Abstract: In certain embodiments, a system (10) comprises a laser source (20), one or more optical elements (24), a monitoring device (28), and a control computer (30). The laser source (20) emits one or more laser pulses. The optical elements (24) change a pulse length of the laser pulses, and the monitoring device (28) measures the pulse length of the laser pulses to detect the change in the pulse length. The control computer (30) receives the measured pulse length from the monitoring device (28), determines one or more laser parameters that compensate for the change in the pulse length, and controls the laser source (20) according to the laser parameters.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for cutting or ablating corneal tissue of an eye provide for detection of electromagnetic radiation exiting the eye. A detector is provided and coupled to a computer controlling the cutting or ablating laser radiation so that a two- or three-dimensional image of radiation exiting the eye can be generated.

Abstract: An apparatus for treating an eye with laser radiation exhibits the following: a laser radiation source (12) for generating laser radiation (14), means (20, 24, 40, 42, 44) for directing the laser radiation (14) onto the eye (10) for the purpose of an ophthalmological intervention on or in the eye, a controller (50) for controlling the laser radiation (14) in space and time in relation to the eye (10) in accordance with a treatment program (52) which is oriented towards a center (Z) of the eye, a camera (46) which records a feature of the eye (10), and an image-processing unit (50a) which derives information about the center (Z) of the eye (10) from the recording of the camera and enters this information into the controller (50), as a result of which the controller (50) controls the laser radiation (14, 14?) in accordance with the treatment program and in a manner depending on the center of the eye derived in step e).

Abstract: An interface unit for positioning an object to be irradiated in relation to a radiation source has at least one first positioning surface for positioning the interface unit in relation to the radiation source, and a second positioning surface for bearing on the object to be irradiated. The interface unit provides a path, which passes through the second positioning surface, for the radiation from the radiation source. According to the invention, the interface unit comprises an integrally produced interface body which forms both the at least one first positioning surface and the second positioning surface. The interface body is preferably produced from a plastic material by an injection compression molding method, in order to achieve the desired high manufacturing accuracy.

Abstract: An apparatus for ophthalmological, in particular refractive, laser surgery includes a laser-beam source (20) for emitting a focused treatment laser beam (20?) and also includes an optical-coherence interferometric measuring device (34), for example an OLCR pachymeter, for measuring the z-position of a predetermined point of an eye to be treated in the coordinate system of the laser-surgery apparatus. A computer (C) serving as evaluating and control unit has been set up to assess, on the basis of the measured z-position, whether a desired treatment point of the eye in the z-direction falls in the focal plane of the treatment laser beam or is offset in relation to said plane. Depending on whether or not the patient is correctly positioned in relation to the focal plane, the computer (C) can bring about a range of actions.

Abstract: An apparatus for ophthalmic laser surgery includes a contact surface for shaping abutment of an eye to be treated, a first radiation-source for making a treatment laser beam available, optical components for directing the treatment laser beam through the contact surface onto the eye, and also a measuring instrument for measuring the depth of the anterior chamber of the eye bearing against the contact surface, whereby the measuring instrument makes measured data available that are representative of the depth of the anterior chamber of the eye at least one point of the same. The apparatus enables a monitoring of the depth of the anterior chamber for a predetermined limiting value being fallen short of and in this way can prevent a dangerous close approach of the posterior surface of the cornea to the anterior surface of the lens when the eye is pressed against the contact surface.

Abstract: In certain embodiments, a device configured to perform epithelial removal comprises a laser device and a control computer. The laser device can separate the epithelium from the Bowman's layer of an eye using pulsed laser radiation having ultrashort pulses. The laser device includes controllable components that control a focus of the pulsed laser radiation. The control computer controls the controllable components to focus the pulsed laser radiation at one or more epithelial cell layers of the epithelium to photodisrupt at least a portion of the epithelial cell layers.

Abstract: A laser system for eye surgery comprises an eye-surgical laser apparatus and a set of interface devices. The eye-surgical laser apparatus has optical components for providing pulsed focused laser radiation with radiation properties matched to the generation of photodisruptions in human eye tissue and a control unit for positional control of the radiation focus of the laser radiation. The control unit is designed for executing various control programs that represent various types of incision figures. Each interface device includes a contact body that is transparent to the laser radiation, with an abutment face for abutment against an eye to be treated, and a coupling portion for detachable coupling of the interface device onto a counter-coupling portion of the laser apparatus. The interface devices differ by virtue of a differing optical effect on the laser radiation provided in the laser apparatus.

Abstract: An instrument is proposed for examining or machining a human eye, with an eye-tracker for acquiring eye movements and for outputting a signal that is representative of the acquired eye movements, the eye-tracker including an interferometric image-acquisition device that has been set up for time-resolved acquisition of sectional images of the eye and that operates on the basis of two-dimensional or three-dimensional optical coherence tomography, and also an evaluating module ascertaining the eye movements solely from the sectional images.

Abstract: According to an exemplary embodiment, a device (12) for assisting in the preparation of an operation on the human eye (14) for the purpose of generating a corneal flap by means of a microkeratome system (10) includes: an input interface arrangement (50) that permits at least the input of data relating to a set value of at least one flap parameter and also to at least one patient-related parameter; a computer (46) that has been set up to access a stored data collection (44) of several surgical data records, each of which includes a post-operative actual value of at least one flap parameter, a value for at least one patient-related parameter and configuration data of the microkeratome system, the computer (46) having been set up to ascertain, on the basis of the data collection (44) in a manner depending on the input data, configuration information that represents a proposed configuration of the microkeratome system (10); an output interface arrangement (48) for outputting the configuration information.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for a laser-assisted eye-surgery treatment system, comprising a first image-acquisition unit that is designed to acquire a first image (39) of an eye to be treated. The apparatus further comprises a computer arrangement which is designed to detect at least one first feature (40?) of the eye by means of image processing of the first image, and to determine a position and an orientation of the first feature in a coordinate system (S?) of the treatment system. The computer arrangement is also designed to determine a position and an orientation of an incision (66?) to be produced in the eye in the coordinate system (S?) of the treatment system as a function of the determined position and orientation of the first feature (40?) in the coordinate system and as a function of a previously determined relative position and orientation of at least one second feature (64?) of the eye with respect to the first feature (40?).

