Selective retina therapy (SRT) is a short pulse (μs-regime) alternative to conventional laser photocoagulation (LPC) for treatment of retinal diseases. LPC leads to collateral damage of retinal layers adjacent to the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), including healthy, non-regenerative photoreceptors due to the high thermal load, whereas in SRT, RPE cells are destroyed by microbubbles without damaging the neuronal retina. A novel experimental SRT laser operating at 532 nm wavelength can deliver 2 – 20 μs pulse sequences. Its tight integration into an upgraded diagnostic SPECTRALIS system combines beam control for treatment planning with real-time optical coherence tomography (OCT) overexposure protection of the photoreceptors. This “Spectralis Centaurus” system, was built and preliminary tested on porcine ex-vivo samples, reaching an unprecedented accuracy with unique planning and follow-up capabilities for upcoming clinical cellular level micro-surgery. The combination of OCT with SRT selectively limits cell death to the RPE by precisely controlling energy deposition while optically monitoring tissue response.

Date Published: 22 July 2019
PDF: 6 pages
Proc. SPIE 11079, Medical Laser Applications and Laser-Tissue Interactions IX, 1107903 (22 July 2019); doi: 10.1117/12.2526720

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 11079:
Medical Laser Applications and Laser-Tissue Interactions IX
Lothar D. Lilge; Carsten M. Philipp, Editor(s)