Semi-Automated Ophthalmic Photocoagulation Method and Apparatus

Abstract

An ophthalmic treatment system and method for performing therapy on target tissue in a patient's eye. A delivery system delivers treatment light to the patient's eye and a camera captures a live image of the patient's eye. Control electronics control the delivery system, register a pre-treatment image of the patient's eye to the camera's live image (where the pre-treatment image includes a treatment template that identifies target tissue within the patient's eye), and verify whether or not the delivery system is aligned to the target tissue defined by the treatment template. The control electronics control the delivery system to project the treatment light onto the patient's eye in response to both an activation of a trigger device and the verification that the delivery system is aligned. to the target tissue, as well as adjust delivery system alignment to track eye movement.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A method of performing therapy on target tissue in a patient's eye, the method comprising:
 capturing an image of the patient's eye;   locating an area of the patient's eye that indicates a previous treatment;   building a treatment pattern included in a treatment template that identifies the target tissue in a pretreatment image of the patient's eye, wherein the target tissue is not part of the located area;   registering the pretreatment image and the treatment template to the captured image;   setting a position onto which treatment light is to be projected in the patient's eye by using the treatment template;   controlling a delivery system based on the set position so that the treatment light is projected onto the position; and   controlling a dosage of the treatment light at the set position based on a dosage control information.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the dosage control information corresponds to a position within the target tissue. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the method further comprises marking around the position onto which the treatment light is projected. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the method further comprises:
 setting a position onto which projection of the treatment light is to be avoided; and   controlling the delivery system so that the treatment light is not projected onto the position to be avoided.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the method further comprises marking around the position at which the projection of the treatment light is to be avoided. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the method further comprises displaying the captured image of the patient's eye. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the method further comprises storing the pretreatment image of the patient's eye on a storage device. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the area of the patient's eye that indicates a previous treatment comprises a large vessel or blood. 
     
     
         10 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, storing one or more programs for execution by one or more processors of an electronic computing device, the one or more programs including instructions for:
 capturing an image of a patient's eye;   locating an area of the patient's eye that indicates a previous treatment;   building a treatment pattern included in a treatment template that identifies target tissue in a pretreatment image of the patient's eye, wherein the target tissue is not part of the located area;   registering the pretreatment image and the treatment template to the captured image;   setting a position onto which treatment light is to be projected in the patient's eye by using the treatment template;   controlling a delivery system based on the set position so that the treatment light is projected onto the position; and   controlling a dosage of the treatment light at the set position based on a dosage control information.   
     
     
         11 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 10 , wherein the dosage control information corresponds to a position within the target tissue. 
     
     
         12 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for marking around the position onto which the treatment light is projected. 
     
     
         13 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:
 setting a position onto which projection of the treatment light is to be avoided; and   controlling the delivery system so that the treatment light is not projected onto the position to be avoided.   
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for marking around the position at which the projection of the treatment light is to be avoided. 
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for displaying the captured image of the patient's eye. 
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for storing the pretreatment image of the patient's eye on a storage device. 
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 10 , wherein the area of the patient's eye that indicates a previous treatment comprises a large vessel or blood. 
     
     
         18 . An ophthalmic treatment system for performing therapy on retinal target tissue in a patient's eye, the ophthalmic treatment system comprising:
 a light source configured to produce treatment light;   a treatment light delivery system configured to deliver the treatment light to the retinal target tissue;   a camera; and   a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, storing one or more programs for execution by one or more processors of an electronic computing device, the one or more programs including instructions for:
 capturing an image of a patient's eye via the camera; 
 locating an area of the patient's eye that indicates a previous treatment; 
 building a treatment pattern included in a treatment template that identifies target tissue in a pretreatment image of the patient's eye, wherein the target tissue is not part of the located area; 
 registering the pretreatment image and the treatment template to the captured image; 
 setting a position onto which the treatment light is to be projected in the patient's eye by using the treatment template; 
 controlling the treatment light delivery system based on the set position so that the treatment light is projected onto the position; and 
 controlling a dosage of the treatment light at the set position based on a dosage control information. 
   
     
     
         19 . The ophthalmic treatment system of  claim 18 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for marking around the position onto which the treatment light is projected. 
     
     
         20 . The ophthalmic treatment system of  claim 18 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:
 setting a position onto which projection of the treatment light is to be avoided; and   controlling the delivery system so that the treatment light is not projected onto the position to be avoided.   
     
     
         21 . The ophthalmic treatment system of  claim 18 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for displaying the captured image of the patient's eye.