Authentication system and method for excimer laser system

Abstract

The present invention provides an excimer laser system including a device for authenticating a laser probe used with the excimer laser system by radio frequency identification technology.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. patent application No. 16 / 389,346, filed April 19, 2019, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The present invention relates to the field of medical equipment, and in particular to an excimer laser system. The system comprises a device for authenticating a probe used with the excimer laser system. Background Art

[0004] In the medical industry, there are many surgical devices, instruments, and systems that are composed of multiple independent components that must work together properly to ensure that the treatment can be performed safely and as intended. For example, medical laser systems are used to treat a variety of conditions in various practice areas (i.e., urology, neurology, otolaryngology, general anesthesia, ophthalmology, dentistry, gastroenterology, cardiology, gynecology, and thoracic and orthopedic surgery). Medical laser systems consist of a laser unit that generates the laser radiation and a separate laser probe with an optical fiber that is suitable for directing the laser radiation from the laser to the treatment area through the optical fiber.

[0005] Manufacturers can design specific components of laser systems to work with other specific components. For example, there are many types of medical optical fibers available on the market that can be used with laser systems. Currently available laser systems can provide laser light at a variety of wavelengths so that they can be used for specific purposes and procedures. Similarly, the optical fibers used with these laser systems can have different sizes (diameter, length, etc.), can be made of various materials, can operate at various temperatures and wavelengths, and have physical properties (bend radius, etc.). Manufacturers can design specific components of laser systems to work with other specific components. For example, there are many types of medical optical fibers available on the market that can be used with laser systems for medical procedures. In addition, the manufacturer of a component may also manufacture other components of the laser system or can certify that these other components can be used with the manufacturer's own components.

[0006] Before beginning a medical procedure, it is important to connect the specific optical fiber to the laser unit being used. Laser unit manufacturers typically recommend using a specific brand and / or specific optical fiber with the unit. If one of the components used is not a certified product, full system functionality may not be achieved, potentially leading to medical device failure and potentially endangering the patient's life. For example, using an incompatible optical fiber could result in damage to the device, delay the procedure until a compatible optical fiber is available, and / or potentially lead to an ineffective, disruptive, or potentially life-threatening procedure. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The present invention provides a system for authenticating laser probes for use with a laser system. In this system, the components generally include a laser unit and a single-use, disposable laser probe coupled to the laser unit. Each laser probe has an optical fiber for directing laser radiation from the laser unit to a treatment area through the optical fiber. The laser unit includes a control system for operating the laser unit, the control system including output control for the laser radiation to the laser probe coupled to the laser unit. The laser unit also includes a device for authenticating any given laser probe to confirm whether the laser probe is compatible with the laser unit and / or whether the laser probe is authorized to operate with the laser unit. Specifically, the laser unit includes a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader for reading data embedded in an RFID tag associated with the laser probe when the laser probe is attached to the laser unit. The control system analyzes the data from the RFID tag and confirms whether the laser probe is authentic (e.g., compatible for use with the laser unit). If the laser probe is determined to be authentic, the control system allows laser radiation to be transmitted to the laser probe, thereby enabling the execution of a related procedure using the laser probe. If the laser probe is determined to be unauthentic, the control system prevents laser radiation from being transmitted to the laser probe.

[0008] The authentication analysis is based on the correlation of the RFID tag data with known, predefined authentication data. The known, predefined authentication data is stored in a local database of the laser unit or in a remote database. The known, predefined authentication data is controlled by the owner / manufacturer of the laser unit, allowing the owner / manufacturer to determine what laser probe is used with the laser unit. The owner / manufacturer can set a specific authentication key or provide a specific identification number that is proprietary to the owner / manufacturer. Therefore, the RFID tag data of any given laser probe must contain a corresponding unique identifier (e.g., an authentication key or identification number) to be considered authentic. The RFID tag data can include other information and / or characteristics related to the laser probe and optical fiber. For example, in some embodiments, the RFID tag data also includes historical operating information of the laser probe. In some embodiments, the control system can also deauthenticate the laser probe based on the historical operating information, for example, if the probe has been used and / or the recommended maximum number of laser pulses has been reached, thereby preventing the laser probe from being used further with the laser unit.

