Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty Path Planning Around Ocular Blood Vessels

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing laser trabeculoplasty procedures face challenges in avoiding irradiation of blood vessels and other sensitive anatomy, which can lead to bleeding and adverse effects.

Innovation Solution

A system and method that uses a controller to define a treatment path around blood vessels, monitor the eye during treatment, and adjust irradiation parameters to avoid sensitive areas, using image processing and vasoconstrictors like α2 agonists to minimize adverse effects.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If laser irradiation is applied to treat the eye, then treatment effectiveness is improved, but risk of bleeding and adverse effects increases due to blood vessel irradiation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetreatment effectivenessVSAvoidbleeding and adverse effects

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary identification of blood vessels and sensitive anatomy using image processing before laser irradiation begins. Treatment paths are pre-calculated to avoid these identified structures, and real-time monitoring is established before treatment commences, allowing the system to prevent harmful irradiation before it occurs

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors the eye during laser treatment using real-time image processing to detect blood vessels and tissue changes. Based on this feedback, the controller dynamically adjusts the treatment path and irradiation parameters, refraining from irradiating areas where blood vessels are detected, thereby preventing bleeding while maintaining treatment effectiveness

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Object-affected harmful factors

If treatment path is adjusted to avoid blood vessels, then bleeding is minimized, but treatment complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovebleedingVSAvoidtreatment path adjustment

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs automated image processing and analysis to identify blood vessels and calculate optimal treatment paths without requiring manual intervention. The controller automatically adjusts irradiation parameters and treatment paths based on real-time feedback, eliminating the need for complex manual planning while minimizing bleeding

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically changes irradiation parameters such as power, pulse duration, and treatment path coordinates based on real-time detection of blood vessels and tissue response. This automated parameter adjustment simplifies the overall process while effectively avoiding blood vessels and minimizing bleeding

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If real-time monitoring is implemented during treatment, then blood vessels can be avoided, but device complexity and processing requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveblood vessel avoidanceVSAvoidreal-time monitoring system

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses a single imaging system that serves multiple functions: identifying blood vessels before treatment, monitoring tissue changes during treatment, and providing feedback for real-time path adjustment. This multi-functional approach reduces the need for separate specialized devices while maintaining reliable blood vessel avoidance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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

Effectively treats the eye while minimizing bleeding and other adverse effects by dynamically adjusting treatment paths and parameters in response to real-time changes and obstructions.

Implementation Method 1

a radiation source configured to irradiate multiple target regions on an eye of a patient with respective amounts of energy

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLaser: Laser

Implementation Method 2

The controller is further configured to identify a change in the eye, subsequently to causing the radiation source to irradiate at least the first one of the target regions, by processing an image of the eye

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectImage processing: Image Processing

Implementation Method 3

using image processing and vasoconstrictors like α2 agonists to minimize adverse effects

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectVasoconstriction:

Data Source

PatentUS12564517B2Avoiding blood vessels during direct selective laser trabeculoplasty

Publication Date: 2026.03.03 BELKIN VISION LTD

AI summary

A system (20) comprises a radiation source (48) and a controller (44). The controller is configured to designate multiple target regions (84) on an eye (25) of a patient (22) for irradiation with respective amounts of energy, to cause the radiation source to irradiate at least a first one of the target regions, to identify a change in the eye by processing an image of the eye subsequently to causing the radiation source to irradiate at least the first one of the target regions, and to refrain, in response to identifying the change, from causing the radiation source to irradiate a second one of the target regions, which has not yet been irradiated, with the amount of energy designated for the second one of the target regions. Other embodiments are also described.