Abstract: A method for harvesting a plurality of corneal donor plugs for use in keratophakia procedures requires the determination of a perimeter for the plurality of plugs. Further, the method involves the selection of posterior and anterior boundaries for the plurality of donor plugs. In the method, interfaces between adjacent donor plugs are identified. Thereafter, a pulse laser beam is directed along the perimeter, the boundaries and the interfaces to establish the plurality of plugs. After the plugs are removed from the donor cornea, individual plugs are mechanically separated from one another.

Abstract: A device for establishing a desired alignment between a patient's eye and a laser system to facilitate an engagement therebetween includes a light source to illuminate the eye. A moveable platform is provided to move the patient relative to the laser system. To establish alignment between the eye and the laser system, a reference marker is based on the laser system. An image of the marker, along with reflections from the illuminated eye, is then transmitted to the system controller. There, the image and reflections are processed to determine a measured alignment that is then compared to the desired alignment. An error signal that is indicative of an alignment difference is then generated and used to incrementally move the platform, or the patient, in an appropriate direction.

Abstract: A device for establishing a desired alignment between a patient's eye and a laser system to facilitate an engagement therebetween includes a light source to illuminate the eye. A moveable platform is provided to move the patient relative to the laser system. To establish alignment between the eye and the laser system, a reference marker is based on the laser system. An image of the marker, along with reflections from the illuminated eye, is then transmitted to the system controller. There, the image and reflections are processed to determine a measured alignment that is then compared to the desired alignment. An error signal that is indicative of an alignment difference is then generated and used to incrementally move the platform, or the patient, in an appropriate direction.

Abstract: A system for performing a corneal transplantation includes a laser source for generating a laser beam and a chair for positioning a patient relative to the laser source. A stabilizing element, engageable with the laser source, is fixated on the anterior surface of the patient's cornea to hold the cornea in alignment with the laser source. The laser source is then used to remove diseased tissue from the cornea of the patient, thereby creating a corneal cavity of known dimensions. In a subsequent step, a donor graft that was previously photoaltered to have substantially the same dimensions as the corneal cavity, is transplanted into the corneal cavity.

Abstract: A composite foil for imparting a decorative effect to a substrate comprises a carrier film, a decorating layer secured thereto either directly or by way of a release layer, and an adhesive coating secured on the decorating layer either directly or by way of an adhesion-facilitating layer, said decorating layer comprising at least one layer of glass or glass-like material deposited by high vacuum vaporization.

Abstract: This invention relates to new hot-stamping films comprising a carrier film, a transparent covering lacquer layer which is provided on its surface facing away from said carrier film, with a spatial pattern, a decorative layer contacting the surface of the transparent covering lacquer layer provided with the spatial pattern, and an adhesive layer, optionally with a separating layer between the carrier film and the covering lacquer layer and optionally with an adhesion-promoter layer between the decorative layer and the adhesive layer, and to a process for their production and to apparatus for the manufacture by this process.