Retinal Laser Micropulse Control for Selective RPE Treatment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional retinal laser devices face challenges in selectively treating the retinal pigment epithelium without damaging surrounding tissues, as they lack precise control over the number of micropulses, leading to thermal damage and inadequate energy delivery.
Innovation Solution
A retinal laser device and method that control the number of micropulses to selectively treat the retinal pigment epithelium by adjusting the energy of the SRT laser beam, using an SRT laser beam irradiation unit, imaging, image processing, and information processing units to determine the appropriate number of micropulses based on visible changes in retinal images, ensuring minimal damage to other tissues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If continuous wave laser is used to treat retinal tissue, then sufficient energy can be transmitted to target tissue, but thermal damage occurs in the retina due to continuous energy accumulation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies periodic pulsed laser action instead of continuous wave irradiation. The laser is delivered in discrete pulses with specific duration (e.g., 10-20 ms per pulse) and repetition rates (e.g., 100-500 Hz), allowing energy to be transmitted in controlled intervals that prevent continuous thermal accumulation in retinal tissue while still achieving therapeutic effects on the retinal pigment epithelium.
Solution Approach 2:
The continuous laser beam is segmented into multiple micropulses. Each micropulse delivers a portion of the total energy in a temporally divided manner, with the ability to control the number of micropulses (e.g., 10-100 pulses per cycle). This segmentation allows precise energy dosing and prevents overheating by distributing energy delivery across multiple discrete temporal events.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If micropulse laser with controlled duty cycle is used to avoid thermal damage, then thermal damage is reduced, but the SRT laser device cannot control energy by changing micropulse duration due to fixed parameter settings
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic control of micropulse parameters including variable micropulse duration (e.g., adjustable from 1 μs to 20 ms), variable repetition rates (e.g., 10-1000 Hz), and variable number of micropulses per cycle. These dynamic adjustments allow the system to adapt energy delivery to different treatment requirements and tissue conditions, providing versatile energy control while maintaining protection against thermal damage through appropriate parameter selection.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables independent adjustment of multiple laser parameters including pulse width, repetition frequency, number of pulses per cycle, and total energy per cycle. This multi-parameter control capability allows optimization of treatment efficacy by changing parameters based on specific clinical needs while maintaining safety margins to prevent thermal damage, directly addressing the lack of energy control flexibility in fixed-parameter devices.
3Productivity
If high number of micropulses are irradiated per second, then treatment coverage is increased, but precise control over energy delivery to selectively treat only RPE becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates feedback mechanisms including real-time monitoring of laser delivery parameters and tissue response. The system can adjust the number of micropulses, pulse duration, and energy levels based on observed treatment effects and tissue conditions, enabling precise control of energy delivery even at high productivity rates. This feedback control ensures selective RPE treatment by continuously optimizing parameters to achieve therapeutic thresholds while avoiding damage to surrounding tissues.
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
The solution allows for precise and selective treatment of the retinal pigment epithelium, minimizing damage to other retinal tissues and achieving therapeutic effects without causing thermal damage, thereby improving treatment outcomes.
Implementation Method 1
a laser treatment technology is widely used for various lesions related to the eyeballs... transmit energy thereto, thus leading to a change in a state of the tissue... energy of the SRT laser beam... irradiating the set SRT laser beam... therapeutic effect only on the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE)
Data Source
AI summary
An example of a retinal laser device using control of the number of micropulses comprises: an SRT laser beam irradiation unit for emitting an SRT laser beam configured by a plurality of micropulses toward the retina; an imaging unit for generating a plurality of retinal images by photographing the eyeball in real time; an image processing unit for processing and comparing the plurality of retinal images transmitted from the imaging unit to confirm a visual change in the retina, caused by the SRT laser beam; an information processing unit for setting the number of micropulses, on the basis of the energy of a damaging SRT laser beam emitted to the retina when a visual change in the retina occurs in an SRT irradiation spot; and a control unit for controlling the operation of the SRT laser beam irradiation unit according to the number of micropulses.