Abstract: A scanning ablation laser is disclosed having a fundamental output from a mirrored facet in the ultraviolet range, the fundamental ultraviolet output having an energy level of no greater than 10 mJ/pulse on the corneal surface. A controller controls the laser and scanning mechanism to deliver a focused and scanned pulsed output laser beam in a predetermined overlapping pattern onto a plurality of positions on a corneal surface to photoablate at least one layer of corneal tissue such that an overlap among respective ablating spots of individual pulses of the scanned pulsed output laser beam on a single ablation layer is at least 50%. The scanning mechanism may locate laser beam pulses in a random pattern on the corneal surface. In one embodiment, a beam splitter splits the pulsed output laser beam into a plurality of laser beams.

Abstract: A stereo target corneal topography apparatus and method that uses two differently angled views of a target pattern reflected from a cornea to measure the shape of a cornea using a stereo reconstruction module to reconstruct the shape of a surface of a cornea. The surface elevation, surface slope and/or surface power may be determined without the need to make an initial assumption about the shape of the cornea.

Abstract: A laser system and techniques which compensate for laser fluence drop off or losses of irradiation as an ablating laser beam is traversed on a curved surface (e.g., on corneal tissue). The disclosed ablating laser system and techniques compensate for fluence differentials from pulse-to-pulse by adjusting an appropriate parameter of a laser beam. In the preferred embodiment, the number of pulses imparted in the periphery, the size or shape of the ablating laser beam is adjusted with, e.g., a variable aperture placed in the beam delivery path, by changing a magnification of relay optics in the beam delivery path, or by increasing a number of ablation spots in peripheral portions of an ablation zone as compared with the number of ablation spots in a central portion of the ablation zone. The fluence is compensated for using empirically measured or theoretical fluence correction factors given the angle of the laser beam, size and shape of the ablation spot, etc.

Abstract: A blade holder is provided for receiving and holding a keratome blade. The keratome blade used with the blade holder is of material so as to be attracted to a magnetic field. The blade holder includes a handle portion configured to be grasped by a user. A head portion is coupled to the handle portion and has a receiving surface sized to receive at least a portion of the keratome blade. The head portion is constructed and arranged to facilitate application of a magnetic field to attract the keratome blade such that the keratome blade can be carried by the receiving surface of the head portion. Hence, the blade can be inspected and loaded into a keratome having only been contacted by the sterile blade holder.

Abstract: A keratome includes a head assembly having a cutting head and blade for cutting corneal tissue and an applanation member associated with the cutting head. The keratome includes an eyeball retaining structure and at least one sensor is associated with the keratome providing measurement of a respective at least one operative factor during cutting of the corneal tissue.

Abstract: The present invention provides apparatus and techniques for performing prolate shaped corneal reshaping using an ellipsoid corneal modeler. In accordance with the principles of the present invention, an ellipsoid corneal modeler is implemented with the well behaved conicoid, combined with a modeled surface which can be used for astigmatic treatments.

Abstract: A method for analysis of the curvature of the surface of a cornea using a checkered placido comprises, projecting the image of the checkered placido onto a patient's cornea, detecting the image of the checkered placido reflected off of the cornea, detecting a plurality of nodal points from the reflected image, determining the mean curvature at a plurality of nodal points and analyzing the mean curvature at a plurality of nodal points in order to produce a graphic display of the estimated actual curvature of the cornea.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the simultaneous measurement of the anterior and posterior corneal surfaces, corneal thickness, and optical aberrations of the eye. The method employs direct measurements and ray tracing to provide a wide range of measurements for use by the ophthalmic community.

Abstract: A method for correction of a simple astigmatism of a corneal surface of an eye is provided. The method provides a laser operable to produce a pulsed output laser beam. A scanning mechanism is positioned to operatively receive the pulsed output laser beam of the laser and operable to control the scanning of the pulsed output laser beam over a target surface to be ablated. A computer system is operatively connected to the scanning mechanism for control thereof with the computer system operable to determine a desired configuration of an ablation to be performed on the target surface and to define a boundary associated with the ablation.

Abstract: A device for eliminating decentration error due to parallax during ophthalmic laser surgery comprises a stereo microscope having a first ocular and a second ocular and an objective lens for viewing a patient's eye, a laser for projecting a laser beam at a patient's eye during ophthalmic laser surgery; and structure for aligning the objective lens relative to the first ocular to center the laser beam with a patient's eye. The device for eliminating decentration error due to parallax also comprises prism positioned between either the first ocular and the objective lens or the objective lens and the laser beam.

Abstract: A system for illuminating an eye useful for tracking movement of an eye during vision correction treatments includes a generally arcuate main body having. The main body is constructed and arranged to be mounted in spaced relation to an eye to be tracked. An infrared light source is carried by the main body on at least a significant portion of its inner circumferential surface to direct infrared light toward the eye being treated at an angle from about 20 to 45 degrees with respect to an iris base plane of the eye being tracked.

