first internal surface and a second internal surface, the first internal surface facing in a posterior direction of the cornea and the second internal surface facing in an anterior direction of the cornea, with the first and second internal surfaces forming an internal pocket therebetween. An incision is then made from the surface of the cornea to the internal pocket, and an ocular implant is introduced through the incision and into the internal pocket of the cornea.

Abstract: An ophthalmic surgery apparatus for observing an anterior portion of an eye, and an optical system for laser beam treatment to the eye. The apparatus has a moving device for moving the optical system relative to the eye, an illuminating device for illuminating an area of the anterior portion of the eye, a photoelectric transducing device having a two-dimensional light sensing plane for sensing distribution of light volume of the anterior portion of the eye, a pupil position sensing device for sensing the position of a pupil, and a control device for controlling the moving device based on sensed results.

Abstract: The invention features methods and systems for treating inflammatory, proliferative skin disorders, such as psoriasis, with ultraviolet phototherapy. The methods and systems use optical techniques to scan a patient's skin, designate areas of affected skin, and selectively deliver high doses of phototherapeutic ultraviolet radiation to the designated areas. To insure that only affected areas of skin affected are designated for the high doses of UV radiation, the methods and systems use one or more optical diagnostics that relate to independent physiological features of affected skin.

Abstract: A laser hand-piece for irradiating a treatment laser beam to a part to be treated is disclosed. The laser hand-piece includes: a main body including an end portion with a bend and a grip portion to be held by an operator's hand, the end and grip portions each having an inner optical path communicating with each other for guiding the laser beam; a laser guiding pipe pivotally mounted on the end portion of the main body and provided with an inner optical path communicating with the inner optical path of the end portion to guide the laser beam, an opening, and a mirror for discharging the laser beam having been guided through the inner optical path to outside through the opening; a rotary knob rotatably attached to the grip portion; and a rotation transmitting mechanism, disposed between the rotary knob and the laser guiding pipe, for transmitting rotation of the rotary knob to the laser guiding pipe to change a laser irradiation direction.

Abstract: The present invention furnishes a plasma generator for generating a cold plasma jet beam in the application field of medicine and in particular of surgery as well as other fields of science. The plasma generator is furnished with a separate, frequency tunable oscillator, wherein the frequency tunable oscillator controls the power end stage through a driver stage. The radio frequency of the outpout of the generator is determined by a resonance frequency of a resonance transformer. The plasma current is limited by a capacitor disposed in the hand piece.

Abstract: A novel method and apparatus are provided for correcting an off-center laser ablation in the cornea, in which the original ablated area has a center that is offset from the correct center of the optical cornea. The method comprises the steps of determining the correct optical center of the cornea and the offset location of the ablation; performing a supplemental laser ablation on the cornea with the laser beam covering generally the original ablated area, and with the energy of the supplemental laser increasing in a direction from the offset center toward the correct center; introducing a laser shield to cover the entire original ablated area; and performing another laser ablation with the correct optical center as the center of the ablated area.

Abstract: The present invention intends to provide a method with a relatively uncomplicated mechanism, for assessing irradiation intensity of a laser beam, whereby an operator can accurately assess irradiation intensity of the laser beam, and to provide an apparatus used through this method.

Abstract: Improved refractive eye surgery methods, apparatus and systems employ ablative photodecomposition of a cornea to mitigate and/or inhibit presbyopia with minimal vision degradation. A method for treating a cornea includes ablating a superior area of the cornea to enhance near-distance vision and ablating an inferior area of the cornea to enhance far-distance vision. Typically, the inferior area corresponds to an area of the cornea that is blocked (generally by the lower eyelid and/or cheek) from viewing objects when the eye is facing downward. The superior area corresponds to an area of the cornea that is blocked from viewing objects (generally by the patient's upper eyelid) when the eye is facing forward or slightly above the horizon. In some embodiments, a transition zone is ablated between the superior and inferior areas, to enable a smoother visual transition between the two areas.

Abstract: A laser treatment apparatus for irradiating an affected part of a patient's eye with a treatment laser beam to treat the affected part is disclosed.

Abstract: A method of correcting the refractive error in the cornea of an eye. The cornea is heated, to loosen the molecules therein, thereby softening the cornea into a gelatinous material. The gelatinous material is then reshaped, so that it substantially conforms to a predetermined pattern, and cooled to maintain it in the predetermined pattern. This results in modification of the cornea without a gray to white response in the cornea and corneal tissue shrinkage.

Abstract: A handpiece for topical application of electromagnetic radiation is disclosed, consisting of a single monolithic transparent block covered by a semitransparent coating on the faces of the block not directed toward a treatment site. The block and coating are transparent to visible radiation, allowing the user a direct view of the treatment site. At the same time, for the safety of the user and a patient, the monolithic block has a coating of radiation blocking or absorbing material to selectively prevent treatment radiation from harming a user or patient. In a preferred embodiment, an optical fiber or fiber bundle coupled to a suitable power source is directly molded into the monolithic block. This invention is useful for a broad variety of laser applications, including the treatment of dermatological diseases and paint removal. The simple monolithic structure allows the device to be portable and practical in open environments.

Abstract: A method and system is described that greatly improves the safety and efficacy of ophthalmic laser surgery. The method and system are applicable to precise operations on a target subject to movement during the procedure. The system may comprise the following elements: (1) a user interface, (2) an imaging system, which may include a surgical microscope, (3) an automated tracking system that can follow the movements of an eye, (4) a laser, (5) a diagnostic system, and (6) a fast reliable safety means, for automatically interrupting the laser firing.

Abstract: An LED fixation device that is secured to a patient's face and covers the patient's fellow eye during eye surgery to provide a lighted fixation target. The fixation device includes an eye shield, a battery, a switch and an LED light source secured to the eye shield. The light source is switched on, and the patient is directed to look at the light source during the surgical procedure. The eye shield can be made of any suitable material, such as plastic and paper, and can be disposable.