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:
Nov. 04, 2003
Filed:
Nov. 28, 2001
Josef Bille, Heidelberg, DE;
20/10 Perfect Vision Optische Geraete GmbH, Heidelberg, DE;
Abstract
A method for creating a corneal flap for use in a corneal reshaping procedure includes the step of creating a periphery for the flap by subsurface photoablation of the cornea using a laser beam. Specifically, tissue located at the interface between layers of stromal lamellae is photoablated to create the periphery. To accomplish this, the size of the bubbles created during photoablation are monitored using a wavefront detector and the photoablation depth is altered when the bubble size indicates that photoablation is not occurring at an interface. With the periphery established, an incision is made into the cornea extending between the anterior surface of the cornea and the periphery. Next, the corneal tissue bounded by the incision is lifted to mechanically separate the flap from the remainder of the cornea along the interface between layers of lamellae.