A system for short pulse laser eye surgery and a short pulse laser system, in which a beam guidance device passes through a corresponding articulated arm, and through an applicator head and a microscope head of the system, which is movable in a three-dimensional volume both independently of one another as well as connected to each other. The system also includes an easy to use patient interface with a one-piece contact element, a computer program product for methods of the incision guidance and sequentially operating referencing methods with patient interfaces containing markings.

The present invention relates to a laser surgery apparatus for contact laser surgery and to a method of using the laser surgery apparatus. The laser surgery apparatus (1) comprises a contact laser scalpel (3) for contact laser surgery, the contact laser scalpel (4) comprising an optical fiber (4) of IR laser radiation transmissive material and terminating at an optical fiber tip (5) having an exposed core region, and support means for holding said fiber and for positioning said scalpel (3). Said fiber tip (5) is tapered and disposed at a distal end of the scalpel (3) for contacting a tissue to be cut and comprises an uncoated contact surface (6) for transmit ting laser radiation and a guiding surface that is at least partially reflective to laser radiation and provided such that laser radiation guided by said optical fiber (4) to said fiber tip (5) will be at least partially reflected by said guiding surface and emitted through said uncoated contact surface. The contact laser surgery apparatus further comprises a pulsed laser source (2) adapted to provide pulse durations in the femtosecond, picosecond and/or nanosecond range, and light transmitting means (9) connecting said laser source (2) to said optical fiber (4) of said scalpel (3) for conveying laser radiation from said laser source (2) to said optical fiber (4) such that the conveyed laser light is emitted at said uncoated contact surface of the fiber tip.

A system for short pulse laser eye surgery and a short pulse laser system, in which a beam guidance device passes through a corresponding articulated arm, and through an applicator head and a microscope head of the system, which is movable in a three-dimensional volume both independently of one another as well as connected to each other. The system also includes, an easy-to-use patient interface with a one-piece contact element, a computer program product for methods of the incision guidance and sequentially operating referencing methods with patient interfaces containing markings.

Systems, methods, and devices used to treat eyelids, meibomian glands, ducts, and surrounding tissue are described herein. In some embodiments, an eye treatment device is disclosed, which includes a scleral shield positionable proximate an inner surface of an eyelid, the scleral shield being made of, or coated with, an energy-absorbing material activated by a light energy, and an energy transducer positionable outside of the eyelid, the energy transducer configured to provide light energy at one or more wavelengths, including a first wavelength selected to heat the energy-absorbing material. Wherein, when the eyelid is positioned between the energy transducer and the scleral shield, the light energy from the energy transducer and the heated energy-absorbing material of the scleral shield conductively heats a target tissue region sufficiently to melt meibum within meibomian glands located within or adjacent to the target tissue region.

An ocular protection device and treatment methods are disclosed. The device has a corneal shield with an attached handle. The handle may be used to move the corneal shield to better protect the eye from various treatment modalities. The handle may also be used to place tension on the eyelid to counteract the forces imposed by a treatment handpiece. A procedure for treating the eye is disclosed where multiple passes with a treatment handpiece cause a gradual increase in the temperature of an eyelid up to a treatment temperature. Once the treatment temperature has been met, occlusions in the Meibomian glands of the eyelid may be expressed. The procedure may be repeated recursively until a desired level of expression has been achieved.

A planning device for generating control data, a treatment apparatus for refraction correction eye surgery and a method for generating control data for such a treatment apparatus which allows an improved subsequent refraction correction. The planning device includes a calculation processor for defining a cut surface of the cornea for post-treatment, wherein the calculation device is designed such that a change of thickness of the epithelium is taken into account in the calculation, which was caused essentially by a pretreatment.

A method of treating an eye includes delivering an OCT beam along an OCT optical path that enters a first optical subsystem along an input axis, and exits the first optical subsystem along an output axis that: 1) is substantially parallel to the optical axis of the eye, 2) is radially offset from the optical axis, and 3) extends through the cornea and into a portion of the irido-corneal angle at a point along a circumferential angle of the eye. The method also includes imaging the portion of the irido-corneal angle with the OCT beam; delivering a laser beam along an angled optical path that extends through the first optical subsystem, through the cornea, through the anterior chamber, and into a target volume of ocular tissue in the portion of the irido-corneal angle; and photodisrupting at least a portion of the target volume of ocular tissue with the laser beam.

A laser system for treating target tissue layers of an anterior chamber angle of an eye, including a delivery system and various imaging systems is being disclosed here. The system includes novel configurations using small digital cameras, OCT and other diagnostic devices that are integrated with a goniolens to visualize and target the to be treated tissue layers and that in some configurations remain connected and active during the laser treatment. Furthermore, several novel illumination systems and standalone digital camera goniolens systems are being presented here.

An ocular protection device and treatment methods are disclosed. The device has a corneal shield with an attached handle. The handle may be used to move the corneal shield to better protect the eye from various treatment modalities. The handle may also be used to place tension on the eyelid to counteract the forces imposed by a treatment handpiece. A procedure for treating the eye is disclosed where multiple passes with a treatment handpiece cause a gradual increase in the temperature of an eyelid up to a treatment temperature. Once the treatment temperature has been met, occlusions in the Meibomian glands of the eyelid may be expressed. The procedure may be repeated recursively until a desired level of expression has been achieved.

Systems, methods, and devices used to treat eyelids, meibomian glands, ducts, and surrounding tissue are described herein. In some embodiments, an eye treatment device is disclosed, which includes a scleral shield positionable proximate an inner surface of an eyelid, the scleral shield being made of, or coated with, an energy-absorbing material activated by a light energy, and an energy transducer positionable outside of the eyelid, the energy transducer configured to provide light energy at one or more wavelengths, including a first wavelength selected to heat the energy-absorbing material. Wherein, when the eyelid is positioned between the energy transducer and the scleral shield, the light energy from the energy transducer and the heated energy-absorbing material of the scleral shield conductively heats a target tissue region sufficiently to melt meibum within meibomian glands located within or adjacent to the target tissue region.