Abstract: A method for the simultaneous measurement of the anterior and posterior corneal surfaces, corneal thickness, and optical aberrations of the eye. The method employs direct measurements and ray tracing to provide a wide range of measurements for use by the ophthalmic community.

Abstract: A method for analysis of the curvature of the surface of a cornea using a checkered placido comprises, projecting the image of the checkered placido onto a patient's cornea, detecting the image of the checkered placido reflected off of the cornea, detecting a plurality of nodal points from the reflected image, determining the mean curvature at a plurality of nodal points and analyzing the mean curvature at a plurality of nodal points in order to produce a graphic display of the estimated actual curvature of the cornea.

Abstract: A device for simulating ophthalmic surgery is disclosed which comprises a laser for generating a laser beam, an array for sensing whether the laser beam has been projected at the array, and a computer system operatively connected to the laser and the array, the computer system for actuating the laser, for determining whether the array has sensed the laser beam, and for creating an ablation profile based upon whether the array has sensed the laser beam.

Abstract: A system for illuminating an eye useful for tracking movement of an eye during vision correction treatments includes a generally arcuate main body having. The main body is constructed and arranged to be mounted in spaced relation to an eye to be tracked. An infrared light source is carried by the main body on at least a significant portion of its inner circumferential surface to direct infrared light toward the eye being treated at an angle from about 20 to 45 degrees with respect to an iris base plane of the eye being tracked.

Abstract: A laser beam delivery apparatus and a method for smoothly and uniformly ablating tissue, e.g., for reshaping a cornea of an eye, even in the face of real-world conditions such as a moving eye. The method includes defining a plurality of scan lines in an ablation zone on the tissue and defining a plurality of laser beam ablation points along each of the scan lines. An ablating laser beam is scanned along a series of non-adjacent scan lines of the plurality of scan lines and tissue is intermittently ablated at non-adjacent ones of the laser beam ablation points on each non-adjacent scan line of the series of non-adjacent scan lines.

Abstract: A profiling and/or calibration sample plate allowing approximately full scale calibration monitoring of an ablation achieved in corneal tissue. The profiling/calibration sample plate also allows for a permanent record of an achieved corneal ablation to be made immediately before (and/or during) the actual cornea to be ablated is ablated. The present invention allows "in vitro" full scale determination of the ablation profile resulting from a given set of refractive laser parameters. One exemplary profiling/calibration sample plate includes a plate (or other shape) having a recess adapted to contain a cross-linked collagen material. The collagen material serves as an approximation of corneal tissue having a similar ablation rate to allow for a "full scale" calibration and/or measurement of an ablation procedure as it will actually occur in a cornea.

Abstract: A laser beam delivery system and a method for ablating tissue, e.g., for reshaping a cornea of an eye is provided. The laser beam delivery system directs a laser beam on the tissue to be ablated in a predetermined pattern according to the principles of the present invention. The laser beam is incrementally scanned to subsequent laser beam ablation points or spots in the ablation zone in accordance with the predetermined pattern. The laser beam ablates tissue at the spots in the predetermined pattern in an arranged order. In one aspect of the present invention, the radii of the predetermined pattern is varied between scans of the laser beam until a predetermined reshaping is achieved by ablation. In another aspect of the present invention, every other, every third, every fourth, etc. laser beam spot in a predetermined pattern is ablated, and the scans are repeated for unablated points until all spots are ablated.

Abstract: A system for illuminating an eye useful for tracking movement of an eye during vision correction treatments includes a generally arcuate main body having. The main body is constructed and arranged to be mounted in spaced relation to an eye to be tracked. An infrared light source is carried by the main body on at least a significant portion of its inner circumferential surface to direct infrared light toward the eye being treated at an angle from about 20 to 45 degrees with respect to an iris base plane of the eye being tracked.

Abstract: A refractive laser surgery process is disclosed for using compact, low-cost ophthalmic laser systems which have computer-controlled scanning with a non-contact delivery device for both photo-ablation and photo-coagulation in corneal reshaping. The basic laser systems may include flash-lamp and diode pumped UV solid state lasers (193-215 nm), compact excimer laser (193 nm), free-running Er:glass (1.54 microns), Ho:YAG (2.1 microns), Q-switched Er:YAG (2.94 microns), and tunable IR lasers, (750-1100) nm and (2.5-3.2) microns. The advantages of the non-contact, scanning device used in the process over other prior art lasers include being safer, reduced cost, more compact and more precise and with greater flexibility. The theory of beam overlap and of ablation rate and coagulation patterns is also disclosed for system parameters. Lasers are selected with energy of (0.01-10) mJ, repetition rate of (1-10,000), pulse duration of 0.01 nanoseconds to a few hundreds of microseconds, and with spot size of (0.