Alcon, Inc.

Autonomous Technologies Corporation

Alcon Universal Ltd.

James H Burkhalter

Rudolph W Frey

Neil Zepkin

Gary Paul Gray

George Richard Downes, Jr

John E McWhirter

John Alfred Campin

Edward Poppeliers

Junzhong Liang

An ophthalmic laser system includes a laser beam delivery system and an eye tracker responsive to movement of the eye operable with a laser beam delivery system for ablating corneal material of the eye through placement of laser beam shot on a selected area of the cornea of the eye. The shots are fired in a sequence and pattern such that no laser shots are fired at consecutive locations and no consecutive shots overlap. The pattern is moved in response to the movement of the eye.

Flying spot laser ablation method

Laser beam delivery system

Method of ablating a moving eye

Method of correcting vision

Method of redirecting an ablating laser beam

Optical characteristics, including vision defects, of optical systems, such as the eye, are measured using a collimated beam from a diode laser focused at a position relative to the eye other than the retina for providing a finite source of secondary radiation on the retina of the eye, the image of which is close to a desired diffraction-limited spot. The secondary radiation is reflected back from the retina as a reflected wavefront of radiation that passes through the eye and is directed onto a wavefront analyzer where distortions associated with the reflected wavefront are measured. By focusing on the cornea through a long-focal-length lens and thus converging the beam through a small angle, as opposed to focusing a collimated light onto the retina, the need for lenses or lens combinations and the time required to adjust such to accommodate the different visual characteristics of each patient is eliminated.

Apparatus and method for measuring vision defects of a human eye

Method of maintaining spacing in an ablation pattern

An apparatus for determining aberrations of an eye includes a patient head rest allowing for positioning adjustment. The patient head rest is operable with an optical table having a base. The base includes a probe beam generating apparatus, probe beam directing optics which itself comprises a beam splitter; a mirror; and a lens. The probe beam directing optics is capable of directing a probe beam toward an eye of a patient positioned on the patient head rest. Video image components are provided and comprise a light source, a mirror; and a video camera. The video image components are capable of generating an image of an eye of a patient positioned on the patient head rest. Eye fixation components generate a target that the eye of a patient positioned on the patient head rest can view. The eye fixation components comprise a fixation target, a light source, a lens, and a mirror. Wavefront directing and analyzing components measure a wavefront emanating from the eye of a patient positioned on the patient head rest and determine aberrations of the eye that range from at least about &plus; or &minus;1 diopters to at least about &plus; or &minus;6 diopters. The wavefront directing and analyzing components include a lens; a mirror, a microlens array, a camera, and a data processor.

Apparatus and method for objective measurement of optical systems using wavefront analysis

An apparatus for determining aberrations of an eye includes a patient head rest allowing for positioning adjustment. The patient head rest is operable with an optical table having a base. The base includes a probe beam generating apparatus, probe beam directing optics which itself comprises a beam splitter; a mirror; and a lens. The probe beam directing optics is capable of directing a probe beam toward an eye of a patient positioned on the patient head rest. Video image components are provided and comprise a light source, a mirror; and a video camera. The video image components are capable of generating an image of an eye of a patient positioned on the patient head rest. Eye fixation components generate a target that the eye of a patient positioned on the patient head rest can view. The eye fixation components comprise a fixation target, a light source, a lens, and a mirror. Wavefront directing and analyzing components measure a wavefront emanating from the eye of a patient positioned on the patient head rest and determine aberrations of the eye that range from at least about &plus; or &minus; 1 diopters to at least about &plus; or &minus; 6 diopters. The wavefront directing and analyzing components include a lens; a mirror, a microlens array, a camera, and a data processor.

Apparatus and method for objective measurements of optical systems using wavefront analysis

A surface treatment laser beam delivery and tracking system is provided. The laser generates laser light along a original beam path at an energy level suitable for treating (e.g., eroding) a surface. An optical translator shifts the original beam path onto a resulting beam path. An optical angle adjuster changes the angle of the resulting beam path relative to the original beam path such that the laser light is incident on, and spatially distributed, the surface to be treated. A motion sensor transmits light energy to the surface and receives reflected light energy from the surface via the optical angle adjuster. The light energy transmitted by the motion sensor travels on a path that is parallel to the shifted beam as they travel through the optical angle adjuster. The reflected light energy is used by the motion sensor to detect movement of the surface relative to the original beam path and generate error control signals indicative of the movement. The optical angle adjuster is responsive to the error control signals to change the angle of the resulting beam path and the angle of the motion sensor's light energy in correspondence with one another. In this way, the beam originating from the treatment laser and the light energy originating from the motion sensor track together with the surface movement.

Laser beam delivery and eye tracking system

Optical characteristics of optical systems, such as the eye, are measured including vision defects of the eye using a collimated beam from a diode laser focused onto the anterior surface of the cornea of the eye for providing a finite source of secondary radiation on the retina of the eye, the image of which is close to a desired diffraction limited spot. The secondary radiation is reflected back from the retina as a reflected wavefront of radiation that passes through the eye and is directed onto a wavefront analyzer where distortions associated with the reflected wavefront are measured. By focusing on the cornea through a long focal length lens and thus converging the beam through a small angle, as opposed to typically focusing a collimated light onto the retina, the need for lenses or lens combinations, and the time required to adjust such to accommodate the differing vision of each patient is eliminated.

Vision in an eye is corrected using an energy source for generating a beam of optical radiation and focusing optics disposed in the path of the beam for directing the beam through the eye, where the beam is reflected back from the retina of the eye as a wavefront of radiation to be measured. An optical correction based on an optical path difference between the measured wavefront and a desired plane wave, and refractive indices of the media through which the wavefront passes is provided to a laser delivery system with a laser beam sufficient for ablating corneal material from the cornea of the eye. The laser beam is directed at selected locations on the cornea for ablating the corneal material in response to the optical correction to cause the measured wavefront to approximate the desired plane wave, and thus provide an optical correction.

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Orlando, FL, United States of America

James H Burkhalter