48 results about "LASIK" patented technology

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.

A topical ophthalmic composition comprised of povidone-iodine 0.01% to 10.0% combined with a steroid or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug. This solution is useful in the treatment of active infections of at least one tissue of the eye (e.g., conjunctiva and cornea) from bacterial, mycobacterial, viral, fungal, or amoebic causes, as well as treatment to prevent such infections in appropriate clinical settings (e.g. corneal abrasion, postoperative prophylaxis, post-LASIK / LASEK prophylaxis). Additionally the solution is effective in the prevention of infection and inflammation in the post-operative ophthalmic patient.

A topical ophthalmic composition comprised of povidone-iodine 0.01% to 10.0% combined with a steroid or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug. This solution is useful in the treatment of active infections of at least one tissue of the eye (e.g., conjunctiva and cornea) from bacterial, mycobacterial, viral, fungal, or amoebic causes, as well as treatment to prevent such infections in appropriate clinical settings (e.g. corneal abrasion, postoperative prophylaxis, post-LASIK / LASEK prophylaxis). Additionally the solution is effective in the prevention of infection and inflammation in the post-operative ophthalmic patient.

Systems and methods are disclosed for registering a corneal flap for laser surgery on an eye. The method includes generating a first image of the eye during a diagnostic procedure, determining a corneal flap geometry referenced to the first image, generating a second image of the eye during to a treatment procedure, comparing the first image with the second image, and registering the corneal flap geometry of the first image to the second image.

A surgical procedure for implanting a lens or strengthening material in a cornea without making a flap as is done in Lasik procedures. A femtosecond laser or some future developed laser which has the same ability is modified to cut a pocket in the stroma layer of a cornea with no side cuts and only an opening at the surface of a cornea. Alternatively, a modified microkeratome shaped and sized to form the desired shape for a passageway bed cut which is cut to join a central bed cut. Alternatively, the passageway bed cut can be done using a femtosecond laser or some future developed laser which has the same ability. The passageway bed cut is smaller in dimension than a central bed cut of a pocket in which the lens will be implanted in procedures where an expandable lens or strengthening material is used. A modified microkeratome having a web, a central blade shaped to form the passageway bed cut and sled runner on either side of the blade and separated therefrom is also disclosed. A patient interface with a mask is also disclosed to allow a femtosecond laser or some future developed laser which has the same ability may also be used to form both the central bed cut and a passageway bed cut or only a single bed cut with an opening at the surface of the cornea to form the pocket is also disclosed.

An automated eye corneal striae detection system for use with a refractive laser system includes a cornea illuminator, a video camera interface, a computer, and a video display for showing possible eye corneal striae to the surgeon. The computer includes an interface to control the corneal illuminator, a video frame grabber which extracts images of the eye cornea from the video camera, and is programmed to detect and recognize eye corneal striae. The striae detection algorithm finds possible cornea striae, determines their location, or position, on the cornea and analyzes their shape. After all possible eye corneal striae are detected and analyzed, they are displayed for the surgeon on an external video display. The surgeon can then make a determination as to whether the corneal LASIK flap should be refloated, adjusted or smoothed again.

An automated eye corneal striae detection system for use with a refractive laser system includes a cornea illuminator, a video camera interface, a computer, and a video display for showing possible eye corneal striae to the surgeon. The computer includes an interface to control the corneal illuminator, a video frame grabber which extracts images of the eye cornea from the video camera, and is programmed to detect and recognize eye corneal striae. The striae detection algorithm finds possible cornea striae, determines their location, or position, on the cornea and analyzes their shape. After all possible eye corneal striae are detected and analyzed, they are displayed for the surgeon on an external video display. The surgeon can then make a determination as to whether the corneal LASIK flap should be refloated, adjusted or smoothed again.

The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical agent for treating Avellino corneal dystrophy, and more particularly, to a pharmaceutical composition for treating Avellino corneal dystrophy comprising pharmaceutically effective amount of blood plasma or serum as an active ingredient. The pharmaceutical composition of the present invention has an effect of improving symptoms by dissolving away hyaline granules in the cornea of a patient with severe Avellino corneal dystrophy due to LASIK surgery.