[0009] Therefore, the authentication system of the present invention ensures that only authorized laser probes can be used with the laser unit. This authentication system ensures that only manufacturer-recommended and authorized laser probes are used, ensuring the laser system operates as intended and safeguarding patient safety. This authentication system also further prevents the use of counterfeit parts. As counterfeiting of specific parts becomes increasingly common, the need to authenticate original products is becoming increasingly necessary. By embedding RFID directly into laser probes and authenticating them using RFID technology, manufacturers can deter counterfeiters and secure a long-term revenue stream that would otherwise be lost to counterfeit products. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] Figure 1 The excimer laser system of the present invention is shown;

[0011] Figure 2 The excimer laser system of the present invention and the authentication system of the laser probe used together with the excimer laser system are shown;

[0012] Figure 3 An embodiment of an excimer laser unit is shown;

[0013] Figure 4 An embodiment of a probe for use with an excimer laser system is shown;

[0014] Figure 5 Shown along Figure 4 A cross-sectional view of the probe taken along line AA;

[0015] Figure 6 Shown along Figure 4 a cross-sectional view of the probe taken along line BB;

[0016] Figure 7 An embodiment of a laser probe attached to an excimer laser unit is shown;

[0017] Figure 8 Shown is a magnified view of the laser probe connecting to the excimer unit and initially reading the RFID to determine the authenticity of the laser probe. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] The present invention provides a system for authenticating laser probes used with a laser system. In this system, the components generally include a laser unit and a single-use, disposable laser probe coupled to the laser unit. Each laser probe has an optical fiber adapted to direct laser radiation from the laser unit to a treatment area via the optical fiber. The laser unit includes a control system for operating the laser unit, the control system being configured to control the output of laser radiation to the laser probe coupled to the laser unit. The laser unit also includes a device for authenticating any given laser probe to confirm whether the laser probe is compatible with the laser unit and / or whether the laser probe is authorized to operate with the laser unit. Specifically, the laser unit includes an RFID reader configured to identify data embedded in an RFID tag associated with the laser probe when the laser probe is attached to the laser unit. The control system analyzes the data from the RFID tag and confirms whether the laser probe is authentic (compatible with the laser unit). If the laser probe is determined to be authentic, the control system allows laser radiation to be transmitted to the laser probe, thereby executing a related procedure using the laser probe. If the laser probe is determined to be unauthentic, the control system prevents laser radiation from being transmitted to the laser probe.

[0019] Therefore, the authentication system of the present invention ensures that only authorized laser probes are used with the laser unit. This authentication ensures that only laser probes recommended and authorized by the manufacturer are used, thereby ensuring that the laser system functions as intended and safeguarding patient safety. This authentication also further prevents the use of counterfeit components. As counterfeiting of specific components becomes increasingly common, the need to authenticate original products is becoming increasingly necessary. By embedding RFID directly into laser probes and authenticating them using RFID technology, manufacturers can deter counterfeiters and secure a long-term revenue stream that would otherwise be lost to counterfeit products.

[0020] The laser unit and laser probe of the present invention are particularly suitable for intraocular surgery requiring laser treatment of target tissue. In particular, the laser probe and laser unit of the present invention are preferably used to treat glaucoma and can be used to perform laser trabeculostomy. However, it should be noted that the laser probe according to the present invention can be used for any laser treatment of various conditions, including other eye conditions (for example, diabetic eye diseases, such as proliferative diabetic retinopathy or macular edema, cases of age-related macular degeneration, retinal tears and retinopathy of prematurity, and laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) for correcting refractive errors, such as myopia or astigmatism) and other conditions in general and other business areas (non-ocular application areas).

[0021] Figure 1An excimer laser system is shown, which includes a laser unit system 100 and a laser probe 200 attached to the laser unit system 100. The laser unit system 100 includes an RFID reader 102, a controller 104 (also referred to herein as a "control system 104"), and a laser source 108. The laser probe 200 includes an RFID tag 202 and an optical fiber core 204. As will be described in more detail herein, many components of the laser unit system 100 can be contained in a housing, such as a movable platform, to be provided in an environment where a procedure is performed (e.g., an operating room, a procedure room, an outpatient office, etc.), and the laser probe 200 can be connected to the housing for use during treatment. When the laser probe 200 is coupled to the housing, the optical fiber core 204 is coupled to the laser source 108 and is suitable for directing laser radiation from the laser source 108 to the treatment area through the optical fiber.

