System for Inserting an Intracorneal Lens

A system for inserting an intracorneal lens into an eye, comprising

• a) a recording unit for producing at least one record of the eye, comprising an image recording device, a device for fixing the eye socket and optionally a reference unit which can be fixated on by the eye while the record is produced;
• b) an image processing unit by means of which the at least one record of the eye recorded by the recording unit is processable and a virtual image of the eye with a desired position of a pocket to be cut into a cornea is producible under computer control;
• c) a laser unit for cutting the pocket into the cornea of the eye, comprising a control device (by means of which a production of the pocket in the cornea of the eye by the laser is performable under computer control on the basis of the virtual image of the eye produced by the image processing unit;
• d) an insertion unit for inserting an intracorneal lens into the pocket in the cornea, comprising an optical device, wherein the optical device allows monitoring of a manual insertion of the intracorneal lens on the basis of the virtual image of the eye produced by the image processing unit and, optionally, on the basis of a virtual image of an instrument for inserting the intracorneal lens by superimposing a real image of the eye visible through the optical device on the virtual image of the eye.

A method for operating a system, comprising the following steps:

• a) controlling an image recording device in order to produce at least one record of an eye;
• b) processing the at least one produced record of the eye in an image processing unit into a virtual image of the eye, wherein the virtual image of the eye comprises a desired position of a pocket to be cut into a cornea;
• c) controlling a control device of a laser unit on the basis of the virtual image of the eye produced by the image processing unit;
• d) providing the virtual image of the eye produced by the image processing unit and, optionally, a virtual image of an instrument for inserting the intracorneal lens in an optical device of an insertion unit for monitoring the insertion of an intracorneal lens in a pocket of a cornea by superimposing a real image of the eye visible through the optical device on the virtual image of the eye.

A software product for operating a system, wherein the software product executes the following steps:

• a) controlling an image recording device in order to produce at least one record of an eye;
• b) processing the at least one produced record of the eye in an image processing unit into a virtual image of the eye, wherein the virtual image of the eye comprises a desired position of a pocket to be cut into a cornea;
• c) controlling a control device of a laser unit on the basis of the virtual image of the eye produced by the image processing unit;
• d) providing the virtual image of the eye produced by the image processing unit and, optionally, a virtual image of an instrument for inserting an intracorneal lens in an optical device of an insertion unit for monitoring the insertion of an intracorneal lens in a pocket of a cornea by superimposing a real image of the eye visible through the optical device on the virtual image of the eye.