Corneal vitrification, methods and devices to produce corneal vitrification and methods of use thereof

摘要

The invention includes: a new composition of matter (a composite comprising a naturally occurring in vivo cornea in an in situ eye together with at least one volume of vitrified non-naturally occurring corneal stromal tissue formed within the naturally occurring corneal stromal tissue) wherein the vitrified tissue is modified in structure and properties from its naturally occurring condition into a non-naturally occurring glass-like condition with modifications including but not limited to increased elastic modulus; methods for producing and using the new composition of matter for modifying corneal structure and properties, including but not limited to corneal optical aberrations; wound closure adhesion and transplant adhesion; and a photo vitrification system for producing the new composition of matter comprising at least one photon source with controllable treatment parameters. A reverse template can be added to corneal vitrification systems to increase vitrification and modifications of structure and properties.

主权项

1. A light emitting device,
wherein the light emitting device is designed to induce modification of corneal stromal material; wherein such device comprises at least one light-emitting source configured to produce a wavelength to cause absorption of photon energy within corneal stromal material, wherein the at least one light-emitting source is one of a laser light-emitting source and a non-laser light-emitting source, and wherein such device is designed to generate a light beam having a radiant exposure that produces a heating rate of the corneal stromal material between 100 degrees per second and 20,000 degrees per second for the minimum heating time required to produce a maximum temperature between 50° C. and 100° C. to produce vitrification of at least 1% of at least one treated volume of non-vitrified corneal stromal material; wherein the vitrified corneal stromal material is modified in structure, properties, and/or any combination thereof, from a naturally occurring corneal state into a glass-like state; wherein the vitrified corneal stromal material occurring in the glass-like state is characterized by elastic modulus properties that differ measurably from the elastic modulus properties of a naturally occurring corneal tissue; wherein a measurable change in the elastic modulus properties of the vitrified corneal stromal material include at least one of the following: a value of an elastic axial modulus of 0.33 to 33 MPa, a value of an elastic shear modulus of 0.33 to 33 MPa, and any combination thereof.