93 results about "Refractive surgery" patented technology

Methods for the creation of microspheres treat the clear, intact crystalline lens of the eye with energy pulses, such as from lasers, for the purpose of correcting presbyopia, other refractive errors, and for the retardation and prevention of cataracts. Microsphere formation in non-contiguous patterns or in contiguous volumes works to change the flexure, mass, or shape of the crystalline lens in order to maintain or reestablish the focus of light passing through the ocular lens onto the macular area, and to maintain or reestablish fluid transport within the ocular lens.

The present invention provides monofocal ophthalmic lenses that exhibit extended depth of field while providing sufficient contrast for resolution of an image over a selected range of defocus distances. In some embodiments, a lens of the invention can include a refractive surface having controlled surface modulations relative to a base profile. The surface modulations are designed to extend a depth of field of the lens such that a single image can be resolved, albeit with somewhat less contrast, over a range of distances greater than the focal region of a conventional lens. The ophthalmic lenses of the invention can be employed in various vision correction applications, including, but not limited to, intraocular lenses, contact lenses, instrastromal implants and other refractive devices.

An adjustable ocular insert to be implanted during refractive cataract surgery and clear (human) crystalline lens refractive surgery and adjusted post-surgically. The implant comprises relatively soft but compressible and resilient base annulus designed to fit in the lens capsule and keep the lens capsule open. Alternatively the annulus may be placed in the anterior or posterior chamber. The annulus can include a pair of opposed haptics for secure positioning within the appropriate chamber. A rotatable annular lens member having external threads is threadedly engaged in the annulus. The lens member is rotated to move the lens forward or backward so to adjust and fine-tune the refractive power and focusing for hyperopia, myopia and astigmatism. The intraocular implant has a power range of approximately +3√0π−3 diopters.

Improved devices, systems, and methods for diagnosing, planning treatments of, and / or treating the refractive structures of an eye of a patient incorporate results of prior refractive corrections into a planned refractive treatment of a particular patient by driving an effective treatment vector function based on data from the prior eye treatments. The exemplary effective treatment vector employs an influence matrix which may allow improved refractive corrections to be generated so as to increase the overall accuracy of laser eye surgery (including LASIK, PRK, and the like), customized intraocular lenses (IOLs), refractive femtosecond treatments, and the like.

Devices, systems, and methods for treating and / or determining appropriate prescriptions for one or both eyes of a patient are particularly well-suited for addressing presbyopia, often in combination with concurrent treatments of other vision defects. High-order spherical aberration may be imposed in one or both of a patient's eyes, often as a controlled amount of negative spherical aberration extending across a pupil. A desired presbyopia-mitigating quantity of high-order spherical aberration may be defined by one or more spherical Zernike coefficients, which may be combined with Zernike coefficients generated from a wavefront aberrometer. The resulting prescription can be imposed using refractive surgical techniques such as laser eye surgery, using intraocular lenses and other implanted structures, using contact lenses, using temporary or permanent corneal reshaping techniques, and / or the like.

The invention is directed to a system and methods for automatically determining a multiple number of viable treatment plans for correcting a patient's vision via photoablative refractive surgery. Embodiments of the invention rely on selected various diagnostic input about the patient's eye to classify the eye as being particularly suitable for treatment by several different treatment algorithms. The invention is further directed to the simultaneous presentation of various treatment plans based upon selected input data and available treatment algorithms that can be reviewed, modified, and ultimately selected for application. A system embodiment according to the invention includes a component for receiving the diagnostic input data about the patient's vision, for analyzing the input data and determining the potentially usable treatment algorithms, and for processing the potentially usable treatment algorithms based upon the input data, and a component for displaying the multilevel graphical user interface which facilitates review, modification, and selection of viable treatment plans for correcting the patient's vision. The system is further operably associated with a storage medium for storing calculated and selected treatment plans which include executable instructions for a photoablative laser component of the system to deliver a selected treatment plan to the patient's eye.

