title: Femtosecond laser-assisted retinal imaging and ablation: experimental pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate retinal imaging and ablation using femtosecond laser pulses.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two non-amplified near-infrared femtosecond lasers were used to irradiate porcine retinal specimens in vitro. The lasers were used for tissue removal as well as multiphoton laser scanning microscopy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ablation of the nerve fiber layer was performed at pulse energies of 1.0 nJ to 3.9 nJ. Control laser scanning images were acquired within seconds after irradiation. Specimens were additionally investigated with electron microscopy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Non-amplified femtosecond lasers may allow precise surgery controlled by fast high-resolution imaging of the target.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Saarland University Hospital, Homburg, Germany. mat.hild@gmx.de
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hild
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Krause
authors.forename: Iris
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Riemann
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mestres
authors.forename: Sergey
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Toropygin
authors.forename: Ursula
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Löw
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Brückner
authors.forename: Berthold
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Seitz
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jonescu-Cuypers
authors.forename: Karsten
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: König
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009412:Nerve Fibers; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012160:Retina / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000601:surgery* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013552:Swine; D013997:Time Factors