A method of treatment of the cornea of an eye including exposing the cornea to a crosslinking medium, and applying a mechanical loading to the cornea, wherein the mechanical loading is selected as a strain proportional to the dimensions of the eye being treated. A method of altering the curvature of the cornea is provided including controlling a light source to apply light energy pulses to corneal tissue; wherein the light energy pulses are below an optical breakdown threshold for the cornea; ionize water molecules within the treated corneal layer to generate reactive oxygen species; and initiate crosslinking within the extracellular matrix of the cornea to change the physical properties of the cornea, e.g., the stiffness of the cornea.

Methods and apparatus for the treatment of the eye to reduce pain can treat at least an outer region of the tissue so as to denervate nerves extending into the inner region and reduce the pain. For example, the cornea of the eye may comprise an inner region having an epithelial defect, and an outer portion of the cornea can be treated to reduce pain of the epithelial defect. The outer portion of the cornea can be treated to denervate nerves extending from the outer portion to the inner portion. The outer portion can be treated in many ways to denervate the nerve, for example with one or more of heat, cold or a denervating noxious substance such as capsaicin. The denervation of the nerve can be reversible, such that corneal innervation can return following treatment.

A conformable covering comprises an outer portion with rigidity to resist movement on the cornea and an inner portion to contact the cornea and provide an environment for epithelial regeneration. The inner portion of the covering can be configured in many ways so as to conform at least partially to an ablated stromal surface so as to correct vision. The conformable inner portion may have at least some rigidity so as to smooth the epithelium such that the epithelium regenerates rapidly and is guided with the covering so as to form a smooth layer for vision. The inner portion may comprise an amount of rigidity within a range from about 1×10−4 Pa*m3 to about 5×10−4 Pa*m3 so as to deflect and conform at least partially to the ablated cornea and smooth an inner portion of the ablation with an amount of pressure when deflected.

Control apparatus (1) for controlling the dosing of a chromophoric agent (100) in a corneal tissue (101), comprising: a first source (2) for irradiating the corneal tissue (101) with at least a first electromagnetic radiation (21); first measurement means (3) for measuring a first spectroscopic parameter (31), such as the fluorescence intensity or the diffused intensity; a processing unit (4) configured to calculate a factor (C) representative of the concentration of the chromophoric agent (100) inside the corneal tissue (101) in response to at least two measurements of the first spectroscopic parameter (31), of which one measurement is indicative of the energy perturbation caused by the first electromagnetic radiation (21) in the corneal tissue (101) without the chromophoric agent (100) and the further measurement is indicative of the energy perturbation caused by the first electromagnetic radiation (21) in the corneal tissue (101) containing the chromophoric agent (100).

Example eye treatments detennine an area at a surface of a cornea for delivery of a cross-linking agent. The example treatments disrupt tissue at the area at the surface of the con1ea up to a depth corresponding to apical layers of superficial squamous cells of the cornea, e.g., no greater than approximately 10 μm to approximately 15 lm. The example treatments apply a cross-linking agent to the area at the surface of the cornea. The cross-linking agent is transmitted through the disrupted area at a greater rate relative to non disrupted areas of the cornea. The example treatments deliver photoactivating light to the cornea. The photoactivating light activates the cross-linking agent to generate cross-linking activity in the cornea.

A system for a virtual integrated remote assistant is provided. In some implementations, the system performs operations comprising receiving an input for a surgical procedure. The operations further include determining first feedback for the surgical procedure. The operations further include receiving, in response to the first feedback, a user input. The operations further include receiving second feedback from a laser apparatus. The operations further include performing eye tracking verification for a user. The operations further include displaying a graphical display of a virtual assistant. Related systems, methods, and articles of manufacture are also described.

A device and a method for irradiating the cornea of an eye, wherein the device includes at least the following elements: a ring body, which has a bearing surface embodied concentrically about the longitudinal axis of the device for the purpose of fastening the device on the eye, an irradiation channel for irradiating the cornea, which is located inside the ring body, a light source, which, in the operationally-ready state of the device, is attached inside the ring body for emitting light in the irradiation channel, wherein the bearing surface for fastening the device is arranged outside the irradiation channel, which has the result that the irradiated area itself is not additionally loaded by bearing surfaces of the device.

An ophthalmological treatment apparatus for resecting a patient cornea element form a patient cornea in posterior lamellar keratoplasty, an ophthalmological manufacture apparatus for manufacturing from a donor cornea a cornea implant, as well as corresponding manufacture and implantation methods are disclosed. The patient cornea cut pattern that is implemented in the patient cornea defines a patient cornea interlocking structure, the patient cornea interlocking structure being configured to interlock the patient cornea with a cornea implant after replacing the patient cornea element by the cornea implant. The corneal implant may have a corresponding cornea implant interlocking structure. The patient cornea interlocking structure and the cornea implant interlocking structure may be arranged at the posterior side of the patient cornea element and the cornea implant, respectively. The ophthalmological treatment apparatus and the ophthalmological manufacture apparatus may include in each case an ophthalmological laser device, in particular with a femtosecond laser source.

Microsurgical instruments having combined illumination, laser ablation, and viscoelastic injection functions. A surgical instrument includes a probe having a main lumen and a port at a distal end thereof. The probe may further include one or more optical fibers within the main lumen, the optical fibers configured to project laser light and illumination light. Laser light may be emitted from the distal end of the probe for disrupting an ocular tissue, while illumination light may be simultaneously emitted, axially or laterally, to provide enhanced visualization of the intraocular space during tissue disruptance. Upon disrupting the tissue, a viscoelastic fluid may be injected from the port to maintain an integrity of the intraocular space.

A UV-mask for treating keratoconus. The UV-mask could be made by having an image representing a surface of the patient's cornea with a topography map indicating an area of abnormal corneal thickness. The image is printed onto a sheet. The sheet is cut on or around the area of abnormal corneal thickness to create a transparent window in the sheet. The sheet is further cut on or around the corneal surface to result in a UV-mask. Also disclosed is a UV-mask for use in UV-irradiation treatment of keratoconus. Also disclosed are methods of treating keratoconus in an eye of a patient using a UV-mask.