A method is provided for stimulating a nerve or a severed nerve by placing a low power laser, preferably a photodiode laser, near the nerve and irradiating the nerve with the output from the laser. An end organ response is elicited upon irradiation of the attached nerve fiber. The output from the laser is of a nondestructive intensity such that the nerve and the tissue surrounding the nerve are not injured. The photochemical stimulation of the nerve is enhanced by staining the nerve to be stimulated with a sensitive, vital stain prior to the laser irradiation of the nerve.
This invention relates to a method of treating nerve damages in humans, and more particularly, to a noninvasive, nontraumatic method which comprises the steps of applying an essentially monochromatic light to the skin area adjacent to the damaged nerve region of the body.
A device and process for the permanent removal of unwanted human hair. Hair on a section of skin is contaminated with a substance having high absorption of a frequency band of light. The skin is illuminated with light at this frequency band at sufficient intensity and duration to kill the follicles or the skin tissue feeding the hair. Specific embodiments are disclosed to produce death of the follicles or the skin tissues feeding the hair by heating and by photochemical reaction.
The cornea of an eye is recurved by disposing therein light-absorbing color bodies and thereafter vaporizing such color bodies according to a pre-selected design to form corneal-recurving scars.
A method and apparatus for providing greater precision placement and control of the delivery of laser energy during laser surgery is disclosed and includes a pulse-controlled dye delivery system which may be coordinated with the delivery of laser energy to predetermined tissue. The pulse-controlled dye delivery system comprises at least one ejection head capable of ejecting drops of liquid dye with the diameter of each drop being less than two hundred microns. The dye is responsive to the wavelength of energy delivered by the laser performing the surgery to convert the laser energy from the surgical laser to tissue thermal energy. Circuitry is provided for precisely activating the dye delivery system and the laser energy source such that optimal conditions for successful outcome of the surgery may be achieved. Because of the small amount of dye deposited on the tissue and the very short time the dye is on the tissue before the laser energy arrives, the dye does not spread from the desired spot and concentrates the laser energy at the desired spot.
A process for predictably recurving the cornea of an eye by disposing light-absorbing color bodies in the cornea, and then vaporizing at least some of the color bodies with light energy according to a predetermined pattern to form corneal-recurving scars. The light energy is focused in the cornea and defocused and diffused behind the cornea. The color bodies used are of a transient nature, and those not vaporized fade and disperse out of the cornea in due course.
