Biomaterial Database

[Photoablation with the Er:YAG laser in ocular tissues]. 1991

T Bende, and T Seiler, and J Wollensak

Universitäts-Augenklinik, Universitätsklinikum Rudolf Virchow, Bundesrepublik Deutschland.

Photoablation of ocular tissues is not restricted to the excimer laser. Alternative tools are erbium lasers. As there is maximum absorption in ocular tissue at about 3 microns, two types of erbium lasers are capable of photoablation. One is the Er:YAG laser working at a wavelength of 2.94 micron; the other is the Er:YSGG laser emitting light with a wavelength of 2.79 microns. Both lasers produce higher ablation rates than the excimer laser. In comparison to the excimer laser (thermal damage of less than 1 micron), there is more thermal damage in the remaining tissue (3 microns). The lower ablation rate of the Er:YSGG laser due to the greater distance of the wavelength from the absorption maximum can be compensated by a higher output energy and a higher repetition rate (25 Hz). Wound-healing studies in rabbit corneas show no significant differences between the excisions performed with the Er:YAG laser and 193 nm excimer laser.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007908	Lens, Crystalline	A transparent, biconvex structure of the EYE, enclosed in a capsule and situated behind the IRIS and in front of the vitreous humor (VITREOUS BODY). It is slightly overlapped at its margin by the ciliary processes. Adaptation by the CILIARY BODY is crucial for OCULAR ACCOMMODATION.	Eye Lens,Lens, Eye,Crystalline Lens
D003315	Cornea	The transparent anterior portion of the fibrous coat of the eye consisting of five layers: stratified squamous CORNEAL EPITHELIUM; BOWMAN MEMBRANE; CORNEAL STROMA; DESCEMET MEMBRANE; and mesenchymal CORNEAL ENDOTHELIUM. It serves as the first refracting medium of the eye. It is structurally continuous with the SCLERA, avascular, receiving its nourishment by permeation through spaces between the lamellae, and is innervated by the ophthalmic division of the TRIGEMINAL NERVE via the ciliary nerves and those of the surrounding conjunctiva which together form plexuses. (Cline et al., Dictionary of Visual Science, 4th ed)	Corneas
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D012590	Sclera	The white, opaque, fibrous, outer tunic of the eyeball, covering it entirely excepting the segment covered anteriorly by the cornea. It is essentially avascular but contains apertures for vessels, lymphatics, and nerves. It receives the tendons of insertion of the extraocular muscles and at the corneoscleral junction contains the CANAL OF SCHLEMM. (From Cline et al., Dictionary of Visual Science, 4th ed)	Scleral Spur,Scleral Spurs,Scleras
D053685	Laser Therapy	The use of photothermal effects of LASERS to coagulate, incise, vaporize, resect, dissect, or resurface tissue.	Laser Knife,Laser Scalpel,Surgery, Laser,Vaporization, Laser,Laser Ablation,Laser Knives,Laser Photoablation of Tissue,Laser Surgery,Laser Tissue Ablation,Nonablative Laser Treatment,Pulsed Laser Tissue Ablation,Ablation, Laser,Ablation, Laser Tissue,Knife, Laser,Knifes, Laser,Knive, Laser,Knives, Laser,Laser Knifes,Laser Knive,Laser Scalpels,Laser Surgeries,Laser Therapies,Laser Treatment, Nonablative,Laser Treatments, Nonablative,Laser Vaporization,Nonablative Laser Treatments,Scalpel, Laser,Scalpels, Laser,Surgeries, Laser,Therapies, Laser,Therapy, Laser,Tissue Ablation, Laser