[0022] The laser source 108 may include an excimer laser 110 and a gas cylinder 112 for supplying a suitable gas mixture to the excimer laser 110. The excimer laser 110 is an ultraviolet laser that typically operates in the ultraviolet (UV) spectral region and produces nanosecond pulses. The excimer gain medium (the medium contained in the gas cylinder 112) is typically a gas mixture containing a rare gas (such as argon, krypton, or xenon) and a reactive gas (such as fluorine or chlorine). Under appropriate electrical stimulation and high voltage conditions, a pseudomolecule called an excimer (or, in the case of a rare gas halide, an exciplex) is generated. This pseudomolecule can only exist in an energized state and can produce laser light in the ultraviolet range.

[0023] Laser action occurs in excimers because they have a bound (associated) excited state but a repulsive (dissociated) ground state. Rare gases such as xenon and krypton are highly inert and do not usually form compounds. However, when in an excited state (caused by an electric discharge or a high-energy electron beam), the rare gas can form temporarily bound molecules with itself (excimers) or with halogens (exciplexes) such as fluorine and chlorine. The excited compound can release its excess energy through spontaneous or stimulated emission, thereby producing a strongly repulsive ground state molecule, which will quickly (in picoseconds) dissociate back into two unbound atoms. This creates an inversion of the particle distribution. The excimer laser 110 of the laser unit system 100 is a XeCl excimer laser that can emit a wavelength of 308 nanometers.

[0024] The controller 104 provides an operator (e.g., a surgeon or other medical professional) with control of the laser signal output (from the laser source 108 to the optical fiber core 204), and in turn, control of the transmission of laser energy from the optical fiber core 204 of the laser probe 200. However, before providing the operator with control of the laser output, the laser probe 200 undergoes an authentication procedure to determine whether the laser probe 200 is actually compatible with the laser unit system 100. Specifically, upon coupling the laser probe 200 to the laser unit system 100, the RFID reader 102 reads data embedded in the RFID tag 202 of the laser probe 200, wherein the RFID tag data is analyzed to determine the authenticity of the laser probe 200.

[0025] Figure 2 Authentication of the laser unit system 100 and the laser probe used with the laser unit system 100 is shown. Data from the RFID tag is read by an RFID reader and then analyzed by the controller 104. Based on the authentication analysis, a determination is made as to whether the laser probe is authentic (e.g., suitable for use with the laser unit). If the laser probe is determined to be authentic, the controller 104 allows laser radiation to be transmitted to the laser probe 200 so that a related program can be executed using the laser probe 200. If the laser probe is determined to be unauthentic, the controller 104 prevents laser radiation from being transmitted to the laser probe 200.

[0026] The controller 104 may include software, firmware, and / or circuitry configured to perform any of the aforementioned operations. Software may be embodied as a software package, code, instructions, an instruction set, and / or data recorded on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. Firmware may be embodied as code, instructions, or an instruction set and / or data hard-coded (e.g., non-volatile) in a memory device. As used herein, "circuitry" in any embodiment may include, for example, a single or any combination of hard-wired circuits, programmable circuits such as a computer processor including one or more separate instruction processing cores, state machine circuits, and / or firmware storing instructions executed by programmable circuits. For example, the controller 104 may include a hardware processor coupled to a non-transitory computer-readable memory containing instructions executable by the processor, such that the controller performs various functions of the laser system 100 as described herein, including controlling laser and / or illumination output.

[0027] The authentication analysis is performed based on a correlation of the RFID tag data with known, predefined authentication data stored in a database, which is either a local database (i.e., probe database 114) forming part of the laser unit system 100, or a remote database (i.e., probe database 302) hosted via a remote server 300. For example, in some embodiments, the laser unit system 100 can communicate and exchange data with the remote server 300 via a network. The network can be a private or non-private local area network (LAN), a personal area network (PAN), a storage area network (SAN), a backbone network, a global area network (GAN), a wide area network (WAN), or any collection of computer networks, such as an intranet, an extranet, or the Internet (i.e., a global system of interconnected networks running various applications or services, including, for example, the World Wide Web).

[0028] Specifically, the known, predefined authentication data stored in the database (database 114 or database 302) can be controlled by the owner / manufacturer of the laser unit 100, for example, so that the owner / manufacturer can determine what laser probe will be used with the laser unit. For example, the owner / manufacturer can set a specific authentication key or provide a specific identification number that is unique to the owner / manufacturer. Therefore, the RFID tag data of any given laser probe must include the corresponding unique identifier (i.e., authentication key or identification number) to be considered authentic.

