Method for providing control data for ophthalmic laser of treatment device

Abstract

The invention relates to a treatment device (10) and a method for providing control data for an ophthalmic laser (12) of a treatment device (10). The method comprises: capturing (S10) at least one eye picture of an eye (16) by a camera device (28); determining (S12) a phenomenon structure (24) of the eye (16) from the eye picture by means of a computing device (18), wherein the computing device (18) determines the phenomenon structure (24) by means of an image analysis algorithm; determining (S14), by the computing device (18), a treatment location (26) in the eye for treatment with the ophthalmic laser (12) from the phenomenon structure (24); and providing (S16), by the computing device (18), control data for the treatment device (10), the control data comprising a treatment location (26) in the eye (16) for treatment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a method for providing control data for an ophthalmic laser of a treatment device. Furthermore, the invention relates to a treatment device having at least one ophthalmic laser, which treatment device is formed to carry out the method. Background Art

[0002] The prior art is known for therapeutic devices and methods for controlling ophthalmic lasers to correct optical visual disorders and / or pathological or unnaturally altered corneal regions, wherein, for example, pulsed lasers and beam focusing devices can be formed such that the laser pulses effect photodisruption and / or ablation, in particular plasma-assisted ablation, at a focal point located within the organic tissue in order to remove tissue, in particular a tissue lens, from the cornea.

[0003] Among them, the treatment area for treating the cornea is usually set by the user of the treatment device, and the treatment position in the treatment area is determined to be irradiated with laser. However, if a problem occurs in the irradiation of the treatment area, such as the treatment must be interrupted or stopped, it is usually difficult to adjust the originally planned treatment area again and continue irradiation. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The object of the present invention is to improve the planning of treatment positions, in particular with regard to inadequate pre-treatment in ophthalmic laser treatments.

[0006] This object is solved by the independent claims. Advantageous developments of the invention are disclosed in the dependent claims, the following description and the drawings.

[0007] The invention is based on the idea that positioning the laser pulses in the eye is performed based on a phenomenon structure that can be identified in the eye by a camera device of a treatment device. In particular, the camera device can identify previously performed treatments (e.g., treatments that were not performed adequately), in particular already irradiated locations in the eye, and new treatment locations can then be adjusted based on the identified already irradiated locations (e.g., for subsequent treatments).

[0008] One aspect of the present invention relates to a method for providing control data for an ophthalmic laser of a treatment device. The method comprises: acquiring at least one eye picture of the eye by a camera device; determining a phenomenal structure of the eye from the eye picture by a computing device, wherein the computing device determines the phenomenal structure by an image analysis algorithm; determining a treatment position in the eye for treatment with an ophthalmic laser based on the phenomenal structure by the computing device; and providing control data for the treatment device by the computing device, the control data comprising the treatment position in the eye for treatment.

[0009] In other words, an optical eye picture of the eye to be treated can be captured by a camera device, which camera device particularly includes one or more cameras. The eye picture can then be analyzed by an image analysis algorithm operated by a computing device to determine the phenomenal structure in the eye. The phenomenal structure can be, for example, a structure in the iris, the shape and / or position of the pupil, optionally also a structure related to the visual axis, the shape of the cornea (e.g., curvature and / or gradient and / or size) and / or an area of ​​unnatural change of the cornea, such as an existing, beginning or ongoing deformation of the cornea. In particular, the phenomenal structure can also include a location in the cornea that has been treated, such as an insufficiently or incompletely treated area in the cornea that has been irradiated with a laser. Here, the image analysis algorithm can use edge detection and / or intensity detection to determine the structure. Alternatively or additionally, the image recognition algorithm can be trained to preset structures so that structures or structural deviations are recognized by artificial intelligence.

[0010] After determining the phenomenal structures, the computing device can plan treatment locations in the eye that will be irradiated by the ophthalmic laser. Among them, the treatment locations can be determined based on the determined phenomenal structures. For example, an adjustment and / or positioning of a predetermined treatment contour can be performed, for example centered around the pupil center and / or the cornea center. In addition, unnatural or pathologically altered areas in the cornea can be identified as phenomenal structures, and treatments for removing these structures can be located and / or treatment locations for completing insufficient or incomplete pre-treatments can be determined to complete the pre-treatment.

