The present disclosure generally relates to surgical instruments having adjustable stiffness, and more particularly, surgical instruments having adjustable stiffness for ophthalmic surgical procedures. In one embodiment, a surgical instrument includes a probe, a slidable support sleeve, and a rotatable knob. A stiffness level of the probe may be adjusted by rotating the knob, thereby causing linear displacement of the support sleeve along a length of the probe. The knob may further include a dial depicting a series of settings representing different eye sizes and corresponding to preset positions of the support sleeve relative to the probe. Thus, a user may select an optimal stiffness of the probe for a particular eye size by rotating the knob to the corresponding setting.

A conformable covering comprises an outer portion with rigidity to resist movement on the cornea and an inner portion to contact the cornea and provide an environment for epithelial regeneration. The inner portion of the covering can be configured in many ways so as to conform at least partially to an ablated stromal surface so as to correct vision. The conformable inner portion may have at least some rigidity so as to smooth the epithelium such that the epithelium regenerates rapidly and is guided with the covering so as to form a smooth layer for vision. The inner portion may comprise an amount of rigidity within a range from about 1×10-4 Pa*m3 to about 5×10-4 Pa*m3 so as to deflect and conform at least partially to the ablated cornea and smooth an inner portion of the ablation with an amount of pressure when deflected.

The present disclosure relates generally to dry inks for use in marking the eye prior to surgery and methods of applying the same to eye marking devices. Such inks can include various accepted inks for use on the eye that can be applied to a marking device using relatively fast-evaporating solvents. In this manner, the remaining ink composition can be precisely placed on the eye marking device, and desirably transfer to the marking surface of the eye without dissolving on the journey through the various membranes above the marking surface. Application methods may include use of charged ink particles that may be advantageously manipulated using magnetic fields to even more precisely place the dry ink on a marking device.

An apparatus includes a body and a pair of rigid legs extending from the body. The body includes an engagement feature configured to engage a deployment instrument. The legs are parallel with each other. Each leg has a sharp tip. The legs both extend along a plane. The body defines a guide opening. The guide opening is oriented transversely relative to the plane associated with the legs. The guide opening is sized to receive a cannula having a generally flat profile. The guide opening is configured to guide the cannula through a sclerotomy at a substantially tangential orientation.

A donor corneal tissue cutting blade provided with integrally formed asymmetrical markers for facilitation identification of the anterior and posterior sections or portions of the donor corneal tissue is disclosed. The blade is a cylindrical body having, in one embodiment, a U-shaped extension which cooperates with the body to define a keyway. Protrusions may be formed on the body and/or extension to provide further markers.

The present invention provides methods and systems for an eye marker device that includes a handle and an eye marker tip, wherein the eye marker tip includes at least two arms dimensioned for placing at least one mark or indicator on a cornea, sclera or sclera/cornea junction.

An incisional instrument and method of use for creating accurate, reproducible surgical incisions. An exemplary embodiment includes an incisional instrument configured for attachment to a patient's eye and for use performing arcuate limbal relaxing incisions (LRIs). The incisional instrument is made up of two coaxial, interconnecting pieces: a docking piece and a cutting piece. The docking piece includes a suction mechanism and is configured for being secured to a patient's eye just outside the corneal limbus. The cutting piece is configured to fit flush within the docking piece and includes cutting blades and one or more handles for rotating the cutting piece relative to the docking piece. When assembled, the cutting blades extend beyond the proximal end of the docking piece by a length equal to the desired depth of LRIs to be cut. The incisional instrument further includes measurement markings for properly positioning and measuring incisions.

There is provided a trephine blade (10) for use in the preparation of a corneal graft for endothelial keratoplasty. The blade comprises a circular cutting edge (16) incorporating a notch formation (18) for cutting a correspondingly shaped asymmetric notch in the circumferential perimeter of donor corneal tissue to indicate correct orientation of the tissue in said endothelial keratoplasty. The notch formation can be defined by an inwardly directed cutting edge (20) of the blade and a further cutting edge (22) extending from an inner end of the inwardly directed cutting edge to the outer circumferential perimeter of the blade. In embodiments, the asymmetric notch in the circumferential perimeter of the donor corneal tissue is shaped to indicate whether the endothelial layer of the corneal tissue is facing upwardly or downwardly, when the corneal tissue is viewed from above. The endothelial keratoplasty in which the corneal graft may be used can be selected from DSAEK, DMEK, DLEK and DSEK.

The present invention provides an eye marker tip that includes a base, one or more marking wings, and a marking element attached to a marking wing and configured to deliver ink (or another indicator) to a surface of an eye. Embodiments may include a hollow or translucent post and light channel, or a base having a fixation button, to form a central light shape visible to a patient. Embodiments may include either or both of a magnifying lens and a parabolic light deflector, to form circles of light that may be used in connection with a central light shape to properly align the eye marker tip with a patient's eye.

An incisional instrument and method of use for creating accurate, reproducible surgical incisions. An exemplary embodiment includes an incisional instrument configured for attachment to a patient's eye and for use performing arcuate limbal relaxing incisions (LRIs). The incisional instrument is made up of two coaxial, interconnecting pieces: a docking piece and a cutting piece. The docking piece includes a suction mechanism and is configured for being secured to a patient's eye just outside the corneal limbus. The cutting piece is configured to fit flush within the docking piece and includes cutting blades and one or more handles for rotating the cutting piece relative to the docking piece. When assembled, the cutting blades extend beyond the proximal end of the docking piece by a length equal to the desired depth of LRIs to be cut. The incisional instrument further includes measurement markings for properly positioning and measuring incisions.