[0029] One method of uniquely identifying a laser probe is to authenticate the probe using a private key. In this method, both the laser system 100 and the RFID tag 202 are taught the same key. The RFID tag 202 and the laser system 100 then work together to authenticate the key. More specifically, the laser system 100 generates a random, unique challenge number. The RFID tag 202 uses this challenge number in combination with the key to generate a response authentication code. This method of generating an authentication code (called a hash function) masks the key value. Another method of uniquely identifying a laser probe is to use a unique, non-challenge identification number. This method can be used if there is a storage area that can only be written by the RFID manufacturer (such as a serial number or model number). This protection method is achieved by ensuring that the manufacturer only provides tags with legitimate identification numbers, thereby preventing the simple copying of legitimate tags.

[0030] The RFID tag data may include other information and / or features related to the laser probe and optical fiber. For example, in some embodiments, the RFID tag data may also include historical operational information about the laser probe. Thus, in some embodiments, the controller 104 may be used to deauthenticate the laser probe based on the operational history information, for example, if the probe has been used and / or has reached the recommended maximum number of laser pulses, thereby preventing further use of the laser probe and laser unit.

[0031] As is well known, RFID technology uses electromagnetic fields to automatically identify and track tags attached to targets. As previously mentioned, the RFID tag associated with the laser probe contains electronically stored information. RFID tags can be read-only, with a factory-assigned serial number that serves as a key to a database, or they can be read-write, where the system user can write target-specific data to the tag. Field-programmable tags can be write-once, read-many; "blank" tags can be written by the user with an electronic product code. RFID tags contain at least three components: an integrated circuit that stores and processes information and modulates and demodulates radio frequency (RF) signals; a device that collects DC power from the incident reader signal; and an antenna for receiving and transmitting signals. Tag information is stored in nonvolatile memory. RFID tags include fixed or programmable logic for processing the transmitted signal and sensor data, respectively.

[0032] An RFID reader transmits a coded radio signal to interrogate the tag. The RFID tag receives the message and responds with its identification and other information. This can be simply the tag's unique serial number or product-related information such as inventory number, batch or lot number, production date, or other specific information. Because the tags have individual serial numbers, RFID system designs can simultaneously distinguish between several tags that may be within the RFID reader's range and read them all simultaneously.

[0033] In some embodiments, the RFID tag can be a passive tag that can harvest energy from an RFID reader of a laser system that interrogates radio waves. In some embodiments, the RFID tag can be an active tag that includes a local power source (e.g., a battery) and can operate hundreds of meters from the RFID reader of the laser system.

[0034] Figure 3An embodiment of an excimer laser unit 100 disposed within an instrument 400 is shown. As previously described, one or more components of the system 100 may be included within the instrument 400. In this embodiment, the RFID reader 102, the controller 104, and the laser source 108 (including the excimer laser 110 and the gas cylinder 112) are contained within a housing 402. The housing 402 has wheels 404 and is portable. The instrument 400 also includes a push-pull handle 405 to facilitate the portability of the instrument 400. The instrument 400 also includes a connection port 406 for receiving the connection end of the laser probe 200 to establish a connection between the optical fiber core 204 and the laser source 108. It should also be noted that the RFID reader 102 can be located near the connection port 406 to allow it to read data from the RFID tag 202 disposed on the connection end of the laser probe 200. The instrument 400 also includes various inputs for the operator, such as a fiber probe cap holder 408, an emergency stop button 410, and a power switch 412. The instrument 400 also includes a foot pedal 414 extending from the housing 402, and the instrument 400 is operable to provide control of laser radiation from the excimer laser 410 to the optical fiber core 204 of the probe 200. The instrument 400 also includes a display 416 in the form of an interactive user interface. In some examples, the interactive user interface displays patient information, machine setup parameters, and program information.

[0035] Figure 4 An embodiment of a probe 500 for use with the excimer laser system 100 is shown. The probe 500 is a single-use, disposable unit. The probe 500 generally includes an optical fiber core coupled to the laser source 108 via a connector 502 (elongated cord) extending from the body of the probe 500 and having a connection assembly 504 configured to be received within the connection port 406 of the instrument 400. An RFID tag 202 is disposed on the connection assembly 504 such that when the connection assembly 504 is coupled to the connection port 406 of the laser unit system 100, data embedded in the RFID tag 202 can be read by the RFID reader 102. The probe 500 also includes a delivery tip 506 from which laser energy (from the optical fiber core) can be emitted. The probe 500 includes a handheld body 508, which may include a finger grip 510 having ridges or indentations 512. The body 508 of the handheld probe 500 may be metal or plastic.