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.

A system and method are provided for an ophthalmic surgical procedure to provide a refractive correction for an eye. Specifically, the procedure is indicated when the desired refractive correction “dreqd” exceeds the capability of a correction achievable when corneal tissue is only ablated. In accordance with the present invention, an optimized refractive correction “d1” is accomplished by the ablation of corneal tissue (e.g. by a PRK or LASIK procedure). The optimized correction is then followed by a complementary refractive correction “d2” wherein stromal tissue is weakened with Laser Induced Optical Breakdown (LIOB). Together, the optimized refractive correction (ablation) and the complementary refractive correction (LIOB) equal the desire refractive correction (dreqd=d1+d2).

A system that can be used to perform an ophthalmic procedure. The system may include a patient support that supports a patient and a light source which can direct a beam of light onto the patient's cornea. The system may also include an airflow module that directs a flow of air above the cornea. The flow of air reduces the amount of contaminants that may become attached to the cornea during the procedure.

Ocular lubricant solutions are described. The solutions are adapted to facilitate the formation of a corneal flap during LASIK surgery. The solutions contain one or more viscosity enhancing agents (e.g., chondroitin sulfate) in a substantially salt-free, ophthalmically acceptable vehicle. Methods of lubricating the cornea to facilitate flap formation are also described.

This invention is directed to a method for providing a LASIK or a LASEK myopia vision correction, and to a medium that has stored therein an instruction for directing a laser vision correcting laser platform to deliver a controlled biodynamic ablation according to the invention. A known biodynamic response of the eye is induced by performing a controlled laser ablation in a cornea of the eye outside of an optical zone for the nominal ablation in a laser vision correction surgery. An ablation ring, or portion thereof, outside of the optical zone produces a biodynamic flattening of the central region of the cornea which in turn provides for a decreased depth of volumetric ablation to correct a myopic refractive defect of the eye. Such controlled biodynamic flattening may provide the opportunity for laser vision correction in patients whose corneas would otherwise be too thin post-operatively to warrant laser vision correction.

An embodiment in accordance with the present invention provides an apparatus and method for injecting a lens into a flap or pocket in the cornea. This lens or pocket preferably is created by a laser used in conventional lasik surgery. The apparatus includes a syringe or handle, a plunger extending movably through the lumen of the syringe, and a paddle. The paddle extends from the distal end of the syringe and is configured to hold the lens to be injected into the eye. The paddle also defines a fluid flow path in fluid communication with the lumen of the syringe and configured to allow saline to flow onto the paddle to lift the lens from the paddle, such that the lens can be inserted into the eye.

A method and system are disclosed for evaluating the safety of a prospective secondary LASIK treatment to correct a person's vision. The difficulties with making an accurate, direct measurement of corneal thickness of a cornea having a pre-existing keratectomy are overcome by using pre-LASIK topography and pachymetry measurements, and per- and post-LASIK wavefront measurements to determine post-LASIK corneal thickness, and thus the suitability and safety of a prospective secondary LASIK procedure. A system embodiment includes diagnostic and computing platforms for generating and analyzing data, and a device readable medium for storing and transferring an instruction to a laser ablation system.

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.

The present invention provides a novel pharmaceutical agent for recovering corneal sensitivity after corneal surgery and improving symptoms of dry eye. This pharmaceutical agent is useful for improving decreased corneal sensitivity and dry eye associated with corneal neurodegeneration such as post-cataract operation, post-LASIK operation, post-PRK operation, postkeratoplasty operation, neuroparalytic keratopathy, corneal ulcer, diabetic keratopathy and the like, since it contains a Rho protein inhibitor.

A method and apparatus for the storage and retrieval of information and records in the eye of an implantee or patient. Patient medical information or other data in the form of indica is imparted to an implant that is engaged into a cavity in the eye during eye surgery. The indicia imparted may be read through the clear tissue of the eye, using an optical magnifier once implanted. Indica is imparted to the implant using a laser or photographically or printing. Conventionally employed laser surgery equipment used for LASIK and similar surgeries can be easily adapted to both impart the indica to the implant and form a cavity to hold the implant for subsequent viewing of the visible indica.

