Patents by Inventor Christof Donitzky

Christof Donitzky has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20240108508
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an eye treatment system for performing laser surgery on an eye which includes a laser optical system. The laser optical system includes a scanning system for scanning a focus of a laser beam of the laser light within a cornea of the eye in three dimensions. The laser optical system further includes a focusing optical system. The scanning system is in the beam path of the laser beam between the laser source and the focusing optical system. The eye treatment system further includes a contact element which is in the beam path of the laser beam between the focusing optical system and the eye. The contact element has a contact surface for contacting a cornea of the eye. At least a portion of the contact surface has a shape, which is convex toward the cornea.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2023
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Inventors: Wolfgang KÜGEL, Christof DONITZKY
  • Patent number: 11717446
    Abstract: An apparatus for cutting a tissue part of an eye by means of laser radiation includes a suction-ring unit (16) which is capable of being mounted onto the eye, with a ring axis (22), a mechanical interface unit (34) which is separate from the suction-ring unit (16), which is capable of being moved along the ring axis (22) in coupling contact with the latter, and which is capable of being mechanically coupled with optical means (70) which focus the laser radiation onto or into the tissue part (12) of the eye, and sealing means (44, 52) which upon movement of the interface unit (34) in coupling contact with the suction-ring unit (16) form a space (58) which is capable of being evacuated and which is delimited by sealing surfaces (46, 60) of the interface unit (34) and of the suction-ring unit (16) and of the sealing means (44, 52).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Christof Donitzky, Bernd Zerl, Thomas Deisinger
  • Publication number: 20220202609
    Abstract: An apparatus for cutting a tissue part of an eye by means of laser radiation includes a suction-ring unit (16) which is capable of being mounted onto the eye, with a ring axis (22), a mechanical interface unit (34) which is separate from the suction-ring unit (16), which is capable of being moved along the ring axis (22) in coupling contact with the latter, and which is capable of being mechanically coupled with optical means (70) which focus the laser radiation onto or into the tissue part (12) of the eye, and sealing means (44, 52) which upon movement of the interface unit (34) in coupling contact with the suction-ring unit (16) form a space (58) which is capable of being evacuated and which is delimited by sealing surfaces (46, 60) of the interface unit (34) and of the suction-ring unit (16) and of the sealing means (44, 52).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2022
    Publication date: June 30, 2022
    Inventors: Christof Donitzky, Bernd Zerl, Thomas Deisinger
  • Patent number: 11304848
    Abstract: An apparatus for cutting a tissue part of an eye by means of laser radiation includes a suction-ring unit (16) which is capable of being mounted onto the eye, with a ring axis (22), a mechanical interface unit (34) which is separate from the suction-ring unit (16), which is capable of being moved along the ring axis (22) in coupling contact with the latter, and which is capable of being mechanically coupled with optical means (70) which focus the laser radiation onto or into the tissue part (12) of the eye, and sealing means (44, 52) which upon movement of the interface unit (34) in coupling contact with the suction-ring unit (16) form a space (58) which is capable of being evacuated and which is delimited by sealing surfaces (46, 60) of the interface unit (34) and of the suction-ring unit (16) and of the sealing means (44, 52).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Christof Donitzky, Bernd Zerl, Thomas Deisinger
  • Publication number: 20220110792
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a system for treating a cornea of a human eye using laser radiation. The system includes a laser system and a control system, which is configured to control the laser system for performing (a) a reshaping laser ablation for ablating a portion of a stroma of the cornea; and (b) a laser surface treatment. The laser surface treatment is a substantially optically non-corrective treatment of a reshaped surface portion. The reshaped surface portion represents a corrective or non-corrective reshaping of an anterior surface of the cornea and is formed using the reshaping laser ablation. A maximum ablation depth of the laser surface treatment is less than 5 micrometers or less than 3 micrometers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2021
    Publication date: April 14, 2022
    Inventors: Wolfgang KÜGEL, Christof DONITZKY
  • Publication number: 20210106463
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a laser system for eye surgery with an eye-surgical laser apparatus and with a set of interface devices. The invention further relates to the laser apparatus itself, to the set of interface devices itself, to the use of the set and also to a method for laser-surgical eye treatment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2020
    Publication date: April 15, 2021
