A method for forming deep corneal lamellar incision parallel to the posterior corneal surface when the eye is docked to the patient interface. A lower-energy detecting beam generated by the same pulsed laser that generates the higher-energy treatment laser beam is utilized to measure the posterior corneal surface profile. The detecting beam is scanned in the eye according to a first 3-dimensional scan pattern, while intensity of the back-reflected light is measured by a light intensity detector. The first scan pattern may be a spiral pattern in the X-Y plane coupled with a Z direction oscillation function. Peaks of the light intensity signal are detected, and corresponding spatial positions of the focus point are obtained; a known offset distance is added to the depth value to obtain the posterior corneal surface profile. Based thereon, the treatment laser beam is scanned in the eye to form the deep corneal lamellar incision.

A method for controlling a surgical laser for the separation of a volume body, with predefined posterior and anterior interfaces, from a human or animal cornea is disclosed. The method including controlling the laser by means of a control device such that it emits pulsed laser pulses in a shot sequence into the cornea. The interfaces are generated by the generation of a plurality of cavitation bubbles generated by photodisruption by means of an interaction of the individual laser pulses with the cornea. A minimum diameter of the volume body orthogonal to an optical axis of the volume body is determined depending on at least one diopter value for the volume body and on a preset thickness of the volume body viewed in a direction of the optical axis. A treatment apparatus, a computer program product and a computer-readable storage medium are also disclosed.

Some embodiments disclosed here provide for a method fragmenting a cataractous lens of a patient's eye using an ultra-short pulsed laser. The method can include determining, within a lens of a patient's eye, a high NA zone where a cone angle of a laser beam with a high numerical aperture is not shadowed by the iris, and a low NA zone radially closer to the iris where the cone angle of the laser beam with a low numerical aperture is not shadowed by the iris. Laser lens fragmentation is accomplished by delivering the laser beam with the high numerical aperture to the high NA zone, and the laser beam with the low numerical aperture to the low NA zone. This can result in a more effective fragmentation of a nucleus of the lens without exposing the retina to radiation above safety standards.

A laser system is calibrated with a tomography system capable of measuring locations of structure within an optically transmissive material such as a tissue of an eye. Alternatively or in combination, the tomography system can be used to track the location of the eye and adjust the treatment in response to one or more of the location or an orientation of the eye. In many embodiments, in situ calibration and tracking of an optically transmissive tissue structure such as an eye can be provided. The optically transmissive material may comprise one or more optically transmissive structures of the eye, or a non-ocular optically transmissive material such as a calibration gel in a container or an optically transmissive material of a machined part.

An ophthalmological apparatus comprises a laser source for producing a pulsed laser beam, a scanner system for deflecting the pulsed laser beam at a treatment speed in the eye tissue along a scanning treatment line, a first scanning apparatus connected upstream of the scanner system for deflecting the pulsed laser beam and for producing a first scanning movement component superposed on the scanning treatment line in a first scanning direction at a first scanning speed that is higher as compared to the treatment speed, and a second scanning apparatus connected upstream of the scanner system for deflecting the pulsed laser beam and for producing a second scanning movement component, which is superposed on the first scanning movement component in a second scanning direction, which is at an angle to the first scanning direction, at a second scanning speed that is higher as compared to the first scanning speed.

An apparatus includes an optical unit (30), including a light source (66), one or more beam-directing elements (50, 56), and a radiation source (48). The radiation source is configured to irradiate an eye (25) of a patient (22) with one or more treatment beams (52) by emitting the treatment beams toward the beam-directing elements, while the eye fixates on the light source by virtue of the light source transmitting visible light (68). The apparatus further includes an optical filter (70) configured to inhibit passage of the treatment beams, but not the visible light, therethrough, while interposing between the beam-directing elements and a pupil (104) of the eye. Other embodiments are also described.

A laser system calibration method and system are provided. In some methods, a calibration plate may be used to calibrate a video camera of the laser system. The video camera pixel locations may be mapped to the physical space. A xy-scan device of the laser system may be calibrated by defining control parameters for actuating components of the xy-scan device to scan a beam to a series of locations. Optionally, the beam may be scanned to a series of locations on a fluorescent plate. The video camera may be used to capture reflected light from the fluorescent plate. The xy-scan device may then be calibrated by mapping the xy-scan device control parameters to physical locations. A desired z-depth focus may be determined by defining control parameters for focusing a beam to different depths. The video camera or a confocal detector may be used to detect the scanned depths.

The present invention belongs to the field of instruments for examination and treatment of human eyes. The invention relates to an acoustic diverter, which is used during laser treatment of eyes based on photodisruption within the eye, such as capsulotomy, iridotomy and vitreolysis. The present invention achieves the task of limiting or preventing acoustic waves to be focused in the eye so that the threshold negative pressures for injuries is not reached by providing an acoustic diverter, which has a geometry of an anterior surface concave, flat or slightly convex such that it prevents or decreases refocusing of acoustic waves back into the eye, and wherein the acoustic diverter is made of any biocompatible and sterilisable material transparent for the visible and near IR light. The preferred material has acoustic impedance between 1.4 to 1.7×10.sup.6 kg/(m.sup.2.Math.s) and/or attenuation coefficient more than 1 cm.sup.−1 at 10 MHz in order to ensure improved dispersion or attenuation of acoustic waves.

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 scanning device for focusing a beam of rays in defined regions of a defined volume, comprising an input optics wherein the beam of rays penetrates first, having at least one first optical element; a focusing optics for focusing the beam of rays exiting from the input optics; and a deflecting device arranged between the first optical element and the focusing optics, for deflecting the beam of rays after it has passed through the first optical element, based on a position of the focus to be adjusted in lateral direction. In order to adjust the position of the focus of the beam of rays in the direction of the beam of rays, and optical element of the input optics can be displaced relative to the deflecting device.