Development of a therapeutic trans-sclera illuminated laser delivery device for retinal pathologies

Abstract

Laser photocoagulation has been the treatment of choice for various retinal pathologies (i.e. diabetic retinopathy, retinal tears) since the 1960s. However, the laborious task of manually delivering hundreds to thousands of such laser shots to the retina in a piecemeal fashion remains tedious and operator dependent. We describe the design of a novel computer assisted laser delivery system that consist of a trans-sclera illumination imaging device equipped with an eye stabilizing vacuum fixation ring and a optomechanical component composing of a beam steering and laser source sub-system. These systems combined to enable, with minimal human intervention, a complete treatment with rapid automated and accurate placement of laser shots within a single global view of the retina. The proposed model takes into account of both clinical and engineering issues such as the treatment criteria, safety considerations and usability factor.