Casey Eye Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, 3375 SW Terwilliger Blvd, Portland, Oregon, 97239, USA.
Ocular Surface Center, Cullen Eye Institute, Baylor College of Medicine, 6565 Fannin NC205, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
Sci Rep. 2018 Mar 1;8(1):3863. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-22204-0.
Conjunctivochalasis is a common cause of tear dysfunction due to the conjunctiva becoming loose and wrinkly with age. The current solutions to this disease include either surgical excision in the operating room, or thermoreduction of the loose tissue with hot wire in the clinic. We developed a near-infrared laser thermal conjunctivoplasty system. The system utilizes a 1460-nm programmable laser diode system as the light source. At this wavelength, a water absorption peak exists and the blood absorption is minimal, so the heating of redundant conjunctiva is even and there is no bleeding. A miniaturized handheld probe delivers the laser light and reshapes the laser into a 10 × 1 mm line on the working plane. A foot pedal is used to deliver a preset number of calibrated laser pulses. A fold of loose conjunctiva is grasped by a pair of forceps. The NIR laser light is delivered through an optical fiber and a laser line is aimed exactly on the conjunctival fold by a cylindrical lens. Ex vivo experiments using porcine eye was performed to investigate the induced shrinkage of conjunctiva and decide the optimal laser parameters. It was found that up to 45% of conjunctiva shrinkage could be achieved.
结膜松弛症是一种常见的泪液功能障碍病因，由于结膜随年龄增长而变得松弛和起皱。目前针对这种疾病的解决方案包括在手术室进行手术切除，或在诊所使用热丝对松弛组织进行热减少。我们开发了一种近红外激光热结膜成形系统。该系统利用 1460nm 可编程激光二极管系统作为光源。在这个波长下，存在一个水吸收峰，血液吸收最小，因此多余结膜的加热均匀，没有出血。一个小型手持式探头输送激光，并将激光在工作平面上重塑为 10×1mm 的线。脚踏板用于输送预设数量的校准激光脉冲。一对钳子夹住一折叠松弛的结膜。光纤输送近红外激光，圆柱形透镜将激光线精确瞄准在结膜褶皱上。使用猪眼进行的离体实验用于研究结膜的诱导收缩并确定最佳激光参数。结果发现，结膜的收缩率最高可达 45%。
