Selective photocoagulation

Abstract

A method of scanning a laser beam across a set of cells includes during a first interval, scanning a laser beam across a set of cells; and during a second interval, deflecting the laser beam away from the set of cells. The first interval is selected to cause microcavitation in at least a portion of the cells from the set of cells.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of photocoagulating cells, the method comprising:
 during a first interval, scanning a laser beam across a set of cells, wherein one or more laser parameters and a length of the first interval are selected to cause microcavitation in the set of cells; 
 during a second interval, deflecting the laser beam away from the set of cells; 
 detecting radiation from the set of cells; 
 determining an extent of the microcavitation occurring in the set of cells based on the detected radiation; and 
 ending the first interval and beginning the second interval after a selected extent of the microcavitation has occurred in the set of cells. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising selecting the first interval to have a length that is about 40% of the length of the combined first and second intervals. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein scanning comprises scanning at a scan rate between about 0.1 to about 10 microseconds per pixel. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , wherein scanning comprises scanning at a scan rate between about 0.5 to about 7 microseconds per pixel. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , wherein scanning comprises scanning at a scan rate between about 1 to about 5 microseconds per pixel. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the radiation from the set of cells forms a feedback signal indicative of microcavitation in the set of cells. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , wherein scanning comprises scanning at least in part on the basis of the feedback signal. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein scanning and deflecting both comprise modulating an acoustic-optical scanner. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein scanning and deflecting both comprise rotating a polygonal mirror. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein scanning and deflecting both comprise operating a resonance scanner. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising changing a fluence of the laser beam for a subsequent scan of the beam. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , wherein changing the fluence comprises changing the fluence in response to a parameter of light scattered from the cells. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , wherein changing the fluence in response to a parameter comprises changing the fluence in response to polarization of light scattered from the cells. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 12 , wherein changing the fluence in response to a parameter comprises changing the fluence in response to Doppler shift of light scattered from the cells. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 12 , wherein changing the fluence in response to a parameter comprises changing the fluence in response to the intensity of light scattered from the cells. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cells comprise retinal cells. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the microcavitation comprises microbubble formation in the set of cells. 
     
     
       18. A method of treatment, comprising:
 using the method of  claim 1  in treating at least one of glaucoma, ocular complications due to diabetes, macular degeneration, and retinal detachment in a patient. 
 
     
     
       19. A method of causing photocoagulation of cells, the method comprising:
 scanning a laser across a set of cells at a scanning frequency and laser power selected to cause microcavitation in the set of cells; 
 detecting microcavitation in the set of cells; and 
 terminating the scanning when a selected extent of microcavitation has occurred, 
 wherein scanning the laser comprises:
 defining a first scan line; 
 defining a second scan line; 
 defining a third scan line disposed between the first and second scan lines; 
 scanning the laser across the first scan line; 
 skipping over the third scan line; and 
 scanning the laser across the second scan line, 
 whereby heat generated by scanning across the first scan line dissipates into cells located along the third scan line. 
 
 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 19 , wherein the cells comprise retinal cells. 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 19 , wherein the microcavitation comprises microbubble formation in the subset of cells. 
     
     
       22. A method of treatment, comprising:
 using the method of  claim 19  in treating at least one of glaucoma, ocular complications due to diabetes, macular degeneration, and retinal detachment in a patient. 
 
     
     
       23. A method of treating tissue cells, the method comprising:
 during a first interval, scanning a laser beam across a set of tissue cells, wherein one or more laser parameters and a length of the first interval are selected to cause changes in one or more properties of the set of cells;   during a second interval, deflecting the laser beam away from the set of cells;   detecting radiation from the set of cells;   determining an extent of the changes in the one or more properties occurring in the set of cells based on the detected radiation; and   ending the first interval and beginning the second interval after a selected extent of changes in the one or more properties has occurred in the set of cells.   
     
     
       24. The method of claim 23, further comprising selecting the first interval to have a length that is about 40% of the length of the combined first and second intervals. 
     
     
       25. The method of claim 23, wherein scanning comprises scanning at a scan rate between about 0.1 to about 10 microseconds per pixel. 
     
     
       26. The method of claim 25, wherein scanning comprises scanning at a scan rate between about 0.5 to about 7 microseconds per pixel. 
     
     
       27. The method of claim 26, wherein scanning comprises scanning at a scan rate between about 1 to about 5 microseconds per pixel. 
     
     
       28. The method of claim 23, wherein the radiation from the set of cells forms a feedback signal indicative of the changes in the one or more properties of the set of cells. 
     
