A method of corneal implantation with cross-linking is disclosed herein. In one or more embodiments, the method includes the steps of: (i) forming a flap in a cornea of an eye so as to expose a stromal tissue of the cornea underlying the flap; (ii) pivoting the flap so as to expose the stromal tissue of the cornea underlying the flap; (iii) inserting an implant under the flap so as to overlie the stromal tissue of the cornea, wherein the implant is cross-linked so as to prevent an immune response to the implant and/or rejection of the implant by the patient; and (iv) covering the cross-linked implant with the flap, the cross-linked implant being surrounded entirely by the stromal tissue of the cornea.

Methods for treatment of dry eye and other acute or chronic inflammatory processes are disclosed herein. One method includes administering a drug delivery implant to a patient in need thereof, the drug delivery implant comprising one or more Rock inhibitors and/or one or more Wnt inhibitors, the patient having a medical condition selected from the group consisting of dry eye, lichen planus, arthritis, psoriasis, plantar fasciitis, pars planitis, scleritis, keratitis, chronic meibomian gland inflammation, optic nerve neuritis, uveitis, papillitis, diabetic neural pain, diabetic retinopathy, a cataract, a side effect occurring after refractive surgery, a side effect occurring after corneal transplant, a side effect occurring after retinal detachment surgery, and combinations thereof. The administration of the drug delivery implant to the patient treats the medical condition, reduces the symptoms associated with the medical condition, enhances nerve regeneration, and/or alleviates the medical condition.

In certain embodiments, a system for performing refractive treatment of an eye comprises a laser, a printer, and a computer. The laser emits a laser beam to prepare the eye for the refractive treatment. The printer prints material onto a print area of a target. The printer comprises a printer head and a printer controller. The printer head directs the material onto the print area, and the printer controller moves the printer head to direct the material onto a specific location of the print area. The computer comprises a memory and processors. The memory stores instructions for a pattern for the target. The pattern is designed to provide the refractive treatment for the eye. The processors instruct the printer controller to move the printer head to print the material onto the print area according to the pattern.

A compact system for performing laser ophthalmic surgery is disclosed. The systems and methods may be used to measure corneal thickness or other anatomy to prepare a treatment plan for any of numerous treatments, such as LASIK, PRK, intra stromal lenticular lens incisions, cornea replacement, or any other treatment. By using a reduced power femtosecond laser backscatter may be measured to calculate distances such as distances between an interior boundary and an exterior boundary of a cornea or other tissue.

A tissue holding assembly for endothelial implantation comprising an open frame having legs for engaging a stem, such that said frame is insertable between a stroma and a Descemet's membrane, said frame being coated with a biological adhesive for adhering to a perimeter of a section of the Descemet's membrane to adhere the section of the Descemet's membrane to the frame for surgical separation of said section by cutting therearound, wherein said frame further comprises a heating element around its inner perimeter.

A method of corneal transplantation with cross-linking following implantation of a corneal graft is disclosed herein. The method includes the steps of: (i) removing a diseased central portion of a host cornea from an eye of a patient; (ii) implanting a corneal graft into the eye of the patient in a location previously occupied by the diseased central portion of the host cornea; and (iii) cross-linking a peripheral portion of the host cornea and the corneal graft after implanting the corneal graft so as to prevent an immune response to the corneal graft and to prevent a rejection of the corneal graft by the patient. A method of corneal transplantation with cross-linking following implantation of a corneal inlay is also disclosed herein. Also, methods disclosed herein utilize nanoparticles, antibody-coated nanoparticles, and cell penetrating agents to enhance the penetration of a photosensitizer in the cornea of a patient.

A method of transplanting a cornea from a donor to a recipient is disclosed. An undercut is incised within stromal tissue of the donor cornea. Following formation of the undercut, the donor cornea is grafted onto a recipient. The undercut may be formed before or after the cornea is removed from the donor, and is preferably formed by photoaltering the stromal tissue using a laser. A sidecut may also be incised in the donor cornea, thereby forming a corneal flap, prior to grafting. In addition, a corneal section may be excised from the donor cornea using a trephine, a laser, or other appropriate surgical equipment.

A tissue holding assembly for endothelial implantation comprising an open frame having legs for engaging a stem, such that said frame is insertable between a stroma and a Descemet's membrane, said frame being coated with a biological adhesive for adhering to a perimeter of a section of the Descemet's membrane to adhere the section of the Descemet's membrane to the frame for surgical separation of said section by cutting therearound, wherein said frame further comprises a heating element around its inner perimeter.

A method of implanting a corneal intraocular pressure sensor in an eye of a patient is disclosed herein. The method includes forming a pocket in the cornea of the eye so as to gain access to tissue surrounding the pocket; applying a photosensitizer so that the photosensitizer permeates at least a portion of the tissue surrounding the pocket, the photosensitizer facilitating cross-linking of the tissue surrounding the pocket; irradiating the cornea so as to activate cross-linkers in the portion of the tissue surrounding the pocket, and thereby stiffen a wall of the pocket and kill cells in the portion of the tissue surrounding the pocket; and inserting an intracorneal implant comprising a pressure sensor into the pocket, the pressure sensor of the intracorneal implant configured to measure the intraocular pressure of the eye of the patient. A corneal intraocular pressure sensor is also disclosed herein.

According to one aspect of the present disclosure, an implant for correcting vision impairment is disclosed. The implant is made from a donor corneal tissue sized and shaped to provide a predetermined refractive correction and reshaping of a cornea. The donor corneal tissue includes a posterior surface and an anterior surface. The posterior surface has a surface profile that is configured to generally correspond to a shape of an implantation site of the cornea.