Abstract: Provided are systems and methods for noninvasively assessing intracranial pressure by controllably osculating at least a portion of a subject's ocular globe while applying a force sufficient to collapse an intraocular blood vessel and correlating the collapse pressure to intracranial pressure. Also provided are ophthalmic components useful in ophthalmic imaging applications, such as retinal, corneal, and pupil imaging. The components may include an optical contact surface that has a radius of curvature that is greater than the radius of curvature of a subject's cornea.

Abstract: Provided are systems and methods for noninvasively assessing intracranial pressure by controllably osculating at least a portion of a subject's ocular globe while applying a force sufficient to collapse an intraocular blood vessel and correlating the collapse pressure to intracranial pressure. Also provided are ophthalmic components useful in ophthalmic imaging applications, such as retinal, corneal, and pupil imaging. The components may include an optical contact surface that has a radius of curvature that is greater than the radius of curvature of a subject's cornea.

Abstract: Provided are systems and methods for noninvasively assessing intracranial pressure by controllably osculating at least a portion of a subject's ocular globe while applying a force sufficient to collapse an intraocular blood vessel and correlating the collapse pressure to intracranial pressure. Also provided are ophthalmic components useful in ophthalmic imaging applications, such as retinal, corneal, and pupil imaging. The components may include an optical contact surface that has a radius of curvature that is greater than the radius of curvature of a subject's cornea.

Abstract: Provided are systems and methods for noninvasively assessing intracranial pressure by controllably applanating at least a portion of a subject's ocular globe so as to collapse an intraocular blood vessel and correlating the collapse pressure to intracranial pressure. Also provided are ophthalmic components useful in ophthalmic imaging applications, as well as methods of assessing intracranial pressure that are based, at least in part, on the degree of papilledema, if any, present in the subject.

Abstract: Provided are systems and methods for noninvasively assessing intracranial pressure by controllably applanating at least a portion of a subject's ocular globe so as to collapse an intraocular blood vessel and correlating the collapse pressure to intracranial pressure. Also provided are ophthalmic components useful in ophthalmic imaging applications, as well as methods of assessing intracranial pressure that are based, at least in part, on the degree of papilledema, if any, present in the subject.

Abstract: Provided are devices and methods for controlling fluid egress from the eye during ocular surgery, including an ocular seal that is signed to fit in an incision in an eye tissue such as the cornea or sclera and includes one or more lumen for passage of instruments into the eye without permitting loss of fluids through the incision. Also provided is a system for cataract surgery including a globe stabilization device, a laser lens removal device, one or more corneal seals, an infusion line, and an anterior chamber pressure monitor.

Abstract: Provided are systems and methods for noninvasively assessing intracranial pressure by controllably osculating at least a portion of a subject's ocular globe while applying a force sufficient to collapse an intraocular blood vessel and correlating the collapse pressure to intracranial pressure. Also provided are ophthalmic components useful in ophthalmic imaging applications, such as retinal, corneal, and pupil imaging. The components may include an optical contact surface that has a radius of curvature that is greater than the radius of curvature of a subject's cornea.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are medical devices for diagnosing and treating anomalous tissue and methods of use. One embodiment of the medical device can comprise an energy source configured to emit at least an excitation beam and a therapeutic beam, a probe coupled to the energy source and configured to propagate the excitation and therapeutic beams with the beams capable of contact with the tissue, a sensor coupled to the probe that detects at least one predefined attribute of radiation emanating from the tissue when the tissue is subjected to the excitation beam and a controller coupled to the energy source and the sensor and programmed to selectively alternatively actuate the energy source to emit the excitation beam and the therapeutic beam in response to the detection of the at least one predefined attribute by the sensor.

Abstract: A heated fluid surgical instrument including a palm-sized handpiece having a cannula adapted to be inserted into a patient's body by way of a natural access (e.g., mouth) or a small incision. A channel is provided within the handpiece and the cannula for permitting the passage of a surgical accessory implement to the surgical site. Additional, channels are provided for passing fluid pumped into the handpiece from a remote fluid source to the surgical site. An irrigation control valve assembly on the handpiece permits a surgeon to selectively direct the flow of fluid through the handpiece and into one of two fluid flow paths. One of the paths heats the fluid and passes it to the surgical site to effect a therapeutic result. The other path sends the fluid directly to the surgical site.

Abstract: An interactive computer system responsive to a user's voluntary and autonomic nervous system responses. The interactive computer system includes a computer, a voluntary input device requiring intentional actuation by the use, a sensor to detect autonomic nervous system responses, an interface device, and an output device. The voluntary input devices and output devices communicate with the computer. The sensors detect autonomic nervous system signals of a user and generate signals representative of the responses. The interface device communicates with the sensors and the computer. The interface device conditions the signals generated by the sensors and transmits the signals to the computer. The computer is responsive to the signals and produces an output command which is in part dependent upon the signals. The output device responds appropriately to the output command produced by the computer.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for optically treating tissue by contact between the apparatus and the tissue. The apparatus includes a holder having a distal end having an opening in it, and a contact member for contacting tissue to be treated and for coupling optical energy from a source of optical energy into said tissue. The contact member is a curved lens mounted in and partially extending from the opening and freely rotatable about at least one axis relative to the holder. The holder has a single coolant flow channel proximal to the opening and the contact member for supplying a cooling fluid to the contact member. A gap is provided between the contact member and the opening for allowing the fluid to flow around substantially the entire outer surface of the contact member and out of the opening onto said tissue to cool the tissue.

