Thermal model for ultrasonic treatment of glaucoma

Focused ultrasound, at a frequency of 4.6 MHz, was used to create lesions of the sclera in the proptosed glaucomatous eye of the anesthetized albino rabbit, with the result that elevated intra-ocular pressures were reduced to normal levels. Initial trials on carefully selected glaucoma patients have also shown that pressure reductions can be produced with high-intensity ultrasound. A theoretical model was developed to compute the spatio-temporal features of temperature rises induced in the sclera during these treatments. Experimental data confirmed the accuracy of the model.