    Inventors: Christof Donitzky, Claudia Gorschboth, Klaus Vogler
  • Patent number: 10828506
    Abstract: A crosslinking control system, the use of the crosslinking control system, a laser system comprising the crosslinking control system, a crosslinking control method and a method for laser treatment are provided. The crosslinking control system comprises a photosensitizer providing unit, a light source configured to provide light having a wavelength suitable to activate the photosensitizer introduced into or applied onto the tissue for crosslinking, and a control computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Christof Donitzky, Armin Wellhoefer
  • Patent number: 10779989
    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?).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Christof Donitzky, Christian Wuellner, Peter Riedel
  • Publication number: 20200206027
    Abstract: An apparatus for cutting a tissue part of an eye by means of laser radiation includes a suction-ring unit (16) which is capable of being mounted onto the eye, with a ring axis (22), a mechanical interface unit (34) which is separate from the suction-ring unit (16), which is capable of being moved along the ring axis (22) in coupling contact with the latter, and which is capable of being mechanically coupled with optical means (70) which focus the laser radiation onto or into the tissue part (12) of the eye, and sealing means (44, 52) which upon movement of the interface unit (34) in coupling contact with the suction-ring unit (16) form a space (58) which is capable of being evacuated and which is delimited by sealing surfaces (46, 60) of the interface unit (34) and of the suction-ring unit (16) and of the sealing means (44, 52).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2020
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventors: Christof Donitzky, Bernd Zerl, Thomas Deisinger
  • Patent number: 10624787
    Abstract: An apparatus for cutting a tissue part of an eye by means of laser radiation includes a suction-ring unit (16) which is capable of being mounted onto the eye, with a ring axis (22), a mechanical interface unit (34) which is separate from the suction-ring unit (16), which is capable of being moved along the ring axis (22) in coupling contact with the latter, and which is capable of being mechanically coupled with optical means (70) which focus the laser radiation onto or into the tissue part (12) of the eye, and sealing means (44, 52) which upon movement of the interface unit (34) in coupling contact with the suction-ring unit (16) form a space (58) which is capable of being evacuated and which is delimited by sealing surfaces (46, 60) of the interface unit (34) and of the suction-ring unit (16) and of the sealing means (44, 52).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Christof Donitzky, Thomas Deisinger, Bernd Zerl
  • Patent number: 10582851
    Abstract: A device (100) for ophthalmic radiation is provided. The device comprises a radiation interface (102), an optical branch coupler (104), and a plurality of ophthalmic units (106, 108, 110, 112). The radiation interface is adapted to at least one of output and capture radiation on an optical path (124). The optical path is directable towards a patient's eye. The optical branch coupler is adapted to couple output radiation from a plurality of optical branches (118, 119, 120, 122, 123) into the optical path and to couple captured radiation from the optical path into the optical branches. The captured radiation is spectrally split by the optical branch coupler into the optical branches. Each of the optical branches has a different spectral range. Each of the plurality of ophthalmic units is arranged to couple to one of the optical branches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Christof Donitzky, Christian Wuellner
  • Patent number: 10433722
    Abstract: A diagnosis system and a diagnosis method are provided. More specifically, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a diagnosis system for detection of corneal degeneration impacting the biomechanical stability of the human cornea and a diagnosis method for detection of corneal degeneration impacting the biomechanical stability of the human cornea. Still more specifically, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a diagnosis system for early detection of corneal degeneration impacting the biomechanical stability of the human cornea and a diagnosis method for early detection of corneal degeneration impacting the biomechanical stability of the human cornea.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: WAVELIGHT GMBH
    Inventors: Klaus Vogler, Christof Donitzky
  • Patent number: 10363170
    Abstract: An apparatus for corneal crosslinking, the use of the apparatus for corneal crosslinking, and a method for corneal crosslinking are provided. The apparatus comprises a source of laser radiation; a scanner device for scanning the laser radiation; and a control computer for controlling the scanner device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: Novartis AG
    Inventors: Katrin Skerl, Armin Wellhöfer, Christof Donitzky
  • Publication number: 20190201241
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a laser system for eye surgery with an eye-surgical laser apparatus and with a set of interface devices. The invention further relates to the laser apparatus itself, to the set of interface devices itself, to the use of the set and also to a method for laser-surgical eye treatment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2019
