Corneal photoablation in vivo with the erbium:YAG laser: first report

Benedikt J. Jean M.D.; Thomas Bende; Michael Matallana; Martin Kriegerowski

doi:10.1117/12.209826

22 May 1995 Corneal photoablation in vivo with the erbium:YAG laser: first report

Benedikt J. Jean M.D., Thomas Bende, Michael Matallana, Martin Kriegerowski

Proceedings Volume 2393, Ophthalmic Technologies V; (1995) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.209826
Event: Photonics West '95, 1995, San Jose, CA, United States

Abstract

As an alternative to far-UV lasers for corneal refractive surgery, the Erbium:YAG laser may be used in TEM₀₀ mode. The resulting gaussian beam profile leads to a certain amount of myopic correction per laser pulse. Although animal data suggest that the clinical outcome should be comparable to the UV-lasers, no human data were available until now. We performed Erbium:YAG laser areal ablation in 5 blind human eyes. In TEM₀₀ mode, the laser parameters were: effective diameter of laser spot equals 3.4 mm, fluence equals 380 mJ/cm², pulse duration equals 250 microsecond(s) , Repetition rate equals 4 Hz, Number of applied laser pulses equals 15. Four patients with no light perception, one with intact light projection on one eye (some of them scheduled for enucleation) were treated under topical anaesthesia. Patient selection and informed consent were agreed to by the University's independent Ethics Committee. Prior to laser irradiation, corneal epithelium was removed. A postoperative silicone cast of the cornea was analyzed with a confocal laser micro-topometer for the ablation profile. The eyes were treated with antibiotic ointment until the epithelium was closed. Clinical appearance and, where possible, profilometry of the ablated area was observed. The ablation profile in cornea was gaussian shaped with a maximal depth of 30 micrometers . During laser treatment, the corneal surface becomes opaque, clearing in a matter of seconds. Epithelial healing and clinical appearance was similar to excimer laser treatment. However, during the first week, the irradiated area shows subepithelial irregularities, resembling small bubbles, disappearing thereafter.

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Benedikt J. Jean M.D., Thomas Bende, Michael Matallana, and Martin Kriegerowski "Corneal photoablation in vivo with the erbium:YAG laser: first report", Proc. SPIE 2393, Ophthalmic Technologies V, (22 May 1995); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.209826

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