Patent classifications
A61F2009/00874
OPHTHALMIC PROCEDURE CONTACT LENS WITH ENHANCED VITREOUS VISUALIZATION
In certain embodiments, an ophthalmic procedure contact lens for ophthalmic treatment of an eye with a laser beam includes a frame, an objective lens, and an illumination ring. The frame has an eye end, an operator end, and a flange-like shape with an interior region. The eye end is configured to be disposed outwardly from the eye. The objective lens is disposed within the interior region of the frame. The objective lens transmits the laser beam through the eye end to treat the eye. The illumination ring is coupled to the frame and provides annular illumination through the eye end to illuminate the eye. The illumination ring includes a ring substrate and light emitters coupled to the ring substrate. The light emitters emit light.
PERFORMING LASER VITREOLYSIS ON AN EYE WITH AN INTRAOCULAR LENS
In certain embodiments, an ophthalmic laser system includes a laser device and a computer, where the laser device includes a laser and a phase modulator. The laser device directs a laser beam towards a target in an eye, where an intraocular lens (IOL) is disposed within the eye. The IOL has a phase profile that yields an IOL phase shift of light entering the eye. The laser generates the laser beam. The phase modulator has a phase front that yields a first phase shift of the laser beam that changes to a second phase shift when the laser beam reaches the IOL. The second phase shift is an inverse to the IOL phase shift.
GENERATING AND EVALUATING TWO- AND THREE-DIMENSIONAL IMAGES OF THE INTERIOR OF AN EYE
In certain embodiments, an ophthalmic laser surgical system for imaging and treating a target in an eye includes an optical coherence tomography (OCT) device that: directs an imaging beam towards the eye; generates three-dimensional (3D) image data from the imaging beam reflected from the eye; and generates two-dimensional (2D) enface images from the 3D image data. The 2D enface images include a target enface image imaging the target in the eye and a retinal enface image imaging a shadow cast by the target onto the retina. An xy-scanner directs the imaging beam along an imaging beam path towards the eye, and directs a laser beam from the laser device along a laser beam path aligned with the imaging beam path towards the eye. A computer compares the target of the target enface image and the shadow of the retinal enface image to confirm the presence of the target.
CONTROLLING A LASER DELIVERY HEAD OF AN OPHTHALMIC LASER SYSTEM
In certain embodiments, an ophthalmic laser system that performs a laser procedure on an eye includes a laser device, an ophthalmic microscope, a y-direction motor, a user interface device, and a controller. The laser device includes a laser delivery head that directs a laser beam towards a target within the eye. The laser beam defines a z-axis, which defines an xy-plane with a y-axis that defines a y-direction. The ophthalmic microscope receives light from within the eye to provide an image of the eye. The user interface device receives instructions from a user. The controller receives an instruction from the user interface device to move the laser delivery head and the ophthalmic microscope in the y-direction, and instructs the y-direction motor to move the laser delivery head and the ophthalmic microscope in the y-direction in response to the instruction.
MULTIPLEXING A LASER BEAM TO FRAGMENT EYE FLOATERS
In certain embodiments, an ophthalmic laser system includes a laser device, an ophthalmic microscope, and a controller. The laser device directs laser pulses towards a target within an eye. The target has a dimension. The laser device includes a laser configured to generate a laser beam and one or more laser beam multiplexers. A laser beam multiplexer modulates the laser beam to yield a pulse pattern of laser pulses. The pulse pattern has a coverage related to the dimension of the target to limit movement of the target. The ophthalmic microscope gathers light reflected from within the eye to yield an image of the eye. The controller instructs the laser device to direct the laser pulses towards the target to yield the pulse pattern of laser pulses.
DETERMINING RADIANT EXPOSURE AT THE RETINA DURING AN OPHTHALMIC PROCEDURE
In certain embodiments, an ophthalmic laser system includes a laser device, an ophthalmic microscope, a z-direction sensor, and a controller. The laser device directs a laser beam towards a target within an eye. The ophthalmic microscope receives light from a focal point within the eye to provide an image of an object at the focal point. The z-direction sensor determines the z-position corresponding to the focal point of the ophthalmic microscope. The controller determines a position Z.sub.0, the z-position where the focal point of the ophthalmic microscope is at the retina of the eye; determines a position Z, the z-position where the focal point of the ophthalmic microscope is at the target within the eye; calculates a target-to-retina distance ΔZ according to a difference between the position Z and the position Z.sub.0; and calculates a radiant exposure H.sub.e at the retina according to the target-to-retina distance ΔZ.
REDUCING RETINAL RADIATION EXPOSURE DURING LASER SURGERY
In certain embodiments, an ophthalmic laser surgical system for treating a floater in a vitreous of an eye includes a floater detection system, a laser device, and a computer. The floater detection system determines the location of the floater in the vitreous of the eye. The laser device directs a laser beam along a laser beam path towards the floater. The computer accesses a three-dimensional scan pattern for the laser beam that yields a three-dimensional pulse pattern of laser pulses. The three-dimensional pulse pattern has a bubble shield pulse pattern at the posterior side of the three-dimensional pulse pattern. The bubble shield pulse pattern forms a bubble shield that reduces laser radiation exposure at a retina of the eye. The computer instructs the laser device to direct the laser beam towards the floater according to the three-dimensional scan pattern.
EVALUATING AND TREATING EYE FLOATERS
In certain embodiments, an ophthalmic laser surgical system for treating a floater in an eye comprises a scanning laser ophthalmoscope (SLO) device that: generates an SLO image of a floater shadow cast by the floater onto a retina of the eye, and provides an xy-location of the floater shadow, where the xy-location is related to the xy-scanner. An interferometer device provides a z-location of the floater, where the z-location is relative to the retina. A laser device generates a laser beam and includes a z-focusing component that focuses a focal point of the laser beam onto the z-location of the floater. An xy-scanner directs an SLO beam from the SLO device along an SLO beam path towards the xy-location of the floater shadow, and directs the laser beam from the laser device along the SLO beam path towards the xy-location of the floater shadow.
GENERATING BUBBLE JETS TO FRAGMENT AND REMOVE EYE FLOATERS
In certain embodiments, an ophthalmic laser system for treating a floater in a vitreous of an eye includes a laser device that directs laser pulses towards the floater to yield cavitation bubbles that create a bubble jet to treat the floater. In some examples, the laser device includes a beam multiplexer that splits a laser beam into multiple beams that form the cavitation bubbles that create the bubble jet. In some examples, the laser device directs laser pulses towards the floater according to a pulse pattern that forms the cavitation bubbles that create the bubble jet.
GENERATING BUBBLE JETS TO FRAGMENT AND REMOVE EYE FLOATERS
In certain embodiments, an ophthalmic laser system for treating a floater in a vitreous of an eye includes a laser device that directs laser pulses towards the floater to yield cavitation bubbles that create a bubble jet to treat the floater. In some examples, the laser device includes a beam multiplexer that splits a laser beam into multiple beams that form the cavitation bubbles that create the bubble jet. In some examples, the laser device directs laser pulses towards the floater according to a pulse pattern that forms the cavitation bubbles that create the bubble jet.