Skip to main navigation Skip to search Skip to main content

Improved safety of retinal photocoagulation with a shaped beam and modulated pulse

  • Christopher Sramek
  • , Jefferson Brown
  • , Yannis M. Paulus
  • , Hiroyuki Nomoto
  • , Daniel Palanker

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

Shorter pulse durations help confine thermal damage during retinal photocoagulation, decrease treatment time and minimize pain. However, safe therapeutic window (the ratio of threshold powers for rupture and mild coagulation) decreases with shorter exposures. A ring-shaped beam enables safer photocoagulation than conventional beams by reducing the maximum temperature in the center of the spot. Similarly, a temporal pulse modulation decreasing its power over time improves safety by maintaining constant temperature for a significant portion of the pulse. Optimization of the beam and pulse shapes was performed using a computational model. In vivo experiments were performed to verify the predicted improvement. With each of these approaches, the pulse duration can be decreased by a factor of two, from 20 ms down to 10 ms while maintaining the same therapeutic window.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationOphthalmic Technologies XX
DOIs
StatePublished - 2010
Externally publishedYes
EventOphthalmic Technologies XX - San Francisco, CA, United States
Duration: Jan 23 2010Jan 25 2010

Publication series

NameProgress in Biomedical Optics and Imaging - Proceedings of SPIE
Volume7550
ISSN (Print)1605-7422

Other

OtherOphthalmic Technologies XX
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CitySan Francisco, CA
Period1/23/101/25/10

Keywords

  • Damage threshold
  • Retinal photocoagulation
  • Retinal thermal damage

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Biomaterials
  • Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
  • Radiology Nuclear Medicine and imaging

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Improved safety of retinal photocoagulation with a shaped beam and modulated pulse'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this