Method and apparatus for monitoring laser surgery
OwnerLeon C. LaHayeinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and system for laser surgery produces controlled laser pulses and simultaneously verifies that a correct sequence of pulses are being delivered to the patient. A photo detector receives a predetermined portion of the energy of the treatment pulses as they exit the system. A separate monitoring computer compares an output signal from the photo detector with reference information for the treatment sequence. The system is exemplified in an implementation in an ophthalmic laser surgery system.
Claims35
A system for producing a predetermined treatment sequence of laser light pulses of varying dimension for ablating the cornea of a patient and for continuously monitoring the predetermined treatment sequence being delivered to the patient comprising:
- a laser for producing laser light pulses;
- a spatial modulator for varying the dimensions of spots projected on the cornea by the laser light pulses;
- treatment electronic means for controlling the laser and spatial modulator in accordance with entered data indicative of the predetermined treatment sequence for the patient;
- a beam splitter which is the last optical element in an optical path leading from the laser to the cornea of the patient;
- a photo detector receiving electromagnetic energy from the beam splitter for producing monitoring signals indicative of the laser light pulses delivered to the patient;
- and
- means for comparing the monitoring signals with reference values for the predetermined sequence of laser light pulses.
A method for modifying the cornea of a patient with pulses of laser light in accordance with a treatment sequence comprising the steps of:
- generating pulses of laser light;
- controlling the pulses of laser light so that selected portions of the cornea are ablated by the pulses in accordance with the treatment algorithm;
- during treatment, directing to a photo detector from the last optical element in the system a portion of the energy of pulses being delivered to the cornea of the patient;
- comparing an output signal from the photo detector to a reference value derived from the treatment sequence and at least one previously measured photo detector output signal value;
- and
- providing an indication of the performance of the laser system in response to said comparison.
A system for producing a predetermined treatment sequence of laser pulses for selectively ablating the cornea of a patient and for monitoring the predetermined treatment sequences of pulses as the pulses are being delivered to the patient comprising:
- a laser for producing laser light pulses;
- means for controlling the size and energy of laser light pulses delivered to the cornea of a patient so that selected portions of the cornea of the patient are ablated in accordance with the predetermined treatment sequence;
- a photo detector for producing monitoring signals during treatment indicative of the energy of the laser pulses delivered to the patient;
- and
- optical means for directing a portion of the energy of the controlled pulses to the cornea of the patient and a portion of the energy to the photo detector wherein the optical means is a beam splitter with a front surface mirror.
A system for producing a predetermined treatment pattern of laser pulses for selectively ablating the cornea of a patient and for detecting a pattern of pulses as the pulses are being delivered to the patient comprising:
- a laser for producing laser light pulses;
- means for controlling pulses of laser light from the laser so that selected portions of the cornea of the patient are ablated in accordance with the predetermined treatment pattern;
- a photo detector for producing signals during treatment indicative of the spatial energy distribution of the laser pulses being delivered to the patient over a selected time interval;
- a beam splitter for splitting the pulsed laser beam and directing energy from the pulses to the photo detector;
- and
- fail-safe means for comparing signals from the photo detector with reference information concerning the spatial energy distribution of pulses to be delivered in accordance with the predetermined treatment pattern and providing an indication of performance of the system in response to the comparison.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.