An ophthalmic surgical laser system and method for forming a lenticule in a subject's eye using “fast-scan-slow-sweep” scanning scheme. A high frequency scanner forms a fast scan line, which is placed by the XY and Z scanners at a location tangential to a parallel of latitude of the surface of the lenticule. The XY and Z scanners then move the scan line in a slow sweep trajectory along a meridian of longitude of the surface of the lenticule in one sweep. Multiple sweeps are performed along different meridians to form the entire lenticule surface, and a prism is used to change the orientation of the scan line of the high frequency scanner between successive sweeps. In each sweep, the sweeping speed along the meridian is variable, being the slowest at the edge of the lenticule and the fastest near the apex.

Methods and apparatus are configures to measure an eye without contacting the eye with a patient interface, and these measurements are used to determine alignment and placement of the incisions when the patient interface contacts the eye. The pre-contact locations of one or more structures of the eye can be used to determine corresponding post-contact locations of the one or more optical structures of the eye when the patient interface has contacted the eye, such that the laser incisions are placed at locations that promote normal vision of the eye. The incisions are positioned in relation to the pre-contact optical structures of the eye, such as an astigmatic treatment axis, nodal points of the eye, and visual axis of the eye.

For the purposes of working on eye tissue, an ophthalmological apparatus comprises a laser source that is configured to produce a pulsed laser beam, a focusing optical unit that is configured to focus the pulsed laser beam into the eye tissue, and a scanner system for deflecting the pulsed laser beam onto work target points in the eye tissue. A circuit controls the scanner system in such a way that the scanner system guides the pulsed laser beam into work trajectories that extend next to one another, in order, initially, to produce cut trajectories, separated by remaining tissue bridges, of a tissue cut to be undertaken in an area and in order, thereafter, to guide the pulsed laser beam in the remaining tissue bridges between the cut trajectories in order to complete the tissue cut.

A method for modifying a refractive property of ocular tissue in an eye by creating at least one optically-modified gradient index (GRIN) layer in the corneal stroma and/or the crystalline by continuously scanning a continuous stream of laser pulses having a focal volume from a laser having a known average power along a continuous line having a smoothly changing refractive index within the tissue, and varying either or both of the scan speed and the laser average power during the scan. The method may further involve determining a desired vision correction adjustment, and determining a position, number, and design parameters of gradient index (GRIN) layers to be created within the ocular tissue to provide the desired vision correction.

Systems and methods for increasing the amplitude of accommodation of an eye, changing the refractive power of lens material of a natural crystalline lens of the eye, and addressing presbyopia are is provided. Generally, there are provided methods and systems for delivering a laser beam to a lens of an eye in a plurality of laser shots, which are in precise and predetermined patterns results in the weakening of the lens material.

In certain embodiments, a system for aligning an eye with a patient interface of a laser device includes a camera, a display screen, and a computer. The camera records images of the eye through the patient interface of the laser device. A liquid is disposed between and is in contact with the patient interface and the outer surface of the eye. The images include an outline of the liquid. The display screen displays the images of the eye. The computer aligns the eye with the patient interface by: identifying the outline of the liquid in an image received from the camera; determining a misalignment of the eye according to the outline; and instructing the display screen to display a description of the misalignment.

The invention relates to a method for providing control data for a laser (18) of a treatment apparatus (10) for the correction of a cornea (26), including ascertaining (S10) an effect of a deformation of the cornea (26) on preset corneal parameters by means of a corneal deformation model, wherein the cornea (26) can be modeled in a deformed and non-deformed state by the corneal deformation model, wherein values of preset corneal parameters in the non-deformed state of the cornea (26) are varied and the effect of this variation on values of the corneal parameters in the deformed state of the cornea (26) is ascertained for determining the effect of the deformation; determining (S12) the most important corneal parameters for a treatment and/or deformation of the cornea (26) depending on a magnitude of the ascertained effect; adapting (S14) at least one preset fit function as the compensation function of the deformation to the values of the most important corneal parameters; calculating (S16) a deformation-corrected treatment value by means of the compensation function; and providing (S18) the deformation-corrected treatment value for the treatment apparatus (10).

An example method for cutting a plurality of lenticules from a donor cornea includes receiving a donor cornea, cutting a first layer of a first set of lenticules from the donor cornea, and cutting a second layer of a second set of lenticules from the donor cornea. The lenticules are cut according to a pattern that to maximizes the number of lenticules, thereby maximizing the number of implants from the single donor cornea.

An example implant handling device includes a body. The body includes a flattened end configured to receive a corneal implant and keep the corneal implant from rolling or folding. The flattened end has a width and a height, the width being greater than the height. The body includes a slit opening to the flattened end, the slit opening configured to allow the corneal implant to pass into the flattened end.

Methods and related apparatus for real-time process monitoring during laser-based refractive index modification of an intraocular lens. During in situ laser treatment of the IOL to modify the refractive index of the IOL material, a signal from the IOL is measured to determine the processing effect of the refractive index modification, and based on the determination, to adjust the laser system parameters to achieve intended processing result. The signal measured from the IOL may be a fluorescent signal induced by the treatment laser, a fluorescent signal induced by an external illumination source, a temporary photodarkening effect, a color change, or a refractive index change directly measured by phase stabilized OCT.

Methods and systems wherein laser induced refractive index changes by focused femtosecond laser pulses in optical tissues is performed in combination with corneal lenticular surgery to achieve overall desired vision corrections.