A method implemented in an ophthalmic surgical
laser system for forming a corneal flap in a patient's eye with improved bubble management. The flap includes a horizontal
bed and a vertical or near vertical side
cut around the periphery of the
bed except for an uncut hinge area. The side
cut has a bubble
barrier layer that can prevent bubbles formed by the
laser-tissue interaction from escaping into an interface between the corneal and the patient interface lens. In some embodiments, the bubble
barrier layer is a thin uncut layer, located in the
epithelium of the
cornea, that separates the side
cut into two portions. In other embodiments, the side cut does not reach the anterior
corneal surface, leaving an uncut bubble
barrier layer located with the
epithelium. In other embodiments, an additional side cut portion is formed through the uncut bubble barrier layer as the last step.