Abstract: A laser medical device for delivering energy to tissue to be treated. The device includes a laser energy transmitting conduit having a longitudinal axis, and has a proximal end for connection to a source of laser energy and a distal end from which laser energy transmitted by the conduit is emitted. A laser energy redirecting member is located adjacent the distal end of the conduit for redirecting the laser energy in a lateral direction with respect to the axis of the conduit, and a tissue contact member is provided adjacent the laser energy redirecting member. The tissue contact member has a transverse cross section of preselected shape and a longitudinal axis generally transverse to the axis of the conduit. The tissue contact member further has an input surface for receiving laser energy redirected by the laser energy redirecting member and transmitting the laser energy received from the laser energy redirecting member.

Abstract: A probe for medical use includes a tip portion having a light energy input region for receiving light energy from a light source and a predetermined light energy output region whereby tissue subtended by the region may be irradiated by the light energy. The tip portion consists essentially of light propagating material having inclusions distributed therein for interacting with the light energy to produce a predetermined light energy output pattern. The light propagating material is a light propagating inorganic compound.

Abstract: A probe for medical use includes a tip portion having a light energy input region for receiving light energy from a light source and a predetermined light energy output region whereby tissue subtended by the region may be irradiated by the light energy. The tip portion consists essentially of light propagating material having inclusions distributed therein and generally throughout the tip portion between the light energy input region and the light energy output region for interacting with the light energy to produce a predetermined light energy output pattern. The light propagating material is a light propagating inorganic compound.

Abstract: A medical device has a flexible light guide having a light energy input end adapted for connection to a source of light energy and a light energy output end. The output end outputs a beam of light energy. The device includes a tip for contacting tissue to be treated by the device and irradiating the tissue with light energy. The tip consists essentially of light-transmissive material and has a working region for contacting and irradiating the tissue to be treated. The working region of the tip includes sidewalls. The tip has a bore therein for receiving the output end of the light guide. The output end of the light guide is at least partially surrounded by the light-transmissive material, and is positioned relative to the light-transmissive material so as to define an interface therebetween. The interface is in proximity to and in thermally-conductive relationship with the working region of the tip so that heat energy generated at the interface significantly raises the temperature of the tip's working region.

Abstract: One or more sensors located on or surrounding a dangerous condition anticipate when an individual is approaching a hazard zone associated with the dangerous condition and then arms an alarm and activates an interactive protective system which protects an individual from exposure to the dangerous condition. The interactive system comprises a protective garment adapted to be worn by the individual. The protective garment includes a sensor for sensing when the protective garment is being worn and a signalling device responsive to the sensor for generating a signal indicating when the protective garment is being worn. A detector and control device responsive to the signal from the signalling device triggers an alarm sensible to the individual when it is activated by the motion sensor and does not sense the signal from the signalling device.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a process for manufacturing a cladded optical fiber. The cladding and core are halide materials. An interface for inhibiting radiation scatter is provided at the boundary between the halide cladding and the halide core. The process steps include extruding a first halide or halide core from a first chamber, and extruding a second halide or halide cladding from a second chamber into contact with the halide core. The halide cladding is joined to the halide core at the boundary.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a cladded optical fiber and a process for manufacturing the same. The cladding and core are halide materials. An interface for inhibiting radiation scatter is provided at the boundary between the halide cladding and the halide core. The process steps include extruding a first halide or halide core from a first chamber, and extruding a second halide or halide cladding from a second chamber into contact with the halide core. The halide cladding is joined to the halide core at the boundary.

Abstract: The method comprises inserting an optical detector into a movable holder, illuminating the optical detector by a source of optical energy to cause the detector to generate an output representative of intensity of illumination incident on the detector, moving a selected one of the source and holder to a position in which the output of the detector corresponds to maximum intensity of illumination, maintaining the moved one of the source and holder in said position and replacing the optical detector by a fiber optic to be aligned. The apparatus comprises a holder, a light source, and optical detector removably mounted in the holder for illumination by the light source, a circuit connected to output of the optical detector for determining when the output of the optical detector corresponds to maximum intensity of illumination, and means for moving a selected one of the holder and light source to a position in which the output of the detector corresponds to maximum intensity of illumination.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting a break in an optical fiber adapted for carrying optical energy such laser energy. The optical fiber has a core, a cladding concentric with and surrounding the core and a sheath concentric with and surrounding the cladding. A detector is located within the sheath and has a portion thereof contiguous with the cladding. The detector is adapted to detect both a break in the portion contiguous to cladding as a result of a break in the fiber and a change in transmission of optical energy resulting from a break in the fiber without a concomitant break in the contiguous portion, and to provide a signal indicative of a break in the fiber.