The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 29, 1997
Filed:
Mar. 28, 1995
Jerre M Freeman, Memphis, TN (US);
Ronald G Driggers, Memphis, TN (US);
Roy E Williams, Memphis, TN (US);
Carl E Halford, Cordova, TN (US);
William R Clayton, Memphis, TN (US);
Other;
Abstract
A high speed, high resolution, programmable laser beam modulating apparatus includes a computer connected to a high resolution micromirror array having individually addressable and movable mirrors. The computer is also connected to a pulsed laser for controlling the emission thereof. A beam homogenizing optic changes an ablating input beam from the laser into a homogeneous beam having a uniform cross-sectional energy density. The mirrors are movable between an 'on' position for reflecting a portion of the homogeneous beam onto a cornea, and an 'off' position for reflecting the beam away from the cornea. The computer is programmed to move the mirrors to the 'on' position in a series of predetermined patterns, and the remaining mirrors to the 'off' position, and to fire the laser during the presence of each pattern, so that corresponding patterns of tissue on the cornea are successively ablated therefrom. The ablated patterns are overlaid on each other, so that they combine to produce a contour change in the cornea and correct a refractive error thereof.