Abstract: There is proposed an apparatus for eye surgery, which comprises a stand (24) having a stand base (32) that is movable or realized for mounting on a wall or ceiling, and having a stand arm arrangement (34, 36) that is manually adjustable, at least partially, relative to the stand base, an operation microscope (38) being attached to the stand arm arrangement. Further, the eye-surgery apparatus comprises a laser appliance, which provides pulsed, focussed laser radiation having radiation properties suited to the application of incisions in the human eye (14). The laser appliance comprises a laser source (20) and a laser treatment head (26) that is attached to the stand arm arrangement (34, 36) and emits the laser radiation, a flexible transmission fibre (22) or a jointed beam transport arm being provided for the purpose of transporting the laser radiation to the laser treatment head.

Abstract: A process is proposed for testing a laser device that has been set up to emit pulsed focused laser radiation, the focal position of which is adjustable both in and across the direction of propagation of the laser radiation. The laser device includes a contact element that is transparent to the laser radiation, with an abutment surface for abutment of an object to be machined. Within the scope of the process, a test object that is transparent to the laser radiation at least in a machining region is applied onto the abutment surface of the contact element. Then laser radiation is beamed into the test object bearing against the abutment surface and in the process the focal position is moved in accordance with a predetermined test pattern, in order to generate enduring machining structures in the test object.

Abstract: A method for analyzing a laser system, which has a focused laser beam and a controllable deflection assembly for controlling the transverse and/or longitudinal position of the beam focus, said method comprising the steps of directing the laser beam or a partial beam branched therefrom downstream of the deflection assembly toward an optically nonlinear medium for the purpose of generating frequency multiplied radiation, the wavelength of which corresponds to an uneven higher harmonic of the wavelength of the laser beam, activating the deflection assembly, and measuring a power of the frequency multiplied radiation while the deflection assembly is activated. The conversion efficiency of the nonlinear process by which the frequency multiplied radiation is produced is dependent upon the focusability of the laser beam.

Abstract: There is provided an apparatus for recording a depth profile of a biological tissue, in particular a frontal eye section of a human eye, according to the principle of optical coherence tomography, comprising a light source adapted to generate a bundle of light rays, an interferometer arrangement having a beam splitter device adapted to spatially separate the bundle of light rays into a reference beam and a measurement beam directed toward the tissue, a reference beam deflection device adapted to deflect the reference beam, a beam superpositioning device adapted to spatially superimpose the deflected reference beam onto the measurement beam deflected by the tissue into a superpositioned beam, and a detector arrangement for detecting information in the superpositioned beam associated with the difference of the optical path length of the reference beam and the measurement beam.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring optical properties of an object—such as, in particular, an eye—comprises a wavefront sensor for surveying wavefront aberrations generated by the object and an optical coherence tomograph, so that both wavefront aberrations and structures of the object can be surveyed. For this purpose a broadband laser radiation-source is provided for the OCT. A reference beam is generated with a retroreflector, and a beam-splitter serves as optical component both for the wavefront determination and for the OCT.

Abstract: A device for machining the cornea of a human eye with focused pulsed laser radiation includes controllable components, a control computer for controlling these components and a control program for the control computer. The control program contains instructions that are designed to generate an incision figure in the cornea permitting the insertion of an intrastromal corneal ring implant. The incision figure includes a ring incision situated totally deep within the corneal tissue and an opening incision extending at right angles to the ring plane of the ring incision from the anterior surface of the cornea or from the posterior surface of the cornea as far as at least the ring incision. The ring incision exhibits, assigned to the opening incision (44), a radial—relative to the ring axis—widening zone in which the opening incision impinges on the ring incision.

Abstract: A device for laser-aided eye surgery comprising a patient table, as well as at least one laser system with a laser treatment head for emission of a focused laser beam onto an eye of a patient to be treated on the table. The laser system comprises an operation microscope with a viewing beam path running collinear to the laser beam path at least in the area of the emission location of the laser beam. According to the invention, the device is characterized by at least a first camera to create an image at least comprising the area from the mouth to the forehead of a patient lying on a table, as well as by a display device to display the picture taken. As an alternative to, or in addition to, the first camera and the display device, the eye-surgery device can comprise a laser projector for projection of a laser light pattern onto the patient's body as well as a guiding computer controlling the projector with an image signal output to which an image signal input of the projector is attached.

Abstract: A simulator to be used in ophthalmological measurements includes a display apparatus and a control device. The control device is adapted to control the display apparatus in such a manner that the display apparatus displays an image that is adapted to simulate the arrangement of a pupillary midpoint relative to a reference structure.

Abstract: A device for machining the human cornea with focused laser radiation includes controllable components for setting the location of the radiation focus, a control computer for controlling these components, and also a control program for the control computer. The control program contains instructions that have been designed to bring about, upon execution by the control computer, the generation of incisions in the cornea in accordance with a predetermined incision figure, the incision figure defining a corneal bed, a flap situated on the bed and also at least one tissue strip situated in the region of the peripheral edge of the flap between the bed and the flap and extending along the edge of the flap. After the flap has been folded away, the tissue strip has to be removed and enables a creaseless post-ablative close fitting of the folded-back flap against the surface of the bed. In this manner, microstriae which may impair the visual capacity can be avoided.