[0036] Figure 5 and 6 Shown are the Figure 4A cross-sectional view of probe 500 is shown, taken along lines AA and BB. As shown, an optical fiber core 518 extends through probe 500 and forms part of connector 502. A protective sheath 516 surrounds optical fiber core 518. In some examples, protective sheath 516 is a protective plastic or rubber jacket. Optical fiber core 518 further forms part of delivery tip 506 of probe 500. A metal jacket 520 surrounds optical fiber core 518 and the optical fiber. In some cases, a stainless steel jacket 520 surrounds and protects optical fiber core 518.

[0037] Figure 7 An embodiment of a laser probe 500 is shown attached to the laser unit system 100. As previously described, upon attachment of the laser probe 500 to the system 100 (i.e., coupling between the connection component 504 of the probe 500 and the connection port 406 of the system 400), the RFID reader 102 reads data embedded in the RFID tag associated with the connection component 504. Figure 8 An enlarged view of the laser probe 500 connected to the system 100 and the initial RFID reading to determine the authenticity of the laser probe 200 is shown. The controller 104 analyzes the data from the RFID tag and determines whether the laser probe is authentic (i.e., suitable for use with the laser unit). If the laser probe 200 is determined to be authentic, the controller allows laser radiation to be transmitted to the laser probe 200. If the laser probe 200 is determined to be unauthentic, the controller 104 prevents laser radiation from being transmitted to the laser probe.

[0038] Therefore, the authentication system of the present invention ensures that only authorized laser probes are used with the laser unit. This authentication ensures that only laser probes recommended and authorized by the manufacturer are used, thereby ensuring that the laser system functions as intended and safeguarding patient safety. This authentication also further prevents the use of counterfeit components. As counterfeiting of specific components becomes increasingly common, the need to authenticate original products is becoming increasingly necessary. By embedding RFID directly into laser probes and authenticating them using RFID technology, manufacturers can deter counterfeiters and secure a long-term revenue stream that would otherwise be lost to counterfeit products.

[0039] As used in any embodiment herein, the term "module" may refer to software, firmware, and / or circuitry configured to perform any of the aforementioned operations. Software may be embodied as a software package, code, instructions, instruction sets, and / or data recorded on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. Firmware may be embodied as hard-coded (e.g., non-volatile) code, instructions, or instruction sets and / or data in a memory device. "Circuitry" as used in any embodiment herein may include, for example, a single or any combination of hard-wired circuits, programmable circuits such as a computer processor including one or more separate instruction processing cores, state machine circuits, and / or firmware that stores instructions executed by programmable circuits. These modules may, collectively or individually, be implemented as circuits that form part of a larger system, such as an integrated circuit (IC), a system on a chip (SoC), a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a server, a smart phone, and the like.

[0040] Any of the operations described herein can be implemented in a system including one or more storage media having instructions stored thereon, individually or in combination, that, when executed by one or more processors, perform the methods described. Here, the processors may include, for example, a server central processing unit (CPU), a mobile device CPU, and / or other programmable circuits.

[0041] Likewise, the operations described herein may be distributed across multiple physical devices, such as processing structures in more than one different physical location. The storage medium may include any type of tangible media, for example, any type of disk, including hard disks, floppy disks, optical disks, compact disk read-only memories (CD-ROMs), compact disk rewritables (CD-RWs), and magneto-optical disks, semiconductor devices such as read-only memories (ROMs), RAMs such as dynamic and static random access memories (RAMs), erasable programmable read-only memories (EPROMs), electrically erasable programmable read-only memories (EEPROMs), flash memory, solid-state disks (SSDs), magnetic or optical cards, or any type of software module suitable for other embodiments that can be implemented as an executable by a programmable control device. The storage medium may be non-transitory.

[0042] As described herein, various embodiments may be implemented using hardware elements, software elements, or any combination thereof. Examples of hardware elements may include processors, microprocessors, circuits, circuit elements (e.g., transistors, resistors, capacitors, inductors, etc.), integrated circuits, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), digital signal processors (DSPs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), logic gates, registers, semiconductor devices, chips, microchips, chipsets, etc.

[0043] Reference throughout this specification to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Thus, appearances of the phrases "in one embodiment" or "in an embodiment" in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

[0044] The term "non-transitory" should be interpreted as excluding only those types of transitory computer-readable media that propagate more than transitory signals themselves from the scope of the claims, and not as disclaiming all standard computer-readable media that propagate more than transitory signals themselves. In other words, the terms "non-transitory computer-readable media" and "non-transitory computer-readable storage media" should be interpreted as excluding only those types of transitory computer-readable media that are outside the scope of patentable subject matter under 35 U.S.C. § 101.

