Biolase receives patent for advanced imaging system in laser surgery

IRVINE, Calif. — Biolase Technology has received a patent that covers the use of laser technologies in treating various ocular conditions such as presbyopia, the company announced in a news release.

Patent No. 7,891,363, issued by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, relates to the use of dyes and colored lighting to enhance the visibility of ocular structures during procedures performed with the company's existing patented laser systems. It also supports the company's existing patents related to laser eye surgery.

"This patent has wide application in multiple eye treatment procedures, where laser or other light sources are involved. It also opens the door for the development of advanced treatment protocols with intensive use of various imaging technologies," Dmitri Boutoussov, PhD, Biolase chief technology officer, said in the release. "It is synergistic with the emerging expertise of Biolase in optical imaging and creates the opportunity to integrate digital imaging devices and lasers for disruptive medical applications of light-based technologies, well beyond dentistry."

This is the company's sixth patent in the "methods for treating eye conditions" category of patents and paves the way for future development of new presbyopia correction technologies, the release said.

"This patent further demonstrates how broad the applications for our laser technologies are within ophthalmology," Federico Pignatelli, Biolase chairman and CEO, said in the release. "We are assessing a number of strategic alternatives for our valuable ophthalmology technology and plan to pursue, in the near future, FDA approval for clinical trials for a treatment for presbyopia."