Semi-automated ophthalmic photocoagulation method and apparatus

Abstract

A method of performing therapy on target tissue in a patient's eye of an embodiment uses an ophthalmic treatment system having a light source for producing treatment light and a delivery system for delivering the treatment light to the patient's eye. The method includes steps of: obtaining a sample treatment pattern of spots of the treatment light for projection onto the patient's eye; causing to be displayed the sample treatment pattern; receiving user instruction to add or subtract spots from the sample treatment pattern to produce a new treatment pattern; producing treatment light; and deflecting the treatment light to produce the new treatment pattern for projection onto the patient's eye.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of performing therapy on target tissue in a patient's eye using an ophthalmic treatment system having a light source for producing treatment light and a delivery system for delivering the treatment light to the patient's eye, comprising:
 obtaining a sample treatment pattern of spots of the treatment light for projection onto the patient's eye;   causing to be displayed the sample treatment pattern;   receiving user instruction to add or subtract spots from the sample treatment pattern to produce a new treatment pattern;   producing treatment light; and   deflecting the treatment light to produce the new treatment pattern for projection onto the patient's eye.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising a step of providing a library of sample treatment patterns of spots of the treatment light for projection onto the patient's eye, wherein the sample treatment pattern is selected from the library of sample treatment patterns. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the new treatment pattern is automatically produced by subtracting spots in certain areas of an image of the patient's eye. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the new treatment pattern is automatically produced by subtracting spots in areas of the image that are black or red. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising a step of designating areas of an image of the patient's eye, wherein
 the new treatment pattern is produced by subtracting spots in the designated areas of the image of the patient's eye.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the new treatment pattern is automatically produced by adding spots in likely targets in an image of the patient's eye. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising a step of setting the size of spots in the new treatment pattern, wherein
 the size of the spots of the new treatment light for projection onto the patient's eye is adjusted by the delivery system.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the size of spots is able to be set so as to vary by location. 
     
     
         9 . A method of producing a treatment pattern of spots of treatment light for performing therapy on target tissue in a patient's eye, comprising:
 obtaining a sample treatment pattern of spots of the treatment light for projection onto the patient's eye;   causing to be displayed the sample treatment pattern;   receiving user instruction to add or subtract spots from the sample treatment pattern to produce a new treatment pattern; and   inputting the new treatment pattern into an ophthalmic treatment system that performs the therapy on target tissue in the patient's eye.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising a step of providing a library of sample treatment patterns of spots of the treatment light for projection onto the patient's eye, wherein the sample treatment pattern is selected from the library of sample treatment patterns. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the new treatment pattern is automatically produced by subtracting spots in certain areas of an image of the patient's eye. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the new treatment pattern is automatically produced by subtracting spots in areas of the image that are black or red. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising a step of designating areas of an image of the patient's eye, wherein
 the new treatment pattern is produced by subtracting spots in the designated areas of the image of the patient's eye.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the new treatment pattern is automatically produced by adding spots in likely targets in an image of the patient's eye. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising a step of setting the size of spots in the new treatment pattern. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the size of spots is able to be set so as to vary by location. 
     
     
         17 . An ophthalmic treatment system for performing therapy on target tissue in a patient's eye, comprising:
 a light source configured to produce treatment light;   a delivery system configured to deliver the treatment light to the patient's eye; and   a computer device configured to obtain and display a sample treatment pattern of spots of the treatment light for projection onto the patient's eye, wherein   the computer device is configured to add or subtract spots from the sample treatment pattern to produce a new treatment pattern, and   the delivery system includes a scanning device configured to deflect the treatment light to produce the new treatment pattern for projection onto the patient's eye.   
     
     
         18 . The ophthalmic treatment system of  claim 17 , wherein: the computer device includes a tool that is configured to add or subtract spots. 
     
     
         19 . The ophthalmic treatment system of  claim 17 , wherein:
 the computer device is configured to provide a library of sample treatment patterns of spots of the treatment light for projection onto the patient's eye;   further comprising a manipulator configured for selecting one or more sample treatment patterns from the library of sample treatment patterns; and   the computer device is configured to add or subtract spots from the selected sample treatment pattern to produce the new treatment pattern.   
     
     
         20 . The ophthalmic treatment system of  claim 17 , further comprising a manipulator configured for outlining an area for treatment in which spots are added. 
     
     
         21 . The ophthalmic treatment system of  claim 17 , wherein the computer device is configured to automatically produce the new treatment pattern by subtracting spots in certain areas of an image of the patient's eye. 
     
     
         22 . The ophthalmic treatment system of  claim 21 , wherein the computer device is configured to subtract spots in areas of the image that are black or red. 
     
     
         23 . The ophthalmic treatment system of  claim 17 , further comprising a manipulator configured for designating areas of an image of the patient's eye, wherein
 the computer device is configured to produce the new treatment pattern by subtracting spots in the designated areas of the image of the patient's eye.   
     
     
         24 . The ophthalmic treatment system of  claim 17 , wherein the computer device is configured to automatically produce the new treatment pattern by adding spots in likely targets in an image of the patient's eye. 
     
     
         25 . The ophthalmic treatment system of  claim 17 , wherein:
 the computer device is configured to set the size of spots in the new treatment pattern; and   the delivery system comprises a compound lens configured to adjust the size of the spots of the new treatment light for projection onto the patient's eye.   
     
     
         26 . The ophthalmic treatment system of  claim 25 , wherein the computer device is configured to be able to set the size of spots that varies by location.