The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 12, 1989
Filed:
Apr. 16, 1987
Michail M Pankratov, Waltham, MA (US);
Oleg Pomerantzeff, Brookline, MA (US);
Eye Research Institute of Retina Foundation, Boston, MA (US);
Abstract
An endophotocoagulation probe has a probe tip adapted for insertion into the eye of a subject, and includes an optical fiber for carrying light, and a lens for focusing the light from the end of the fiber onto target tissue at a desired working distance. The lens forms a convergent beam with the waist of the beam providing a spot of maximum power density whose size is independent of the ocular medium. In a preferred embodiment a positioner provides selective variation of the spacing between the lens and the fiber to select a desired spot size. Preferably the lens is a selfocal or rod lens. A step-positioning handle selects one of a plurality of determined spacings, so as to achieve plural different spot sizes, each having a predetermined power density. Examples of probes having variable spot sizes in ranges from 50 to 500 microns are described with particular fibers and selfocal lens elements. A microprocessor may control lens position and light input power in accordance with the selected spot size. The operator may select a collimated, or different divergent or convergent beams, without withdrawing the instrument from the eye.