Systems and methods for affecting the biomechanical properties of connective tissue

Abstract

A device for delivering ablative medical treatments to improve biomechanics comprising a laser for generating a beam of laser radiation used in ablative medical treatments to improve biomechanics, a housing, a controller within the housing, in communication with the laser and operable to control dosimetry of the beam of laser radiation in application to a target material, a lens operable to focus the beam of laser radiation onto a target material, and a power source operable to provide power to the laser and controller.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device for delivering ablative medical treatments to improve biomechanics comprising:
 a laser for generating a beam of laser radiation used in ablative medical treatments to improve biomechanics;   a housing;   a controller within the housing, in communication with the laser and operable to control dosimetry of the beam of laser radiation in application to a target material;   a lens operable to focus the beam of laser radiation onto a target material; and   a power source operable to provide power to the laser and controller.   
     
     
         2 . The device for delivering ablative medical treatments to improve biomechanics of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a scanner operable to monitor a position of the laser during the medical treatment and send position information to a processor;   the processor operable to receive and use the position information to calculate whether a treatment location has moved;   the processor operable to reconfigure the position of the laser if the treatment location has moved; and   the processor operable to stop the medical treatment if the treatment location has moved a distance greater than a preselected threshold distance.   
     
     
         3 . The device for delivering ablative medical treatments to improve biomechanics of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a scanner operable to monitor a depth of an ablation during the medical treatment and send depth information to a processor;   the processor operable to receive and use the depth information to calculate whether a treatment depth has reached a threshold;   the processor operable to allow continuation of the medical procedure if the treatment depth has not reached the threshold; and   the processor operable to stop the medical treatment if the treatment depth has reached or exceeded the threshold.   
     
     
         4 . The device for delivery ablative medical treatments to improve biomechanics of  claim 1 , wherein the laser further comprises a flash lamp, a high powered diode, and an optical pump. 
     
     
         5 . A method of delivering ablative medical treatments to improve biomechanics comprising:
 using a laser to generate a treatment beam in a treatment to improve biomechanics;   wherein a controller, in electrical communication with the laser, is used to control dosimetry of the treatment beam in application to a target material;   wherein a lens is used to focus the treatment beam onto the target material; and   wherein a power source is used to provide power to the laser and the controller.   
     
     
         6 . The method of delivering ablative medical treatments to improve biomechanics of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 using a scanner to monitor a position of the treatment beam during the treatment and send position information to a processor;   wherein the processor receives and uses the position information to calculate whether a treatment location has moved;   wherein the processor reconfigures the position of the treatment beam if the treatment location has moved; and   wherein the processor halts the medical treatment if the treatment location has moved a distance greater than a preselected threshold distance.   
     
     
         7 . The method of delivering ablative medical treatments to improve biomechanics of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 using a scanner to monitor a depth of an ablation during the treatment and sending depth information to a processor;   wherein the processor receives and uses the depth information to calculate whether a treatment depth has reached a threshold;   wherein the processor allows continuation of the procedure if the treatment depth has not reached the threshold; and   wherein the processor halts the treatment if the treatment depth has reached or exceeded the threshold.   
     
     
         8 . The method of delivering ablative medical treatments to improve biomechanics of  claim 5 , wherein using a laser further comprises using a flash lamp, a high powered diode, and an optical pump. 
     
     
         9 . A system of ablating biological tissue to improve biomechanics comprising:
 performing an ablating procedure on a biological tissue in a pattern while monitoring the ablating procedure.   
     
     
         10 . The system of ablating biological tissue to improve biomechanics of  claim 9 , wherein the ablating procedure is performed using a laser. 
     
     
         11 . The system of ablating biological tissue to improve biomechanics of  claim 9 , wherein monitoring the ablating procedure is performed using OCT (optical coherence tomography). 
     
     
         12 . The system of ablating biological tissue to improve biomechanics of  claim 11 , wherein using OCT further comprises monitoring a depth of ablation. 
     
     
         13 . The system of ablating biological tissue to improve biomechanics of  claim 11 , wherein the pattern further comprises a golden spiral. 
     
     
         14 . The system of ablating biological tissue to improve biomechanics of  claim 9 , wherein monitoring the ablating procedure uses feature identification and positional tracking. 
     
     
         15 . The system of ablating biological tissue to improve biomechanics of  claim 9 , wherein the biological tissue is scleral tissue. 
     
     
         16 . The system of ablating biological tissue to improve biomechanics of  claim 9 , wherein improving biomechanics includes improving corneal accommodation.