     
       29. The method of claim 28, wherein scanning comprises scanning at least in part on the basis of the feedback signal. 
     
     
       30. The method of claim 23, wherein scanning and deflecting both comprise modulating an acoustic-optical scanner. 
     
     
       31. The method of claim 23, wherein scanning and deflecting both comprise rotating a polygonal mirror. 
     
     
       32. The method of claim 23, wherein scanning and deflecting both comprise operating a resonance scanner. 
     
     
       33. The method of claim 23, further comprising changing a fluence of the laser beam for a subsequent scan of the beam. 
     
     
       34. The method of claim 33, further comprising changing the fluence in response to an intensity of light scattered from the cells. 
     
     
       35. The method of claim 34, further comprising changing the fluence in response to a polarization of light from the cells. 
     
     
       36. The method of claim 34, further comprising changing the fluence in response to a Doppler shift of light from the cells. 
     
     
       37. The method of claim 34, further comprising changing the fluence in response to a fluctuation of light from the cells. 
     
     
       38. The method of claim 23, wherein the cells comprise retinal cells. 
     
     
       39. The method of claim 23, wherein scanning the laser beam across the set of cells causes microbubble formation in the set of cells. 
     
     
       40. A method of treatment comprising:
 using the method of claim 23 in treating at least one of glaucoma, ocular complications due to diabetes, macular degeneration, and retinal detachment in a patient.   
     
     
       41. The method of claim 23, further comprising selecting the one or more laser parameters and the length of the first interval to cause microcavitation in the set of cells. 
     
     
       42. The method of claim 23, wherein the changes in the one or more properties comprise a change in reflectivity of the cells. 
     
     
       43. The method of claim 23, wherein the detected radiation comprises a change in backscattered light intensity. 
     
     
       44. The method of claim 23, wherein the detected radiation comprises fluctuations in light intensity. 
     
     
       45. The method of claim 23, wherein the detected radiation comprises a change in polarization. 
     
     
       46. The method of claim 23, wherein the detected radiation comprises a Doppler shift. 
     
     
       47. The method of claim 23, further comprising scanning the laser beam across the set of tissue cells during the first interval to at least partially photocoagulate the set of cells. 
     
     
       48. The method of claim 23, further comprising scanning the laser beam across the set of tissue cells during the first interval to kill at least some of the set of cells. 
     
     
       49. The method of claim 23, wherein the one or more properties are optical properties. 
     
     
       50. The method of claim 23, wherein the cells comprise eye tissue cells. 
     
     
       51. The method of claim 23, wherein the cells comprise brain tissue cells. 
     
     
       52. A method of treating tissue cells, the method comprising:
 scanning a laser across a set of tissue cells at a scanning frequency and laser power selected to cause changes in one or more properties of the set of cells;   detecting the changes in the one or more properties of the set of cells; and   terminating the scanning when a selected extent of changes in the one or more properties of the set of cells has occurred,   wherein scanning the laser comprises:
 defining a first scan line; 
 defining a second scan line; 
 defining a third scan line disposed between the first and second scan lines; 
 scanning the laser across the first scan line; 
 skipping over the third scan line; and 
 scanning the laser across the second scan line, 
 whereby heat generated by scanning across the first scan line dissipates into cells located along the third scan line. 
   
     
     
       53. The method of claim 52, wherein the cells comprise retinal cells. 
     
     
       54. The method of claim 52, wherein scanning the laser across the set of cells causes microbubble formation in the set of cells. 
     
     
       55. A method of treatment, comprising:
 using the method of claim 52 in treating at least one of glaucoma, ocular complications due to diabetes, macular degeneration, and retinal detachment in a patient.   
     
     
       56. The method of claim 52, further comprising selecting the scanning frequency and laser power to cause microcavitation in the set of cells. 
     
     
       57. The method of claim 52, wherein the changes in the one or more properties of the set of cells comprise a change in reflectivity of the cells. 
     
     
       58. The method of claim 52, wherein detecting the changes in the one or more properties of the set of cells comprises measuring radiation from the set of cells. 
     
     
       59. The method of claim 58, wherein the measured radiation comprises a change in backscattered light intensity. 
     
     
       60. The method of claim 58, wherein the measured radiation comprises fluctuations in intensity. 
     
     
       61. The method of claim 58, wherein the measured radiation comprises a change in polarization. 
     
     
       62. The method of claim 58, wherein the measured radiation comprises a Doppler shift. 
     
     
       63. The method of claim 52, further comprising scanning the laser across the set of tissue cells to at least partially photocoagulate the set of cells. 
     
     
       64. The method of claim 52, further comprising scanning the laser across the set of tissue cells to kill at least some of the set of cells. 
     
     
       65. The method of claim 52, wherein the one or more properties are optical properties. 
     
     
       66. The method of claim 52, wherein the cells comprise eye tissue cells. 
     
     
       67. The method of claim 52, wherein the cells comprise brain tissue cells.