[0011] Finally, the computing device can provide control data for the treatment device, the control data including the determined treatment position for the treatment. The treatment device, in particular the ophthalmic laser and / or the beam deflection device, can be controlled by the computing device or the control device via the control data. The control data can include a corresponding data set for positioning and / or focusing the individual laser pulses in the cornea. Additionally or alternatively, the control data can include a corresponding data set for adjusting at least one beam device for beam guiding and / or beam shaping and / or beam deflection and / or beam focusing the laser beam of the individual laser.

[0012] The camera device and / or the computing device may belong to the treatment apparatus or may be provided separately. The computing device may be an instrument or an instrument component, in particular a computer or a processor, which can control the method steps.

[0013] By means of the present invention, an advantage is that the treatment position can be planned more accurately, thereby improving the treatment of the treatment device.

[0014] The invention also includes embodiments that produce additional advantages.

[0015] In one embodiment, at least one eye picture of an eye treated with an ophthalmic laser device is acquired, determining the phenomenal structure of the eye is determining a previously treated position of the eye from the eye picture, wherein the computing device determines the previously treated position by means of an image analysis algorithm, determining the treatment position in the eye is determining the treatment position in the eye based on the previously treated position of the eye for subsequent treatment with the ophthalmic laser and providing control data for the subsequent treatment of the eye. This means that the phenomenal structure is a previously treated position, for example generated in an aborted pre-treatment, and based on the determined previously treated position a new treatment position is determined, in particular for the subsequent treatment of the eye. The previously treated position may in particular be insufficient or incomplete, for example, as may be identified from the eye picture by means of an image recognition algorithm, which may identify the previously treated position by means of, for example, edge detection and / or intensity distribution (threshold method) and / or by comparison with an untreated eye. The laser device used for the previously treated eye may be a treatment device or a device different therefrom. In particular, previously treated locations may be incomplete, may have been irradiated with an excimer laser and / or a femtosecond laser, for example including marginal incisions that did not reach the surface, locations in the cornea, treatment interruptions occurred during treatment, before the treatment and / or incisions were completed, which may occur, for example, due to a vacuum break in the fixation device and / or cessation of treatment by the surgeon. In addition to ophthalmic surgical treatment, new treatment locations can also be obtained for laser-induced refractive index changes to correct previous treatments and / or concomitant correction of progressive ocular changes, in particular presbyopia. With this embodiment, an advantage is that insufficient or incomplete pre-treatments can be identified by the camera device, and subsequent treatments to complete or correct the pre-treatments can be planned on this basis, thereby improving the treatment.

[0016] In another embodiment, when determining the treatment position for the subsequent treatment of the eye, the position of the eye that has not yet been treated is determined. This means that a treatment interruption may have occurred during the pre-treatment, so that not the entire treatment area has been irradiated with the laser. The previously irradiated area can then be determined by the camera device, and the remaining area can be supplemented by the newly determined treatment position.

[0017] Specifically, it is provided that the untreated position of the eye is determined based on the difference between the preset entire treatment area and the determined previously treated position. The entire treatment area can be preset based on predetermined inspection data of the laser device and / or previously planned control data. Thus, the untreated position can be determined using a supplementary area of ​​the previously treated position or the difference between the entire treatment area and the previously treated position.

[0018] In another embodiment, previously treated positions and not yet treated positions in the eye are both set as treatment positions, wherein in the control data, first irradiation parameters are set for the treatment positions of the treated positions and second irradiation parameters are set for the not yet treated positions, wherein the first irradiation parameters and the second irradiation parameters are different from each other. In other words, the entire treatment area can be post-processed again, wherein other irradiation parameters can be adjusted for the treated positions instead of for the untreated positions. Here, for example, the energy and / or the spatial pulse distance can be adjusted as irradiation parameters. In particular, it can be provided that the already irradiated positions are irradiated with a lower energy deposition than the not yet irradiated treatment positions. Alternatively, it can also be provided that the entire treatment area, including the previously irradiated treatment positions and the treatment positions still to be irradiated, is irradiated again with the same irradiation parameters.

[0019] In another embodiment, the ophthalmic laser device comprises a camera device, by means of which at least one picture of the eye can be acquired during a pre-treatment of the eye. In other words, a laser device different from the treatment device can comprise a camera device, by means of which a picture of the eye can be captured. Thus, the picture of the eye originates from the pre-treatment, wherein it can be transferred to the new treatment by the treatment device. The advantage resulting from the use of the picture of the eye from the pre-treatment is that the treatment area remains clearly visible, in particular the opacity, which decreases over time. The picture of the eye from the pre-treatment can be scaled to the coordinate system of the treatment device by adjustment (e.g. translation, rotation and / or scaling). In particular, the treatment position can also be realized based on the phenomenal structures of the eye detected in terms of image processing, which phenomenal structures are stored in the image and / or video data.