    Publication date: July 4, 2019
    Inventors: Christof Donitzky, Claudia Gorschboth, Klaus Vogler
  • Patent number: 10195084
    Abstract: According to certain embodiments, a method for laser cutting treatment of a human eye comprises: determining position information of a pupil center of the eye in relation to a point of minimal corneal thickness in an undeformed state of the eye; locating the point of minimal corneal thickness in a flattened state of the eye, in which the eye is deformed by contact with a patient adapter of a laser device; and aligning a pulse firing pattern for laser radiation pulses of the laser device, based on a position of the located point of minimal corneal thickness and the determined position information. In embodiments, the pulse firing pattern represents, for example, a lenticular or doughnut-shaped intracorneal tissue volume which is to be removed from the cornea of the eye.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: Novartis AG
    Inventors: Theo Seiler, Christof Donitzky, Peter Riedel, Jörg Klenke
  • Patent number: 10159602
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a method and apparatus for laser-processing a material. In the embodiments, a diffraction-limited beam of pulsed laser radiation is diffracted by a diffraction device to generate a diffracted beam. The diffracted beam is subsequently focused onto the material and is controlled in time and space to irradiate the material at a target position with radiation from a set of radiation pulses of the diffracted beam so that each radiation pulse from the set of radiation pulses is incident at the target position with a cross-sectional portion of the diffracted beam, the cross-sectional portion including a local intensity maximum of the diffracted beam. The beam cross-sectional portions of at least a subset of the pulses of the set include each a different local intensity maxi-mum. In this way, a multi-pulse application for generating a photo-disruption at a target location of the material can be implemented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Wavelight GmbH
    Inventors: Klaus Vogler, Christof Donitzky
  • Patent number: 10085887
    Abstract: A method for preparing an endothelial corneal graft is provided. The method comprises: providing a donor cornea; irradiating the donor cornea from an endothelial side thereof with laser radiation to cause a photodisruption in tissue of the donor cornea at a focal point of the radiation; and moving the focal point of the radiation to form an endothelial graft in the donor cornea. By irradiating the donor cornea from the endothelial side thereof, instead of the epithelial side, to cut the endothelial graft, optical inhomogeneities which may develop after death in stromal tissue of the donor cornea leave the laser cutting process substantially unaffected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: Novartis AG
    Inventors: Christof Donitzky, Theo Seiler
  • Patent number: 9974691
    Abstract: A laser apparatus is controlled by a control program that operates to use laser radiation to generate an incision figure in the cornea of an eye, the incision figure including an incision that bounds a corneal tissue volume. The control program operates to move the radiation focus in a radiation propagation direction successively in a plurality of superposed planes such that the radiation focus is moved without motion control in the propagation direction. The control program provides, for each plane, for a meandering scan path of the radiation focus that extends outside the tissue volume. The control program operates to allow through to the eye, in each plane, at least such radiation pulses that generate the first incision and to blank, in at least a fraction of the planes, at least a fraction of radiation pulses assigned to regions of the path that are at a distance from the incision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: WaveLight GmbH
    Inventors: Christof Donitzky, Klaus Vogler
  • Patent number: 9974690
    Abstract: An apparatus for LASIK is equipped with the following: a first laser radiation source for generating first laser radiation pulses; first means for guiding and shaping the first laser radiation pulses; a second laser radiation source for generating second laser radiation pulses; second means for guiding and shaping the second laser radiation pulses; a controller with: a first treatment program for controlling the first means and the first laser radiation pulses for the purpose of producing an incision in the cornea, the first treatment program generating regular corneal surface structures; a second treatment program for controlling the second means and the second laser radiation pulses for the purpose of reshaping the cornea and changing its imaging properties; and a third treatment program which controls the second means and the second laser radiation pulses for the purpose of removing the aforementioned regular structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Wavelight GmbH
    Inventors: Christian Wüllner, Klaus Vogler, Christof Donitzky
  • Patent number: 9968484
    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, a radial—relative to the ring axis—widening zone in which the opening incision impinges on the ring incision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Wavelight GmbH
    Inventors: Theo Seiler, Mathias Woelfel, Christof Donitzky