Yellow wavelength added to laser platform

Topcon says that the concentrated energy of the Pascal Streamline 577 allows for decreased power usage and shorter pulses.

Gregory Halstead

Topcon Medical Laser Systems has added to its line of laser products used primarily for retinal applications and released a longer wavelength module known as the Pascal Streamline 577.

“Essentially, we have taken the most technologically sophisticated laser system and coupled that with the preferred 577 nm wavelength to establish our flagship laser product,” Gregory Halstead, director of sales and marketing at Topcon, said in an interview with Ocular Surgery News.

Promoted as causing less scatter than other yellow wavelengths, such as 561 nm or 568 nm, the 577 nm treats closer to the macula. According to a press release from Topcon, the concentrated energy of the device allows for decreased power usage and shorter pulses, enabling less trauma and pain.

“The longer wavelength of the 577 better targets the [retinal pigment epithelium] with less scatter than the 532 or 561 nm lasers. The combined absorption by both melanin and the oxyhemoglobin makes the 577 more efficient. Energy is concentrated to a smaller volume, allowing use of lower powers and the shorter pulse durations,” the release said.

Two significant attributes of the Pascal 577 are its high-delivered power of 2 W, which is new for yellow laser technology, and its friendliness to the macula, Mr. Halstead said.

“There is a protein in the macula called xanthophyll, which acts as another absorber. When you use a green laser, it absorbs in this additional chromophore. Therefore, you get more uptake, more thermal spread. By missing xanthophyll, the yellow 577 is referred to as the most macula-friendly laser,” he said.

Uses for Pascal

Introduced in 2006, Pascal systems provide a revolutionized approach to photocoagulation through a semi-automated pattern generation technique that allows for rapid laser pulses in a predetermined sequence. The product line was sold to Topcon in 2010 by OptiMedica.

The Pascal Streamline 577 is used for managing several retinal conditions, including macular edema, retinopathies, tears, detachments and retinopathy of prematurity, as well as glaucoma, Mr. Halstead said. Moreover, a host of new tools and methodologies are ensuring better control of output, deterring the need for constant adjustments during a given procedure, he added.

In the past, according to Mr. Halstead, surgeons were simply looking for a clear lesion or maybe slight blanching; now they are aiming for lighter treatments, operating under the adage that less is more.

Moving forward with yellow

“We are using the technology of the Pascal, which has been known for having the pattern that gives you more uniform beam or spot applications, fast treatment times and less pain, and adding upon that with the 577 wavelength. Additionally, we are enhancing both with a system upgrade that we are now releasing, called Endpoint Management,” Mr. Halstead said, specifying a new tool from Topcon that will further aid output control.

The goal is to achieve desired clinical responses without damaging the retina through unnecessary visible lesions and to do so reliably, repeatedly and predictably, he added. While launching such software is key, Topcon is also moving forward with promoting the yellow wavelength to a population of surgeons who are largely unfamiliar with its mechanics.

“An entire generation of ophthalmologists have not been exposed to 577 yellow, so training and education are the key factors in getting them familiar with this technology,” Mr. Halstead said. – by Michelle Pagnani

• Gregory Halstead can be reached at Topcon Medical Laser Systems, 3130 Coronado Drive, Santa Clara, CA 95054; 408-235-8252; email: ghalstead@topcon.com.
• Disclosure: Mr. Halstead is the director of sales and marketing at Topcon Medical Laser Systems.