[0020] In another embodiment, the treatment device comprises a camera device and a computing device, by means of which the treatment position is determined before the subsequent treatment is carried out. Alternatively, an additional diagnostic device can also be provided, which determines the treatment position and transmits control data to the treatment device. The advantage of the treatment device comprising a camera device and a computing device is that no further adjustments of the treatment device, in particular scaling of the eye picture, are required, and the subsequent treatment can be started directly.

[0021] In particular, provision is made to determine treatment locations for corneal incisions and / or corneal tissue ablations and / or laser-induced refractive index changes.

[0022] In another embodiment, the camera device captures the eye picture in the visible and / or infrared spectral range. This means that the camera device may include a light source that can radiate light in the visible and / or infrared spectral range. Therefore, the camera device may include a camera that is formed to detect a corresponding reflected light signal of the light source.

[0023] In another embodiment, the camera device comprises a slit lamp, by means of which a plurality of eye pictures with respectively changed slit adjustments are captured, wherein the phenomenal structure of the eye is determined from the plurality of eye pictures. By means of the slit lamp, a strictly limited slit-shaped light beam can be directed to the eye to capture parts of the eye, in particular also to capture parts of the eye in the depth direction. Thus, the eye can be scanned by the slit lamp to capture the phenomenal structure, in particular the treated position of the eye. Here, the slit adjustment can comprise a slit width and / or a slit position, which can be adjusted to scan the eye. Thereby, the advantage is that the phenomenal structure of the eye can be identified in an improved manner.

[0024] Another aspect of the invention relates to a treatment device having at least one ophthalmic laser for treating a human or animal eye by optical decomposition, in particular by photodisruption and / or photoablation, and / or by laser-induced optical refractive index change, wherein the treatment device comprises at least one camera device and a computing device, wherein the treatment device is designed to carry out the above-mentioned method. Here, the same advantages and variant possibilities arise as in the method. In particular, the treatment device can also include a control device, which is designed to control the laser by means of the control data provided, wherein the control device can be a computing device.

[0025] The method may include at least one additional step, which is performed if and only if an application case or application situation occurs, which application case or application situation is not explicitly described here. For example, this step may include outputting an error message and / or outputting a request for input user feedback. Additionally or alternatively, it may be provided that a default setting and / or a predetermined initial state is adjusted.

[0026] On the other hand, it is related to a control device, which is formed to perform the steps of at least one embodiment of the aforementioned method. In addition, the control device may include a computing unit for electronic data processing, such as a processor. The computing unit may include at least one microcontroller and / or at least one microprocessor. The computing unit may be configured as an integrated circuit and / or a microchip. In addition, the control device may include an (electronic) data memory or a storage unit. A program code may be stored on a data memory, by which the steps of the corresponding embodiments of the corresponding method are encoded. The program code may include control data of the corresponding laser. The program code may be executed by a computing unit, thereby causing the control device to perform the corresponding embodiment. The control device may be formed as a control chip or a control unit. The control device may be included in a computer or a computer cluster, for example.

[0027] Another aspect relates to a computer program. The computer program includes, for example, commands forming a program code. The program code may include at least one control data set having corresponding control data for a corresponding laser. When the program code is executed by a computer or a computer cluster, the previously described method or at least one embodiment thereof is performed.

[0028] On the other hand, it relates to a computer-readable medium (storage medium) on which the above-mentioned computer program and its commands are stored respectively. In order to execute the computer program, a computer or a computer cluster can access the computer-readable medium and read out its content. For example, the storage medium is formed as a data memory, in particular at least partially formed as a volatile or non-volatile data memory. The non-volatile data memory can be a flash memory and / or an SSD (solid state drive) and / or a hard disk. The volatile data memory can be a RAM (random access memory). For example, the command can exist as a source code of a programming language and / or as an assembler and / or as a binary code.