[0045] The terms and expressions used herein are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and in the use of such terms and expressions, there is no intention to exclude any equivalents of the features shown and described (or portions thereof), and it is recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims. Accordingly, the claims are intended to cover all such equivalents.

[0046] Reference Merge

[0047] In this disclosure, references and citations to other documents, such as patents, patent applications, patent publications, journals, books, papers, and web content have been made. All of these documents are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety for all purposes.

[0048] Equivalence

[0049] Various modifications of the invention and many further embodiments thereof, in addition to those shown and described herein, will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the entire contents of this document, including reference to the scientific and patent literature cited herein. The subject matter herein contains important information, examples, and guidance that can be applied to the practice of the invention in its various embodiments and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A system for treating an ophthalmic disease, the system comprising: Laser unit, comprising: RFID reader; an excimer laser source; and a control system for controlling the output of the excimer laser source based at least in part on an analysis of RFID tag data read by the RFID reader; and a plurality of single-use, disposable laser probes, each including an RFID tag containing embedded data associated with a unique identifier, wherein each single-use, disposable laser probe is attachable to the laser unit and activated or denied for use with the excimer laser source by the control system based on an analysis of RFID tag data read by the RFID reader, wherein the analysis includes correlating the RFID tag data read by the RFID reader with authentication data; the authentication data including the unique identifier, the unique identifier including an authentication key or identification number; and wherein the analysis is based on a correlation between the RFID tag data and authentication data stored in a database on a server remotely connected to the laser unit; The control system is further configured to cancel the authentication of the single-use disposable laser probe based on historical operation information of the single-use disposable laser probe.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the RFID tag comprises a passive RFID tag.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the passive RFID tag provides data in response to electromagnetic energy emitted from the RFID reader.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the RFID tag comprises an active RFID tag.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the active RFID tag continuously broadcasts a signal, wherein the signal includes the data to be received by the RFID reader.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the single-use disposable laser probe is determined to be authentic when there is a positive correlation and is determined to be unauthentic when there is a negative correlation.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the control system allows laser radiation to be transmitted from the excimer laser source to the optical fiber core of the single-use disposable laser probe in response to a positive correlation.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the control system prevents laser radiation from being transmitted from the excimer laser source to the optical fiber core of the single-use disposable laser probe in response to the negative correlation.

9. A single-use disposable laser probe for treating eye diseases, wherein the single-use disposable laser probe comprises: Handheld components; a delivery tip extending from a distal portion of the handpiece; a connector extending from a proximal portion of the handpiece, wherein the connector is attached to a laser unit including an excimer laser source; as well as an RFID tag associated with the connector, wherein the RFID tag includes embedded data associated with a unique identifier; wherein when a corresponding RFID reader associated with the laser unit reads RFID tag data, the single-use disposable laser probe is activated or denied for use with the excimer laser source based on analysis of the RFID tag data; wherein the analyzing comprises correlating the RFID tag data read by the RFID reader with authentication data, the authentication data comprising the unique identifier, the unique identifier comprising an authentication key or identification number, wherein the analyzing is based on a correlation between the RFID tag data and the authentication data stored in a database on a server remotely connected to the laser unit.

10. The single-use, disposable laser probe of claim 9, wherein the RFID tag comprises a passive RFID tag.

11. The single-use, disposable laser probe of claim 10, wherein the passive RFID tag provides data in response to electromagnetic energy emitted from the RFID reader.

12. The single-use, disposable laser probe of claim 9, wherein the RFID tag comprises an active RFID tag.

13. The single-use, disposable laser probe of claim 12, wherein the active RFID tag continuously broadcasts a signal, wherein the signal includes the data received by the RFID reader.

14. The single-use, disposable laser probe according to claim 9, wherein the single-use, disposable laser probe is determined to be credible when there is a positive correlation, and is determined to be untrustworthy when there is a negative correlation.

15. The single-use, disposable laser probe of claim 14, wherein the control system of the laser unit allows laser radiation to be transmitted from the excimer laser source to the optical fiber core of the single-use, disposable laser probe in response to the positive correlation.

16. The single-use, disposable laser probe of claim 14, wherein the control system of the laser unit prevents transmission of laser radiation from the excimer laser source to the optical fiber core of the single-use, disposable laser probe in response to the negative correlation.

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