Abstract: Specific embodiments of the invention are directed to improved surgical procedures involving the use of processed non-visual three-dimensional data (i.e. diagnostic scan data) to provide a surgeon with additional guidance (i.e. more than that generally obtained from visual observation of the working area) concerning the distance separating a working end of a surgical instrument and the posterior portion of a target tissue. Separation information may be used to aid the surgeon in minimizing the risk of unintended penetration of adjacent tissue with the working end of the instrument. Some embodiments provide for the visual and/or auditory conveyance of distance information to the surgeon. Additional embodiments provide for overlaying visual representations of selected three-dimensional structure information (e.g. depths of troughs cut into the lens) with the real surface feature images viewed by the surgeon.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to improved phacoemulsification procedures involving the use of processed non-visual three-dimensional data (i.e. diagnostic scan data) to provide a surgeon with additional guidance concerning the distance separating a working end of a phacoemulsification instrument and the posterior capsule of the eye during a surgical procedure involving the removal of the crystalline lens of an eye. Such information is implemented to aid the surgeon in cutting or scoring the lens to a desired depth while minimizing the risk of penetrating the posterior portion of the capsule with the working end of the instrument. Some embodiments provide for the visual and/or auditory conveyance of distance information to the surgeon. Additional embodiments can provide for overlaying visual representations of selected structure information with the images provided to the surgeon.

Abstract: Specific embodiments of the invention are directed to improved phacoemulsification procedures involving the use of processed non-visual three-dimensional data (i.e. diagnostic scan data) to provide a surgeon with additional guidance (i.e. more than that generally obtained from visual observation of the working area) concerning the distance separating a working end of a phacoemulsification instrument and the posterior portion of the capsule of the eye during surgical procedures involving the removal of the crystalline lens of an eye (e.g. a cataract removal procedure). Such separation (i.e. distance or gap) information may be used to aid the surgeon in cutting or scoring the lens to a desired depth while minimizing the risk of penetrating the posterior portion of the capsule with the working end of the instrument.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are directed to improved surgical procedures such as ophthalmic procedures that utilize overlaid visual representations of three-dimensional data or other data with direct or indirect visual images of a surgical region (e.g. the eye) to provide improved information to a surgeon to speed surgical procedures and/or to provide improved outcomes of those procedures. In some embodiments, ophthalmic procedures are combined cataract removal and astigmatism reduction procedures. In other embodiments the ophthalmic procedures are corneal refractive surgical procedures that reshape the cornea to reduce astigmatism or other aberrations. In some ophthalmic procedures the three-dimensional data is topography data associated with the anterior surface of the cornea. In some embodiments, the three-dimensional data may be enhanced or replaced with aberrometric data associated with the optical path of the eye.

Abstract: A process for the recovery of acrylonitrile or methacrylonitrile obtained from the reactor effluent of an ammoxidation reaction of propylene or isobutylene comprising passing the reactor effluent through an absorber column, a first decanter, recovery column, a second decanter and stripper column wherein the improvement comprises maintaining inside temperature of the first and second decanter at between about 32.degree. F. to 75.degree. F.