[0029] Further features and advantages of one of the described aspects of the invention may result from the development of another aspect of the invention.Thus, if the features of the embodiments of the invention are not explicitly described as mutually exclusive, they may exist in any combination with one another. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] Below, additional features and advantages of the present invention are described in the form of advantageous implementation examples based on the accompanying drawings. The features or feature combinations of the implementation examples described below may exist in any combination in combination with each other and / or with the feature combinations of the embodiments. This means that the features of the implementation examples may supplement and / or replace the features of the embodiments, and vice versa. Therefore, embodiments are also considered to be covered and disclosed by the present invention, which are not explicitly shown or explained in the drawings, but are produced and can be generated by separate feature combinations from the implementation examples and / or embodiments. Therefore, embodiments are also considered to be disclosed, which do not include all the features of the originally proposed claims or extend beyond or deviate from the feature combinations set forth in the relationship of the claims. For the implementation examples, it is shown:

[0031] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a therapeutic device according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0032] Figure 2 is a diagram of a schematic method for providing control data according to an exemplary embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0034] Figure 1A schematic diagram of a treatment device 10 is shown, which is provided with an ophthalmic laser 12 for treating an eye 16, in particular a cornea of ​​the eye 16, by photodisruption and / or photoablation and / or laser-induced refractive index change. In this embodiment, for treatment purposes, an incision surface 14 (e.g., anterior and / or posterior incision surfaces for producing a lens in the cornea of ​​the eye 16) can be separated from the cornea using the ophthalmic laser 12 to correct visual impairment. The geometry of the treatment position and / or incision surface 14 can be provided by a computing device 18, which can be formed as a control device of the treatment device 10, in particular in the form of control data, so that the laser 12 emits pulsed laser pulses to the eye 16 in a pattern predefined by the control data to produce the incision surface 14. Alternatively, the computing device 18 can be a computing device 18 that is external to the treatment device 10.

[0035] also, Figure 1 It is shown that a laser beam 20 generated by a laser can be deflected by a beam deflection device 22 (eg, a rotating scanner) toward the eye 16 into the cornea to produce the incision surface 14. The beam deflection device 22 can also be controlled by the computing device 18.

[0036] The illustrated laser 12 may be a photodisruption and / or photoablation laser configured to emit laser pulses having a wavelength in the range of 150 nm to 1400 nm (e.g., 700 nm to 1200 nm or 150 nm to 250 nm), a pulse duration between 1 femtosecond and 15 nanoseconds (e.g., 10 femtoseconds to 10 picoseconds or 5 nanoseconds to 15 nanoseconds), and a repetition rate between 500 Hz to 10 kHz (e.g., 100 kHz to 100 MHz or 500 Hz to 1050 Hz). In addition, the computing device 18 optionally includes a storage device (not shown) for at least temporarily storing at least one control data set, wherein the control data set or multiple control data sets include control data for positioning and / or focusing individual laser pulses in the cornea of ​​the eye 16.

[0037] Furthermore, the treatment device 10 can include a camera device 28 , which can be formed to acquire pictures of the eye in the visible and / or infrared spectral range, in particular to capture phenomenal structures in the eye 16 .

[0038] During treatment with the treatment device 10 and / or pre-treatment with another ophthalmic laser device (not shown), it may happen that the treatment must be interrupted or the treatment is insufficient. Thus, for example, there may be a region 24 including previously treated locations and a region 26 including treatment locations that have not yet been treated in the incision 14. For example, it may have been planned that the incision surface 14 is generated by a spiral pattern that leads from the outside to the inside, so that the inner region 26 is not irradiated when the treatment is interrupted.

[0039] To complete such incomplete treatment or plan treatment for other phenomenal structures of the eye 16, such as tailoring treatment based on iris structure, a Figure 2 The method shown in .

[0040] exist Figure 2 In the figure, a schematic diagram of a method for providing control data for an ophthalmic laser 12 of a treatment device 10 is shown. By means of this method, treatment locations in the eye 16 can generally be planned based on phenomena structures identified in the eye, wherein the provision of control data based on an unfinished incision 14 in the cornea is described below by way of example, wherein the phenomena structure here can be an already treated location 24 in the eye 16.

[0041] In step S10, at least one eye picture of the eye 16 can be captured by the camera device 28, wherein the eye picture includes the treated location 24. Alternatively, the camera device 28 can also be a laser device, by which a pre-processing has been performed so that the eye picture can then be transmitted to the treatment device 10, in particular the computing device 18. The camera device 28 can acquire the eye picture in the visible and / or infrared spectral range.

