Ophthalmic Dosimetry Pattern for Retinal Heat Diffusion
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current ophthalmic laser treatments for conditions like Diabetic Retinopathy and Age-Related Macular Degeneration cause irreversible damage to the retina due to heat diffusion, leading to unpredictable and inhomogeneous treatment results, as they lack a means to gauge patient-specific responses and deliver treatment light effectively.
Innovation Solution
A system and method using a 'dosimetry pattern' of varying pulse durations, spot sizes, and power densities to create spatially confined photothermal lesions, allowing for the identification of optimal treatment parameters through imaging and automated adjustment to achieve predictable results.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If long pulse laser systems are used for retinal photocoagulation, then treatment coverage is improved, but heat diffusion causes irreversible damage to surrounding healthy retinal tissue
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the continuous laser exposure into discrete pulsed intervals, allowing heat to dissipate between pulses. This prevents cumulative heat diffusion damage while maintaining effective treatment coverage through repeated controlled exposures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs periodic pulsed laser delivery with specific duty cycles, where the laser is activated in periodic bursts rather than continuous operation. This periodic action allows thermal relaxation between pulses, confining heat damage to the immediate treatment zone while preserving surrounding healthy tissue.
2Productivity
If global parameter settings are used for laser treatment, then treatment efficiency is improved, but patient variability causes inhomogeneous treatment results
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from static global parameter settings to dynamic adaptive parameters that adjust in real-time based on individual patient characteristics. The system dynamically modifies pulse duration, power, and spacing according to measured retinal absorption and thermal properties specific to each patient.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements automated adjustment of multiple laser parameters (pulse width, power density, repetition rate) based on real-time feedback from tissue response measurements. This ensures optimal treatment parameters are maintained across patients with varying anatomical and physiological characteristics.
3Adaptability or versatility
If trial and error approach is used to determine treatment parameters, then patient-specific customization is improved, but treatment time increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary measurements of patient-specific retinal properties before treatment begins. By pre-characterizing tissue absorption, scattering, and thermal conductivity, the system can calculate optimal treatment parameters in advance, eliminating the need for time-consuming trial and error adjustments during the actual treatment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates real-time feedback mechanisms that monitor tissue response during treatment and automatically adjust parameters accordingly. This closed-loop control system rapidly adapts to individual patient characteristics without requiring multiple trial exposures, significantly reducing treatment time while maintaining customization.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables efficient and precise ophthalmic photomedical treatments by determining the appropriate dosage parameters based on tissue response, reducing unnecessary damage and improving treatment consistency across patients and retinal areas.
Implementation Method 1
Generation of heat due to absorption of visible laser light occurs predominantly in the retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) and pigmented choriocappilaris
Implementation Method 2
Due to heat diffusion during long exposures, this standard therapy also irreversibly damages the overlying sensory retina
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for treating ophthalmic target tissue, including a light source for generating a beam of light, a beam delivery system that includes a scanner for generating patterns, and a controller for controlling the light source and delivery system to create a dosimetry pattern of the light beam on the ophthalmic target tissue. One or more dosage parameters of the light beam vary within the dosimetry pattern, to create varying exposures on the target tissue. A visualization device observes lesions formed on the ophthalmic target tissue by the dosimetry pattern. The controller selects dosage parameters for the treatment beam based upon the lesions resulting from the dosimetry pattern, either automatically or in response to user input, so that a desired clinical effect is achieved by selecting the character of the lesions as determined by the dosimetry pattern lesions.