A low swell, long-lived hydrogel sealant formed by reacting a highly oxidized polysaccharide containing aldehyde groups with a multi-arm amine is described. The hydrogel sealant may be particularly suitable for applications requiring low swell and slow degradation, for example, ophthalmic applications such as sealing wounds resulting from trauma such as corneal lacerations, or from surgical procedures such as vitrectomy procedures, cataract surgery, LASIK surgery, glaucoma surgery, and corneal transplants; neurosurgery applications, such as sealing the dura; and as a plug to seal a fistula or the punctum. The low swell, long-lived hydrogel sealant may also be useful as a tissue sealant and adhesive, and as an anti-adhesion barrier.

The present invention provides a new type of pharmaceutical agent that recovers corneal sensitivity after corneal surgery or improves the condition of dry eye. Application of a somatostatin receptor agonist is expected to provide an improvement effect on decreased corneal sensitivity after cataract surgery or LASIK surgery, decreased corneal sensitivity and dry eye associated with corneal neurodegeneration such as neuroparalytic keratopathy, corneal ulcer, diabetic keratopathy and the like.

The invention utilizes a digital holographic adaptive optics (DHAO) system to replace hardware components in a conventional AO system with numerical processing for wavefront measurement and compensation of aberration by the principles of digital holography. Wavefront sensing and correction by DHAO have almost the full resolution of a CCD camera. The approach is inherently faster than conventional AO because it does not involve feedback and iteration, and the dynamic range of deformation measurement is essentially unlimited. The new aberration correction system can be incorporated into a conventional fundus camera with minor modification and achieve high resolution imaging of a retinal cone mosaic. It can generate profiles of the retinal vasculature and measure blood flow. It can also provide real-time profiles of ocular aberration during refractive (Lasik) surgery and generate three-dimensional maps of intraocular debris.

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 from the main cabinet to a hand piece module via a rotating mirror set module. In the hand piece, the femtosecond laser beam is scanned and guided to the patient's eye. The ablation pattern is based on dividing the area of the ablation area into a matrix grid made up of cells. Predetermined ablation pattern is completed in an individual cell before moving on to the next cell until ablation is complete in the entire matrix grid mapped on the ablation area.

This invention is directed to a method for providing a LASIK or a LASEK myopia vision correction, and to a medium that has stored therein an instruction for directing a laser vision correcting laser platform to deliver a controlled biodynamic ablation according to the invention. A known biodynamic response of the eye is induced by performing a controlled laser ablation in a cornea of the eye outside of an optical zone for the nominal ablation in a laser vision correction surgery. An ablation ring, or portion thereof, outside of the optical zone produces a biodynamic flattening of the central region of the cornea which in turn provides for a decreased depth of volumetric ablation to correct a myopic refractive defect of the eye. Such controlled biodynamic flattening may provide the opportunity for laser vision correction in patients whose corneas would otherwise be too thin post-operatively to warrant laser vision correction.

A method and system are disclosed for evaluating the safety of a prospective secondary LASIK treatment to correct a person's vision. The difficulties with making an accurate, direct measurement of corneal thickness of a cornea having a pre-existing keratectomy are overcome by using pre-LASIK topography and pachymetry measurements, and per- and post-LASIK wavefront measurements to determine post-LASIK corneal thickness, and thus the suitability and safety of a prospective secondary LASIK procedure. A system embodiment includes diagnostic and computing platforms for generating and analyzing data, and a device readable medium for storing and transferring an instruction to a laser ablation system.

Described here is a surgical device that typically is used to releasably hold the cornea of a human eye (and hence that eye) in such a way as to modestly deform the cornea and the eye, to maintain the eye's position for procedures upon the epithilial layer of the cornea, and to allow ease of replacement of an epithilial flap should one be produced. It may be used in combination with an epithilial delaminating tool, or an ocular device inserting tool. The stabilization device permits ready access to and creation of flaps or pockets of epithelium for later introduction of correcting lenses (e.g. using an ocular device insertion tool) or subtractive procedures such as LASIK or LASEK, prior to replacement of epithelium over the corrective lens or over the site of laser induced or surgically-induced corrective procedure.

