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US Patent 5807380 - Optical guide and method for use in corrective laser eye surgery
US Patent Issued on September 15, 1998
Estimated Patent Expiration Date:
April 26, 2016Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.
Estimated Patent Expiration Date:
April 26, 2016Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.AbstractAn optical guide dispenses laser light that is incident outside a selected region during laser eye surgery. The guide is formed as a body with a passageway of selected geometrical cross-section that defines a mininmum optical opening. The body has a material which circumferentially surrounds the passageway that is effective to dispense laser light incident thereto such that the energy thereof is dissipated to a level that will not affect eye tissue. A handle may optionally be provided to facilitate manipulation of the body. The passageway is preferably frustoconical. An optical system incorporates the optical guide and includes a mount that is to be placed in contact with the eye. The optical guide is secured to the mount, such as by cooperative rails and protrusions. A method is described to perform laser eye surgery using such optical guide and directing laser light along an optical path parallel to the central axis of the passageway. The laser light beam is then moved to follow a pathway that surrounds a central point. The diameter of the beam may be varied. | InventorApplicationNo. 639127 filed on 04/26/1996US Classes:606/5, Recurving or reshaping of the eye606/4, Ophthalmic606/166Corneal cutter or guide for corneal cutterField of Search606/4, Ophthalmic606/5, Recurving or reshaping of the eye606/6, Cataracts or glaucoma606/10, Systems606/11, Beam energy control or monitoring606/12, Condition responsive606/166Corneal cutter or guide for corneal cutterExaminersPrimary: Nasser, Robert L.Attorney, Agent or FirmUS Patent References4905711, Eye restraining deviceIssued on: 03/06/1990 Inventor: Bennett, et al.5092863, Ophthalmological surgery apparatus and methods Issued on: 03/03/1992 Inventor: Schanzlin5108412, Suction ring for surgical operations on the human eye Issued on: 04/28/1992 Inventor: Krumeich, et al.5133708, Method for controlled corneal ablation Issued on: 07/28/1992 Inventor: Smith5336215, Eye stabilizing mechanism for use in ophthalmic laser surgery Issued on: 08/09/1994 Inventor: Hsueh, et al.5356409, Equipment for the correction of astygmatism by remodelling the corneal surface by means of photo-ablation Issued on: 10/18/1994 Inventor: Nizzola5490849, Uniform-radiation caustic surface for photoablation Issued on: 02/13/1996 Inventor: Smith5582608, Lamellar illumination apparatus for eye surgery Issued on: 12/10/1996 Inventor: Brown5586980, Microkeratome Issued on: 12/24/1996 Inventor: Kremer, et al.5616139Method and apparatus for operating a cornea Issued on: 04/01/1997 Inventor: Okamoto International ClassA61M 035/00 |
