Confocal laser eye surgery system and improved confocal bypass assembly

An eye surgery system, comprising:

• a light source for generating an electromagnetic beam;
• an eye interface device configured to interface with an eye of a patient;
• a scanning assembly supporting the eye interface device and operable to scan a focal point of the electromagnetic beam to different locations within the eye;
• an optical path configured to propagate the electromagnetic beam from the light source to the focal point and also configured to propagate a portion of the electromagnetic beam reflected from the focal point location back along the optical path, the optical path comprising a first optical element that attenuates the electromagnetic beam in a direction from the light source to the scanner and that also diverts a portion of the reflected electromagnetic radiation to a sensor;
• a detection assembly configured to generate an intensity signal indicative of intensity of a portion of the electromagnetic beam reflected from the focal point location;
• and
• a confocal bypass assembly configured to reversibly divert the radiation beam along a diversion optical path around the first optical element when the confocal bypass assembly is inserted into the optical path,
• wherein the confocal bypass assembly is configured to exit the optical path upon a loss of power to one or more components of the eye surgery system.

A method of operating a laser surgical system, the method comprising:

• using a beam source to generate an electromagnetic beam;
• propagating the electromagnetic beam from the beam source to a scanner along an optical path, the optical path comprising a non-polarizing first optical element that attenuates the electromagnetic beam such that less than 20% of the electromagnetic beam is propagated to the scanner and at least 80% of the electromagnetic beam is propagated to a dump, the first optical element being positioned between the beam source and the scanner;
• focusing the electromagnetic beam to a focal point at a location within the eye;
• using the scanner to scan the focal point to different locations within the eye;
• propagating a portion of the electromagnetic beam reflected from the focal point location back along the optical path to the first optical element, the first optical element diverting a portion of the reflected electromagnetic radiation to a sensor;
• using the sensor to generate an intensity signal indicative of an intensity of a portion of the electromagnetic beam reflected from the focal point location and propagated to the sensor via the first optical element;
• and
• reversibly inserting a confocal bypass assembly into the optical path, diverting the electromagnetic beam along a diversion optical path around the first optical element.