Method and apparatus for the correction of presbyopia using high intensity focused ultrasound

Abstract

Energy is directed at the eye in a manner so as to create discrete heating within the eye to correct vision, and in particular, to correct presbyopia. The energy is high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) energy directed to a specific area which when treated with the energy results in a contraction of the treated area. The contraction creates increased tension on components connected to the lens which corrects and/or prevents presbyopia.

That which is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of treating an eye, comprising the steps of: 
 identifying an area of an eye;    focusing a device capable of directing high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) energy on the area;    generating HIFU energy from the device onto the area;    wherein the energy transfer from the device to the area results in an increase in temperature of the area.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the energy transfer results in contracting the area.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the contracting increases tension on a component of the eye in connection with a lens of the eye.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the contracting increases tension on a component of the eye in an amount sufficient to treat presbyopia.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the component of the eye is selected from the group consisting of a ciliary muscle, a zonule, and a peripheral lens capsule.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the contracting occurs to a peripheral lens capsule and secondarily increases tension of on zonules of the eye.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 repeating the identifying, focusing and generating a plurality of times on areas of the eye which result in contracting thereby resulting in treating presbyopia.    
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the area is on a component of the eye selected from the group consisting of inner scleral tissue, longitudinal ciliary muscle tissue and ciliary epithelium.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the area is on a component of the eye selected from the group consisting of zonular fibers and peripheral zonules.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the area is on a component of the eye selected from the group consisting of peripheral lens capsule tissue and peripheral lens cellular architecture.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7  where the repeating creates an additive effect, and wherein the energy is provided circumferentially on each area.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said repeating is continued in a manner so as to result in contracting a distance of about 50 microns or more.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said contracting is about 100 microns or more.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said contracting is about 200 microns or more.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said contracting is about 300 microns or more.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the energy results in slowing lens diameter growth.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the energy transfer alters the modulus of elasticity of a lens capsule of the eye.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the area has no dimension larger than 2 millimeters.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the area has no dimension larger than 1 millimeter.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the HIFU energy increases the temperature of the area to a temperature in a range from about 47° C. to about 100° C.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the HIFU energy increases the temperature of the area to a temperature in a range from about 47° C. to about 80° C.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the HIFU energy increases the temperature of the area to a temperature in a range from about 60° C. to about 70° C.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said identifying step comprises applying ultrasound scanning imaging to identify the area  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said generating is in a pulse having a duration of two seconds or less.  
     
     
         25 . A method to treat presbyopia comprising the steps of: 
 identifying an area on a presbyopic eye;    focusing a device capable of directing HIFU energy on the area;    generating HIFU energy from the device onto the area;    wherein the energy transfer from the device to the area results in an increase in temperature of the area; and    wherein said energy transfer results in alleviating the eye from its presbyopic condition.    
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein said alleviation improves accommodation in the eye.  
     
     
         27 . A method of preventing presbyopia by prophylactically treating a non-presbyopic eye comprising the steps of: 
 identifying an area on the eye;    focusing a device capable of directing HIFU energy on the area;    generating HIFU energy from the device onto the area;    wherein the energy transfer from the device to the area results in an increase in temperature of the area; and    wherein said energy transfer results in preventing the eye from presbyopia.    
     
     
         28 . An apparatus capable of generating HIFU energy comprising: 
 a transducer comprising ceramic piezoelectric crystals;    wherein said transducer applies HIFU energy to a discrete region within an eye without damaging nearby structures.    
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein said transducer has a diameter in a range from about 8 to 10 cm.  
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein said transducer has a focal length ranging from 1 mm to 50 mm.  
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 30 , wherein said focal length ranges from about 4 mm to 10 mm.  
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein said transducer has a radius of curvature at about 15 cm.  
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein said transducer operates from about 0.5 MHz to about 10 MHz.  
     
     
         34 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein said transducer comprises an output range from about 100 to 300 watts.  
     
     
         35 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein said transducer comprises an output ranges from about 0.1 watts to 50 watts.  
     
     
         36 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , comprising a plurality of transducers.