[0042] In step S12, the computing device 18 can determine the previously processed position 24 from the eye picture by an image analysis algorithm, for example by edge detection and / or detection based on intensity distribution. Specifically, the camera device 28 can also include a slit lamp (not shown), by which various areas can be scanned so that the recognition of the phenomenon structure (previously processed position 24) by the image analysis algorithm can be simplified.

[0043] In step S14, treatment locations 26 for subsequent treatment with the laser 12 may be determined based on previously treated locations 24. Furthermore, the difference range of the entire incision surface 14 and previously treated locations 24 may be determined, for example, to determine treatment locations 26 still missing.

[0044] It can also be provided that the entire incision surface 14 is defined again as a treatment area, wherein the already irradiated positions 24 are planned to be newly irradiated, whose irradiation parameters differ from the irradiation parameters of the not yet irradiated irradiation positions 26. The not yet irradiated irradiation positions 26 can in particular be planned with a higher power density than the already irradiated positions 24.

[0045] Finally, in step S16, the computing device 18 may provide control data for the treatment apparatus 10, in particular for subsequent treatment of the eye 16, wherein the control data includes the treatment position 26. The computing device 18 may then control the laser 12 and / or the beam deflection device 22 to irradiate.

[0046] In general, these embodiments demonstrate how treatment localization can be provided with the support of image analysis algorithms.

Claims

1. A method for providing control data for an ophthalmic laser (12) of a treatment device (10), wherein the method comprises the following steps: - capturing (S10) at least one eye picture of the eye (16) by means of a camera device (28); - determining (S12) a phenomenal structure (24) of the eye (16) from the eye picture by means of a computing device (18), wherein the computing device (18) determines the phenomenal structure (24) by means of an image analysis algorithm; - determining (S14) by means of the calculation device (18) a treatment location (26) in the eye for treatment with the ophthalmic laser (12) based on the phenomenon structure (24); - providing (S16) control data to the treatment device (10) by means of the computing means (18), the control data comprising a treatment location (26) in the eye (16) for treatment.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein - capturing (S10) said at least one eye picture of the eye (16) treated with the ophthalmic laser device; - determining (S12) the phenomenal structure of the eye (16) is determining the position (24) of a previous treatment of the eye (16) from the eye picture, wherein the computing device (18) determines the position (24) of the previous treatment by means of the image analysis algorithm; - determining (S14) a treatment position in the eye is determining a treatment position (26) in the eye (16) based on the previously treated position (24) of the eye (16) for subsequent treatment with the ophthalmic laser (12); and - providing (S16) control data for said subsequent treatment of said eye (16).

3. The method of claim 2, wherein when determining the treatment position for the subsequent treatment of the eye, a position (26) of the eye (16) that has not yet been treated is determined.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the untreated position (26) of the eye (16) is determined based on the difference between a preset overall treatment area (14) and a determined previously treated position (24).

5. The method according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the previously treated position (24) and the untreated position (26) in the eye (16) are both set as the treatment positions, wherein in the control data, a first irradiation parameter is set for the treatment position of the treated position (24), and a second irradiation parameter is set for the untreated position (26), wherein the first irradiation parameter and the second irradiation parameter are different from each other.

6. The method according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the ophthalmic laser device comprises the camera device (28) by means of which the at least one eye picture is acquired during pre-treatment of the eye (16).

7. The method according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the treatment device (10) comprises a camera device (28) and a computing device (18) by means of which the treatment position is determined before a subsequent treatment is performed.

8. The method according to any one of claims 2 to 7, wherein the treatment position is determined for an incision (14) in the cornea and / or corneal tissue ablation and / or laser-induced refractive index change.

9. Method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the eye picture is captured by the camera device (28) in the visible and / or infrared spectral range.

10. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the camera device (28) comprises a slit lamp, by means of which a plurality of eye pictures with respectively changed slit adjustments are captured, wherein the phenomenal structure of the eye is determined from the plurality of eye pictures.

11. A therapeutic device (10) having at least one ophthalmic laser (12) for treating a human or animal eye (16) by optical decomposition, in particular by photodisruption and / or photoablation, and / or by laser-induced changes in the optical refractive index, wherein the therapeutic device (10) comprises at least one camera device (28) and a computing device (18), wherein the therapeutic device (10) is formed to perform the method according to any of the preceding claims.

Images