Systems and methods for corneal laser ablation for primary vision correction include topographic guided ablation. A laser ablation pattern is derived at least in part from corneal topographic data and epithelial thickness data. The laser ablation pattern may limit post-surgical non-uniformity of the thickness of the epithelial layer.

Systems and methods for corneal laser ablation for primary vision correction include topographic guided ablation. A laser ablation pattern for removal of astigmatism is derived at least in part from corneal topographic data rather than manifest astigmatism. Laser ablation patterns for treatment of high order aberrations of the cornea may also be based on corneal topographic data. Spherical corrections may be based on manifest refraction, eye models, or wavefront aberrometry.

An ophthalmic measurement and laser surgery system includes: a laser source; a corneal topography subsystem; an axis determining subsystem; a ranging subsystem comprising an Optical Coherence Tomographer (OCT); and a refractive index determining subsystem. All of the subsystems are under the operative control of a controller. The controller is configure to: operate the corneal topography subsystem to obtain corneal surface information; operate the axis determining subsystem to identify one or more ophthalmic axes of the eye; operate the OCT to sequentially scan the eye in a plurality of OCT scan patterns, the plurality of scan patterns configured to determine an axial length of the eye; operate the refractive index determining subsystem so to determine an index of refraction of one or more ophthalmic tissues, wherein at least one of the corneal surface information, ophthalmic axis information, and axial length is modified based on the determined index of refraction.

A method of laser eye surgery including linking retinal vessel architecture to corneal topography. This enables registration of the steep axis of the cornea in order to orient a toric intraocular lens, and/or to place astigmatic keratotomy incisions. First, a detailed pre-operative retinal image of the vasculature of the retina is obtained. In addition, a pre-operative image of the topography of the eye is obtained. The retinal image is then correlated or superimposed on the topography image to provide a reference. After the patient lies down under the laser eye surgery system, and during the surgery, the retinal vasculature is monitored which provides a reference to the surgery system about the topography of the eye. This process enables registration of the steep axis of the cornea in order to orient a toric intraocular lens and/or to place astigmatic keratotomy incisions.

One aspect of the invention provides a method of treating a cornea. The method includes controlling a light source to apply light energy pulses to a single corneal layer selected from the group consisting of: an anterior corneal layer and a posterior corneal layer. The light energy pulses are below an optical breakdown threshold for the cornea and ionize water molecules within the treated corneal layer to generate reactive oxygen species that cross-link collagen within the single corneal layer. Another aspect of the invention provides a method of treating a cornea. The method includes controlling a light source to apply light energy pulses to at least a corneal stroma layer of a cornea. The light energy pulses are below an optical breakdown threshold for the cornea and ionize water molecules within the treated corneal stromal layer to generate reactive oxygen species that cross-link collagen within the cornea.

Systems and techniques for laser surgery are described. Scan data may be created by determining a coordinate of the object at a set of points along an arc by the imaging system, wherein the coordinate of the object is a Z coordinate of an object layer. An object shape parameter and position parameter may be determined based on the scan data by a system control module by extracting an amplitude and a phase of the scan data determining a center of the object layer based on the extracted amplitude and phase.

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 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.

A method for controlling an eye surgical laser for the separation of a volume body with predefined posterior and anterior interfaces from a human/animal cornea is disclosed. The method including controlling the laser by means of a control device wherein the laser emits pulsed laser pulses in a predefined pattern into the cornea. The interfaces of the volume body are defined by the predefined pattern and are generated by means of an interaction of the individual laser pulses with the cornea by means of photodisruption. The control device controls the laser beam such that both interfaces are generated by means of a continuous, uninterrupted sequence of laser pulses. A treatment device is disclosed with at least one eye surgical laser for the separation of a predefined corneal volume with predefined interfaces of a human/animal eye by means of photodisruption and with at least one control device for the laser(s).

A laser eye surgery system focuses light along a beam path to a focal point having a location within a lens of the eye. The refractive index of the lens is determined in response to the location. The lens comprises a surface adjacent a second material having a second refractive index. The beam path extends a distance from the surface to the focal point. The index is determined in response to the distances from the surface to the targeted focal point and from the surface to the actual focal point, which corresponds to a location of a peak intensity of an optical interference signal of the focused light within the lens. The determined refractive index is mapped to a region in the lens, and may be used to generate a gradient index profile of the lens to more accurately place laser beam pulses for incisions.