Keravision, Inc.

Corneal Contouring, Inc.

Other

Kera Associates

Kera Corneal Devices, Inc.

Alvin E Reynolds

Lauren G Kilmer

Surgical apparatus for inserting a plastic, split end, adjusting ring into the stroma of the cornea of the eye wherein the adjusting ring includes, as a part thereof, a dissecting head to part the stroma and provide a pathway for the adjusting ring as the ring is rotated. The ends of the adjusting ring are moved to change the shape of the cornea to a desired shape in accordance with the desired visual correction after which the ends of the adjusting ring are fixably joined to maintain the desired shape.

Corneal curvature adjustment ring and apparatus for making a cornea

Corneal curvature adjusting ring

Refractive error of the cornea is corrected by a scraping procedure of rotating or oscillating, about a center axis of the cornea, a sharpened knife edge blade that is tangential to and against that portion of the cornea to be corrected, and microaxially advanced until the refractive error has been corrected.

Apparatus for surgically re-profiling the cornea

Refractive error of the cornea is corrected by a scraping procedure performed within a vacuum chamber formed above the cornea.

Method and apparatus for surgically profiling the cornea using vacuum

Hyperopia (far-sighted) refractive error of the cornea is corrected by a scraping procedure of rotating or oscillating a tool having a central pressure pad with a plurality of curved sharpened knife-edge blades that initially are tangential to and against an outer zone or band of the cornea and micro-axially advanced until the refractive error has been corrected.

Method and apparatus for re-profiling the cornea to correct for hyperopia

Conreal curvature adjustment ring

Method for corneal curvature adjustment

Refractive error of the cornea is corrected by a scraping procedure of rotating or oscillating a sharpened knife edge blade that is tangential to and against a top of the cornea at its center axis, and micro-axially advanced until the refractive error has been corrected.

Method for surgically re-profiling the cornea

Holder for inserting corneal curvature adjustable ring

In a system for adjusting the curvature of the cornea of the eye involving the insertion of a plastic split end adjusting ring into the stroma of the cornea, a holder has a concave end surface and circular groove therein for receiving a metal dissecting ring and for holding it in a circular shape. As the holder is rotated the inserted end of the metal ring is magnetically forced to follow rotation of the holder thus the dissecting ring is inserted in a circular path within the stroma.

Apparatus for corneal curvature adjustment

A system for adjusting the curvature of the cornea of the eye involves inserting a plastic split end adjusting ring into the stroma of the cornea by first making a first incision in the cornea above the corneal ring at about the eight millimeter chord, then inserting one end of a metal split end dissecting ring into the incision with the trailing end of the dissecting ring remaining outside the cornea. The one end of the dissecting ring has a transverse hole therein near its tip end. The dissecting ring is held by a magnetic holding and rotating device which has a concave end surface and circular groove therein for receiving the metal dissecting ring and for holding it in a circular shape. As the holder is rotated the inserted end of the metal ring is magnetically forced to follow rotation of the holder thus the dissecting ring is inserted in a circular path within the stroma. A sled shaped end portion of the dissecting ring causes the moving inserted end of the dissecting ring to be biased upwardly toward the anterior of the stroma as the dissecting ring is rotatably inserted therein. When the inserted end of the dissecting ring reaches the first incision its rotation is stopped and a second incision is made over the transverse hole in the dissecting ring perpendicular to and intersecting one edge of the first incision. The plastic adjusting member also has a transverse hole near its one sled shaped end which is placed next to the first incision. A connecting link member is inserted through the holes in the ends of the respective dissecting and adjusting rings to releasably join the two rings, the rotational direction of the holding tool is then reversed which 'backs out' the dissecting ring and at the same time pulls in behind it the plastic adjusting ring. When the now joined ends of the two rings are rotated back around to the insertion point, the now withdrawn dissecting ring is released from the adjusting ring. A corneascope type image of the corneal topography is displayed on a visual surface and compared to a desired target image. Adjustment is then made in the relative position of the ends of the adjusting ring to change the shape of the cornea to bring the image of the present shape into coincidence with the desired shape whereupon the two ends of the adjusting ring are fixedly joined to maintain the desired shape.

A quantitative corneascope for use with a surgical microscope in performing corrective techniques on the eye includes a pair of hinged image projection housing members movably mounted on each side of a surgical microscope and a light and image source for reflecting partial segments of placido rings (mires) from the corneal surface of the eye. The microscope utilizes a beam splitter to provide multiple viewing by an operating doctor, an assistant and a television camera. The camera permits viewing of the mires as reflected from the eye, on a monitor. The monitor is provided with apparatus for generating cursor lines on the viewing surface, which cursor lines represent predetermined radii of curvature corresponding to the range of spherical eye shapes. The cursor lines may be adjusted to discrete values in this range of radii of curvature which in turn changes the spacing between the straight lines of the cursor display. The cursor lines may also be adjusted along the X-Y coordinates of the viewing surface.

Apparatus for corneal corrective techniques

A system for adjusting the curvature of the cornea of the eye involves inserting a plastic split end adjusting ring into the stroma of the cornea by first making a first incision in the cornea above the corneal ring at about the eight millimeter chord, then inserting one end of a metal split end dissecting ring into the incision with the trailing end of the dissecting ring remaining outside the cornea. A connecting link member is inserted through the holes in the ends of the respective dissecting and adjusting rings to releasably join the two rings, the rotational direction of the holding tool is then reversed which 'backs out' the dissecting ring and at the same time pulls in behind it the plastic adjusting ring. When the now joined ends of the two rings are rotated back around to the insertion point, the now withdrawn dissecting ring is released from the adjusting ring. A corneascope type image of the corneal topography is displayed on a visual surface and compared to a desired target image. Adjustment is then made in the relative position of the ends of the adjusting ring to change the shape of the cornea to bring the image of the present shape into coincidence with the desired shape whereupon the two ends of the adjusting ring are fixedly joined to maintain the desired shape.

Growing community of inventors

Tulsa, OK, United States of America

Alvin E Reynolds