Tissue-sparing laser therapy was delivered via an intraocular fiber optic probe in a surgical setting for the first time, Iridex Corp. said.

The first successful demonstration of MicroPulse laser therapy (MPLT) used an IQ 577 laser coupled with EndoProbe instrumentation and was performed at the George Washington University (GWU) School of Medicine and Health Sciences, the laser-based medical systems provider said.  

MicroPulse works by electronically "chopping" a continuous-wave laser emission into trains of microsecond pulses, enhancing a physician's ability to more precisely control the laser effects on target retinal tissue. It also has less collateral effects than conventional continuous-wave laser photocoagulation, Iridex said.

“Endo-MicroPulse is effective in cases of very thin retinas due to its ability to preserve tissue rather than destroy it with conventional laser therapy,” said Dr. Sam Mansour, medical director of the Virginia Retina Center and clinical professor of ophthalmology at GWU.

For more information, visit: www.iridex.com