The apparatus for correction presbyopia comprises a photorefractive surgery laser beam device operating by means of a control program capable of managing the following instructions: extent of at least a first circular area of intervention, which determines at least first laser beam aiming parameters; at least a first depth of intervention in the first area of intervention, which determines at least first intensity and / or duration parameters for the laser beam; at least a first activation of the laser beam with the first aiming parameters an the first intensity and / or duration parameters; extent of at least a second circular area of intervention, concentric, superimposed and with a diameter different from the first area of intervention, which determines at least second laser beam aiming parameters; at least a second depth of intervention in the second area of intervention, which determines at least second intensity and / or duration parameters for the laser beam; and at least a second activation of the laser beam, following on from the first activation, with the second aiming parameters and the second intensity and / or duration parameters.

An improved ophthalmic imaging instrument including a wavefront sensor-based adaptive optical subsystem that measures phase aberrations in reflections derived from light produced by an imaging light source and compensates for such phase aberrations when capturing images of reflections derived from light produced by the same imaging light source. The high-resolution image data captured by the improved ophthalmic imaging instrument can be used to assist in detection and diagnosis (such as color imaging, fluorescein angiography, indocyanine green angiography) of abnormalities and disease in the human eye and treatment (including pre-surgery preparation and computer-assisted eye surgery such as laser refractive surgery) of abnormalities and disease in the human eye.

An orientation method for corrective eye surgery that registers pairs of eye images taken at different times and with the patient in different positions includes retrieving reference digital image data on an eye of the patient, including image data on an extracorneal eye feature. Real-time image data are collected that include image data on the extracorneal eye feature. A combined image is displayed of a superposition of the data sets, and a determination is made as to whether the combined image indicates an adequate registration between them based upon the extracorneal eye feature data in the two data sets. If the registration is not adequate, one of the data sets is manipulated until an adequate registration is achieved. A system is directed to apparatus and software for orienting a corrective program for eye surgery.

Methods for the creation of microspheres treat the clear, intact crystalline lens of the eye with energy pulses, such as from lasers, for the purpose of correcting presbyopia, other refractive errors, and for the retardation and prevention of cataracts. Microsphere formation in non-contiguous patterns or in contiguous volumes works to change the flexure, mass, or shape of the crystalline lens in order to maintain or reestablish the focus of light passing through the ocular lens onto the macular area, and to maintain or reestablish fluid transport within the ocular lens.

The invention comprises a surgical drape formed of a sheet material having a periphery and with a particular type of aperture spaced from periphery. The invention further comprises a method of using the drape. The aperture has a dominant portion and at least one subordinate portion. At least one subordinate portion of the aperture radially extends from the dominant portion. An adhesive layer may underlie an area surrounding the aperture.

A method of accurately fabricating a non-human donor corneal tissue for implantation into a recipient human cornea, the method comprising the steps of: removing corneal tissue from a donor with a femtosecond laser; placing the corneal tissue in a fixative solution for a selected time interval to cross-link the collagen fibrils in the tissue and prevent swelling of the corneal tissue; and shaping the tissue to provide a conical inlay of a selected shape and thickness having one or more radial extensions. The method is such that the corneal inlay may be attached to the peripheral corneal and / or the sclera. The method is such that the corneal inlay may be stored for a period of up to two years prior to attachment.

Optical correction methods, devices, and systems reduce optical aberrations or inhibit refractive surgery induced aberrations. Error source control and adjustment or optimization of ablation profiles or other optical data address high order aberrations. A simulation approach identifies and characterizes system factors that can contribute to, or that can be adjusted to inhibit, optical aberrations. Modeling effects of system components facilitates adjustment of the system parameters.

A corneal topography analysis system includes: an input unit for inputting corneal curvature data; and an analysis unit that determines plural indexes characterizing topography of the cornea based on the input corneal curvature data, the analysis unit further judges corneal topography from features inherent in predetermined classifications of corneal topography using the determined indexes and a neural network so as to judge at least one of normal cornea, myopic refractive surgery, hyperopic refractive surgery, corneal astigmatism, penetrating keratoplasty, keratoconus, keratoconus suspect, pellucid marginal degeneration, or other classification of corneal topography.

