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 eletastic modulus; methods for producing and using the new composition of matter for modifying cortical structure and properties, including but not limited to corneal optical aberrations; wound closure adhesion and transplant adhesion; and a photovitrification 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.

The present invention relates to a method of altering the refractive properties of the eye, the method including forming a pocket in a cornea of an eye of a patient so as to gain access to tissue bounding the pocket; after the pocket in the cornea has been formed, applying a photosensitizer inside the pocket so that the photo sensitizer permeates at least a portion of the tissue bounding the pocket, the photosensitizer facilitating cross-linking of the tissue bounding the pocket; inserting a lens implant into the pocket so as to change the refractive properties of the eye; and irradiating the cornea so as to activate cross-linkers in the portion of the tissue bounding the pocket and thereby stiffen the cornea and prevent corneal ectasia of the cornea.

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 photovitrification 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.

A formulation for an eye treatment includes a photosensitizer and a permeability enhancing composition. The permeability enhancing composition includes one or more permeability enhancers. The permeability enhancing composition has a hydrophilic and lipophilic balance increases a permeability of an area of the eye for the photosensitizer. The hydrophilic and lipophilic balance can be characterized by a Hydrophile-Lipophile Balance (HLB) number. For example, the area of the eye may include a corneal epithelium, the photosensitizer may include riboflavin, and the permeability enhancing composition may have a corresponding HLB number between approximately 12.6 and approximately 14.6.

Formulations, are used for eye treatments, e.g., cross-linking treatments. For example, a therapeutic formulation includes a photosensitizer and delivery agent(s), wherein the delivery agent(s) include at least one of: anesthetic agent(s), analgesic agent(s), tonicity agent(s), or shear-thinning, or viscosity-increasing agent(s). In another example, a method includes applying preparatory formulation(s) to increase a permeability of a corneal epithelium, and applying therapeutic formulation(s) to the epithelium, where the preparatory formulation(s) include zinc metalloproteinase, copper metalloproteinase, papain, bromelain, actinidin, ficain, N-acetylcysteine, ambroxol, carbocisteine, and/or erdosteine. In yet another example, a method includes applying therapeutic formulation(s) to a corneal epithelium to deliver the therapeutic formulation(s) to a stroma, and applying enhancement formulation(s) to the epithelium in response to applying the therapeutic formulation(s), where: the enhancement formulation(s) remove the therapeutic formulation(s) from the epithelium; close tight junctions of the epithelium; promote oxidation for the therapeutic agent(s); and/or further deliver the therapeutic formulation(s) to the stroma.

Provided are multi-wavelength phototherapy devices, systems and methods for the treatment of a disorder or disease, including multi-wavelength low level light therapy (PBM), in particular to multi-wavelength PBM and other phototherapy systems and methods for improving functionality in and/or restoring functionality to a cell and/or tissue through the coordinated and targeted delivery to the cell or tissue of two or more doses of light having distinct wavelengths, wherein the two or more doses of light, when delivered in a coordinated fashion, can stimulate the activity of two or more light sensitive factors that, when activated, provide and/or enhance a desired target cell functionality. Ophthalmic phototherapy devices, systems, and treatment methods to expose an eye to selected multi-wavelengths of light to promote the healing of damaged or diseased eye tissue. The devices include a housing having an interior; an eyepiece disposed on the housing and configured and arranged for placement of an eye of the patient adjacent the eyepiece; a first light source producing a first light beam having a first therapeutic wavelength and disposed within the housing; a second light source producing a second light beam having a second therapeutic wavelength and disposed within the housing, where the second therapeutic wavelength differs from the first therapeutic wavelength by at least 25 nm.

The detailed characteristics of the red fluorescence of the human lensthat occurs at the seventh decade of lifeis recognized as an example of evolutionary photobiomodulation for repair of the retina, and then used as a paradigm for extending current parametric values for reproducible photobiomodulation. The new photobiomodulation parameters involve relative intensities for wavelength bands within the range of 600 nm to 900 nm.

Methods for targeted therapy are disclosed. In certain embodiments, a method includes injecting nanoparticles into a target site in or adjacent to an eye, irradiating the target site with light from a light source, and activating the nanoparticles with the light.

An optical system for eye surgery, comprising at least a surgical microscope, an illumination unit for emitting illumination light, and a control unit. The surgical microscope is configured to output an observation mode signal indicating the employed observation mode and a mode-of-operation signal indicating the employed mode of operation, and the control unit is configured to receive the observation mode signal and the mode-of-operation signal from the surgical microscope and to output a change signal which prompts a change in the amount of light received by the at least one digital image sensor. The change signal is output only if the received observation mode signal and the received mode-of-operation signal indicate a predetermined combination of observation mode and mode of operation.

Formulations, are used for eye treatments, e.g., cross-linking treatments. For example, a therapeutic formulation includes a photosensitizer and delivery agent(s), wherein the delivery agent(s) include at least one of: anesthetic agent(s), analgesic agent(s), tonicity agent(s), or shear-thinning, or viscosity-increasing agent(s). In another example, a method includes applying preparatory formulation(s) to increase a permeability of a corneal epithelium, and applying therapeutic formulation(s) to the epithelium, where the preparatory formulation(s) include zinc metalloproteinase, copper metalloproteinase, papain, bromelain, actinidin, ficain, N-acetylcysteine, ambroxol, carbocisteine, and/or erdosteine. In yet another example, a method includes applying therapeutic formulation(s) to a corneal epithelium to deliver the therapeutic formulation(s) to a stroma, and applying enhancement formulation(s) to the epithelium in response to applying the therapeutic formulation(s), where: the enhancement formulation(s) remove the therapeutic formulation(s) from the epithelium; close tight junctions of the epithelium; promote oxidation for the therapeutic agent(s); and/or further deliver the therapeutic formulation(s) to the stroma.