The present invention provides a laser system for detecting biomechanical properties of the cornea, which comprises a laser for emitting a pulsed laser beam, a beam transmission module, a collecting-filtering module and a spectroscopic analysis unit, the beam transmission module is used for transmitting the laser beam and focusing the laser beam onto the cornea, on the surface of which a laser-induced plasma signal is generated; the laser-induced plasma signals are collected and filtered by the collecting-filtering module; the spectroscopic analysis unit performs spectroscopic analysis on the laser-induced plasma signal to determine the biomechanical properties of the cornea. The present invention further provides a method for detecting the biomechanical properties of the cornea with the above laser system. The same laser system for LASIK surgery is utilized in the present invention to measure the biomechanical properties of the cornea timely and accurately, which improves work efficiency.

Ultra-short, ultra-intense laser pulses from a first laser beam are applied to a patient's cornea, creating a temporary micro-channel extending from the cornea surface to an end-point within it. Further ultra-short ultra-intense laser pulses from a second laser beam, are then delivered to the endpoint along with further pulses from the first beam, but delayed by a few nanoseconds. The micro-channel acts as a light-guide for these pulses. At the end point, they are focused to sufficient intensity to multiphoton ablate surrounding stromal tissue. With a few small entrance holes and without the lamellar flap necessary in LASIK procedures, the cornea is reshaped by rotating the direction of the laser beam. The vertical location of ablation is adjusted precisely using an applanator on the corneal surface. The multiphoton ablated tissue is ejected via the micro-channels, allowing the cornea surface to collapse after the procedure, changing its refractive power.

A kit for determining a hypothetical cornea for use with post-LASIK and post myopia Ortho-K amendment. The kit has a reference table for determining conformation data by using at least one of following data: pre-treatment KM readings, post-treatment KM readings, power reduced from before- to after-treatment, and post-treatment cornea optical zone. The kit further comprises a plurality of conformed lenses based on the conformation data in predetermined increments from the reference table. The pre-treatment KM readings comprise pre-operative or pre-ortho-K readings. The post-treatment KM readings comprise post-operative or post ortho-K readings. The post-treatment cornea optical zone comprises post-operative or post-ortho-K cornea optical zone. Also, a method of determining a hypothetical cornea for use with post-LASIK and post myopia Ortho-K amendment is disclosed. The method has inputting pre-treatment KM readings, inputting post-treatment KM readings, inputting power reduced from before- to after treatment, inputting post-treatment cornea optical zone, calculating conformation data, which is adapted to be used to generate specification for conformed lenses. Another kit for determining a hypothetical cornea for use with Keratoconus and post-hyperopia Ortho-K amendment can be constructed using at least one of following data: pre-altered KM readings, post-altered KM readings, pre-altered refraction error, and post altered specifications. The kit further comprises a plurality of conformed lenses based on the conformation data in predetermined increments from the reference table. The pre-altered KM readings comprise pre-keratoconus or pre-hyperopia ortho-K readings. The pre-altered refraction errors comprise refraction errors from a set of normal corneas. The post-altered specifications comprise cone widths of Keratoconus or steepened cornea zone of hyperopic Ortho-K and also magnitude of off centering of the cone apex.

The invention relates to a device for LASIK having the following: a first laser radiation source (12) for generating first laser radiation pulses (14) having a power density for bringing about disruption of the corneal tissue; first means (24, 44, K) for guiding and shaping the first laser radiation pulses into the corneal tissue; a second laser radiation source (46) for generating second laser radiation pulses (48) having a power density for bringing about ablation of corneal tissues; second means (40, 42, 44, 24) for guiding and shaping the second laser radiation pulses relative to the cornea; a controller (50) having a first processing program (56a) for controlling the first means and the first laser radiation pulses for generating a cut (72) in the cornea (60; and having a second processing program (56b) for controlling the second means and the second laser radiation pulses for reshaping and modified the imaging properties of the cornea, wherein the first processing program generates regular corneal surface structures causing a rainbow effect in the imaging properties of the cornea; and a third processing program (56c) controlling the second means and the second laser radiation pulses for removing the indicated regular structures (68).