A method and apparatus for a refractive surgical treatment that uses a laser which produces a succession of laser pulses applied to a material region. The laser pulses irradicates the material region to be divided where the energy of the individual pulse in less than the energy required to produce the material division or cutting.

A corneal topography analysis system includes: an input unit for inputting corneal curvature data; and an analysis unit that determines plural indexes characterizing topography of the cornea based on the input corneal curvature data, the analysis unit further judges corneal topography from features inherent in predetermined classifications of corneal topography using the determined indexes and a neural network so as to judge at least one of normal cornea, myopic refractive surgery, hyperopic refractive surgery, corneal astigmatism, penetrating keratoplasty, keratoconus, keratoconus suspect, pellucid marginal degeneration, or other classification of corneal topography.

An ophthalmic apparatus which allows a patient to experience a manner of view after surgery (after correction) prior to surgery (prior to correction) and is capable of obtaining information required for performing refractive surgery suitable for the patient. The apparatus, which allows a patient to experience a manner of view after correction of optical aberration of a patient's eye, includes a target presenting optical system for presenting a target which the patient's eye is made to visually recognize, an aberration correcting optical system, which is arranged within an optical path of the target presenting optical system and has a light shaping optical unit which performs light shaping, for correcting the optical aberration of the patient's eye, an input unit which inputs data for correcting the optical aberration of the patient's eye, and a control unit which controls driving of the aberration correcting optical system based on the inputted correction data.

The present invention relates to a method of altering the refractive properties of the eye, the method including applying a substance to a cornea of an eye, the substance configured to facilitate cross linking of the cornea, irradiating the cornea so as to activate cross linkers in the cornea, and altering the cornea so as to change the refractive properties of the eye.

Ophthalmic surgical blades are manufactured from either a crystalline or polycrystalline material, preferably in the form of a wafer. The method comprises preparing the crystalline or polycrystalline wafers by mounting them and machining trenches into the wafers. Methods for machining the trenches, which form the bevel blade surfaces, include a diamond blade saw, laser system, ultrasonic machine, a hot forge press and a router. The wafers are then placed in an etchant solution which isotropically etches the wafers in a uniform manner, such that layers of crystalline or polycrystalline material are removed uniformly, producing single, double or multiple bevel blades. Nearly any bevel angle can be machined into the wafer which remains after etching. The resulting radii of the blade edges is 5-500 nm, which is the same caliber as a diamond edged blade, but manufactured at a fraction of the cost. The ophthalmic surgical blades can be used for cataract and refractive surgical procedures, as well as microsurgical, biological and non-medical, non-biological purposes.

The present invention provides a catadioptric optical system and an image pickup apparatus. A thin catadioptric optical system having a prescribed imaging performance, and a bright and long focal length with a small low back factor is provided. A catadioptric optical system and an imaging pickup device including the catadioptric optical system are provided. The catadioptric optical system is a coaxial birefringent optical system, and has a first lens and a second lens which are arranged at an air interval from an object side; a first refractive surface is formed in a peripheral region of a surface on the object side of the first lens; a second reflecting surface is formed in a central region of the surface on the object side of the first lens; a first reflecting surface is formed in the peripheral region of a surface on an imaging side of the second lens; the second refractive surface is formed in a central region of the surface on the imaging side of the second lens; and predeterminedconditions related to the effective diameters of the first reflecting surface and the second reflecting surface are satisfied.

The present invention relates to a method of altering the refractive properties of the eye, the method including applying a substance to a cornea of an eye, the substance configured to facilitate cross linking of the cornea, irradiating the cornea so as to activate cross linkers in the cornea, and altering the cornea so as to change the refractive properties of the eye.

The present invention relates to a femtosecond laser ophthalmological apparatus and method that creates a flap on the cornea for LASIK refractive surgery or for other applications that require removal of corneal and lens tissue at specific locations such as in corneal transplants, stromal tunnels, corneal lenticular extraction and cataract surgery. The femtosecond laser is transferred to a hand piece module via a rotating mirror arm module. In the hand piece, the femtosecond laser beam is scanned into overlapping circles of laser pulses which are then moved in an overlapping trajectory on a patient's eye to ablate the eye tissue in a predetermined pattern.

