Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
139 words
A method of retinal re-attachment comprising the steps of: providing an optical fiber probe assembly; providing a laser system coupled to said optical fiber probe assembly for delivering at least one laser light beam to said optical fiber probe; making an incision in the conjunctiva; passing at least a portion of said optical fiber probe assembly through said incision; advancing said portion of said optical fiber probe assembly so as to separate the conjunctival-Tenon and scleral planes; positioning said portion of said optical fiber probe assembly over a retinal break area; and delivering said at least one laser light beam from said laser system through said optical fiber probe assembly to the sclera at the locus of said retinal break area thereby to produce localized scleral shrinkage to buckle said sclera so as to relax said retinal break area.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
139 words
A method of retinal re-attachment comprising the steps of: providing an optical fiber probe assembly; providing a laser system coupled to said optical fiber probe assembly for delivering at least one laser light beam to said optical fiber probe; making an incision in the conjunctiva; passing at least a portion of said optical fiber probe assembly through said incision; advancing said portion of said optical fiber probe assembly so as to separate the conjunctival-Tenon and scleral planes; positioning said portion of said optical fiber probe assembly over a retinal break area; and delivering said at least one laser light beam from said laser system through said optical fiber probe assembly to the sclera at the locus of said retinal break area thereby to produce localized scleral shrinkage to buckle said sclera so as to relax said retinal break area.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of using laser photocoagulation at said retinal break area to achieve chorioretinal adhesion, after the step of delivering said at least one laser light beam.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of providing an optical fiber probe assembly includes providing an optical fiber member having first and second ends, said first end being coupled to said laser system, said second end being coupled to a laser endoprobe.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method according to claim 3, wherein said step of providing a laser endoprobe includes providing at least one optical fiber element disposed within said laser endoprobe and coupled to said second end of said optical fiber member.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method according to claim 3, wherein said step of providing a laser endoprobe includes providing a laser endoprobe having a generally circular cross-section and a diameter of approximately 1 millimeter.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method according to claim 3, wherein said step of providing a laser endoprobe includes providing a laser endoprobe having a curved end portion.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method according to claim 6, wherein said step of providing a laser endoprobe includes providing said endoprobe including an end portion having a radius of curvature of approximately 13 millimeters.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of providing a laser system includes providing one of a Holmium: Yttrium Aluminum Garnet, a tunable Cobalt Magnesium Fluoride laser, a cw HF laser and a cw DF laser for generating said light beam.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of providing a laser system includes providing a Thulium: Yttrium Aluminum Garnet laser for generating said light beam.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method according to claim 8, wherein said step of providing said laser system further includes providing a second laser for emitting a visible beam of light to facilitate aiming.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method according to claim 8, wherein said step of providing a laser system further includes providing a second laser emitting a visible beam of light to facilitate aiming.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method according to claim 2, wherein said step of providing a laser system includes providing one of a Neodymium: Yttrium Aluminum Garnet laser, a diode laser and a tunable Argon-ion pumped dye laser for said step of using laser photocoagulation.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of producing localized scleral shrinkage occurs at a temperature of about 50 to 75 degrees Celsius.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of providing a laser system includes providing means for directing light to said optical fiber probe assembly.