Hybrid ophthalmic interface apparatus and method of interfacing a surgical laser with an eye

Abstract

Apparatus and methods are provided for interfacing a surgical laser with an eye using a patient interface device that minimizes aberrations through a combination of a contact lens surface positioning and a liquid medium between an anterior surface of the eye and the contact lens surface.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11 / 948,433, filed Nov. 30, 2007, which is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11 / 277,477, filed Mar. 24, 2006, which is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 865,165, filed Jun. 10, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,018,376, which is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09 / 772,539, filed Jan. 29, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,863,667.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates to ophthalmic laser surgery and, more particularly, an ophthalmic interface apparatus used to stabilize the eye of a patient with respect to a laser beam during ophthalmic surgery and system and method of interfacing the eye with a surgical laser.BACKGROUND[0003]In recent years, significant developments in laser technology have led to its application in the field of ophthalmic surgery. In ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0013]In another embodiment, an interface for coupling a patient's eye to a surgical laser system includes an attachment ring configured to overlay an anterior surface of the eye, a lens cone defining a first plane surface and configured to couple to a delivery tip of the surgical laser system such that the delivery tip is positionally referenced to the first plane surface, a gripper, and a chamber configured to receive a liquid. The lens cone includes an apex ring coupled to the first plane surface, and an applanation lens disposed at a distal end of the apex ring. The gripper includes a receptacle receiving the attachment ring, a central orifice receiving the lens cone, a gripper portion, a pair of expandable jaws, and a pair of opposed lever handles coupled to the jaws. The jaws are configured to expand a diameter of the central orifice when opened and further configured to contract the diameter of the central orifice when allowed to relax. The gripper stabilizes the relative positions of the lens cone and the attachment ring when the cone and ring are received within the gripper. The lever handles are configured to apply an opening pressure to the jaws when the opposed handles are squeezed together. The chamber is formed by an inner surface of the attachment ring, an inner surface of the gripper portion, an inner surface of the jaws, and the applanation lens.

[0014]In another embodiment, a method for interfacing an eye to a surgical laser is provided including coupling a lens cone to a delivery tip of the surgical laser, coupling an attachment ring to an anterior surface of the eye, receiving a liquid into the first receptacle, positioning the lens cone in a central orifice of a gripper, and stabilizing the relative positions of the lens cone and the attachment ring with the gripper when the lens cone and attachment ring are received within the gripper. The lens cone defines a first plane surface, and the delivery tip is positionally referenced to the first plane surface. The lens cone includes an apex ring coupled to the first plane surface and an applanation lens disposed at a distal end of the apex ring and positioned in a second plane surface parallel to the first plane surface such that the delivery tip is positionally referenced to the second plane. The anterior surface of the eye and an inner surface of the attachment ring form a first receptacle. The gripper includes a second receptacle configured to receive the attachment ring, and the central orifice is configured to receive the lens cone. A chamber containing the liquid is formed by the first receptacle and the applanation lens when the lens cone and attachment ring are received within the gripper.

Problems solved by technology

However, complications surrounding the use of the microkeratome with a metal blade have resulted in research into improved techniques that are performed exclusively by a laser system.

Despite these advances in laser technology, the use of such systems for ophthalmic surgical procedures remains fraught with substantial mechanical limitations, particularly in the area of developing a stable interface between an incident laser beam and the eye of a patient.

Movement of the eye with respect to the intended focal point of the laser beam can lead to non-optimal results and might result in permanent damage to non-renewable tissue within the eye.

While this technique has provided some benefit, the patient bears a significant burden of minimizing relative motion.

This technique is also less tolerant of any significant gross autonomic reflex motions, e.g., as when the patient might be startled.

However, such systems are inordinately expensive since a second, completely independent optical path is typically provided between a patient's eye and a surgical apparatus in order to accommodate the eye tracking apparatus.

Further expense and complexity is incurred since an eye tracking apparatus requires an additional software component in order to be operative, which software component must be integrated into a laser delivery system.

However, although this assumption may hold true in a large number of cases, it certainly does not have universal application.

The actual establishment of an effective device / corneal interface is an exercise in trial-and-error, resulting in a great deal of frustration to doctor and patient, as well as considerable eye fatigue.

Accordingly, any structure which interfaces between a curved, anterior surface of the cornea and laser delivery system will likely encounter such aberration concerns.

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