Selection of an appropriate intraocular lens (IOL) and / or the applicable surgical parameters for optimizing the results of refractive procedures on the eye. Features of the IOL are crucial for the selection and / or adjustment of the optimal IOL, but so is the IOL selection method (and parameters) from a surgical perspective. For the method, corresponding output parameters are determined from predetermined, estimated, or measured input parameters and / or their mean values, wherein at least two input parameters are varied with one another and which have at least one input parameter as a distribution function. The resulting function is optimized by means of corresponding target values and the determined distribution function of one or more output parameters is used as a decision aid. The present solution is used for selecting an appropriate IOL and / or the applicable surgical parameters and is applicable in the field of eye surgery for implanting IOLs.

The invention discloses a cornea measuring method and a cornea measuring system. The cornea measuring method comprises the following steps: carrying out measurement by adopting an optical coherence tomography method, thus obtaining the optical path L0 from the front surface to the rear surface of the cornea; moving a focusing lens, wherein when the focal point of detection light is located on thefront and rear surfaces of the cornea, the signal intensity is the maximal value, and acquiring the distance L1 between the two corresponding positions where the focusing lens is located when the focal point of detection light is located on the front and rear surfaces of the cornea; acquiring the refractive index of the cornea and the thickness of the cornea by utilizing the ray tracing technology. With the method and the system, the non-contact in-vivo accurate measurement for the refractive index of the cornea and the thickness of the cornea is realized and can serve as the reference for therefractive surgery of the human eyes, a reliable basis is provided for calculating the eye parameters, and thus the ideal refraction effect is achieved for the human eyes after the surgery.

Aspects extend to methods, systems, and computer program products for providing personalized surgery recommendations for eye patients. Surgery types, and surgery parameters can be recommended for a patient based on predicted post-operative UCVA for the patient if the surgery types and surgery parameters were to be used. Predicting post-operative UCVA can be handled as a regression problem based on patient demography and pre-operative examination details. In an additional aspect, surgery parameters are automatically determined and / or optimized for improved post-operative UCVA by including surgery parameters in a regression model.

In an ocular laser system, preferably for photoablative refractive surgery, a component device, preferably an optical coherence tomography device, for measuring corneal thickness detects the first and second Purkinje reflection is used for its measurement, otherwise, the reflected signal is not strong enough for OCT measurement. The beam axis of the system therapeutic laser is aligned with the OCT probe beam. When the first and second Purkinje reflections of the OCT probe beam are detected, the OCT device generates a signal and sends the signal to the eye tracker part of the system, starting the eye tracker. This objectively enables automatic engagement of the eye tracker and alignment of the patient optical axis with the treatment axis or diagnostic beam axis.

The invention relates to medical instruments and methods for performing eye surgery to correct focusing deficiencies of the cornea. More particularly, the present invention relates to mechanical instruments known as microkeratomes, and related surgical methods for performing lamellar keratotomies and refractive surgery. The device is designed to create a flap of epithelium, or stroma and epithelial flap as is done now with LASIK. This will enable a new technique, ELF, or Epithelial Laser Flap, which will combine the advantages of LASIK and PRK, an older, but easier technique.

A panoramic image acquisition device comprises a catadioptric lens group (210) and a photosensitive module (220). The catadioptric lens group has a reflecting surface (211) and at least one refractive surface (212, 313, 214) configured to converge incident light. The reflecting surface is disposed behind all of the refractive surfaces along a light incidence direction, such that incident light passes through all of the refractive surfaces, is reflected, passes through all of the refractive surfaces again, and is emitted. The photosensitive module is configured to sense convergent light that has passed through the catadioptric lens group. Since the panoramic image acquisition device employs the catadioptric lens group combining the refractive surface and the reflecting surface to collect incident light, a converging effect of the refractive surface cooperating with the reflecting surface can be enhanced exponentially. The panoramic image acquisition device greatly improves the capacity of a photosensitive module to acquire light with the same reflecting lens area, facilitates obtaining a clear image, and increases resolution.