Vision correction with laser refractive index changes
AssigneeUniversity of Rochester
InventorsLeonard Zheleznyak, Scott Catlin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and systems wherein laser induced refractive index changes by focused femtosecond laser pulses in optical polymeric materials or optical tissues is performed to address various types of vision correction.
Claims20
An optical contact lens including central optical and outer peripheral zones comprising an optical polymer material, wherein select regions of the optical device have been irradiated with a focused, visible or near-IR laser below the optical breakdown threshold of the optical polymer material to provide refractive structures that exhibit a change in refractive index, and exhibit little or no scattering loss, and wherein ablation or removal of the optical polymeric material is not observed in the irradiated regions,
- and wherein the outer peripheral zone includes stabilization features to maintain orientation of the contact lens relative to a user's eye.
An optical device selected from a contact lens, intraocular lens, or corneal inlay for improving visual performance in a patient, including central optical and outer peripheral zones comprising an optical polymer material, wherein select regions of the optical device in the central and outer zones have been irradiated with a focused, visible or near-IR laser below the optical breakdown threshold of the optical polymer material to provide refractive structures that exhibit a change in refractive index, and exhibit little or no scattering loss, and wherein ablation or removal of the optical polymeric material is not observed in the irradiated regions,
- wherein laser-irradiated refractive structures provided in the central optical zone of the optical device provide one or more of the following when the optical device is employed by a patient:
- extended depth of focus by inducing a higher order aberration;
- diffractive multifocal;
- refractive multifocal;
- chromatic aberration correction;
- higher order aberration corrections;
- binocular monovision;
- rotationally symmetric or asymmetric single ring;
- or custom corrections;
- and
- further wherein laser-irradiated refractive structures provided in the peripheral zone of the optical device provide a region of altered refractive index to reduce glare, halo, edge effects or dysphotopsias.
A method for modifying an optical device selected from a contact lens, intraocular lens, or corneal inlay for improving visual performance in a patient, wherein the optical device includes central optical and outer peripheral zones comprising an optical polymer material, comprising:
- modifying the refractive index of the optical polymer material in the central and outer peripheral zones by irradiating select regions with a focused, visible or near-IR laser below the optical breakdown threshold of the optical polymer material to provide refractive structures that exhibit a change in refractive index, and exhibit little or no scattering loss, and scanning over the select regions with the laser such that ablation or removal of the optical polymer material is not observed in the irradiated region,
- wherein refractive structures provided in the central optical zone of the optical device provide one or more of the following when the optical device is employed by a patient:
- extended depth of focus by inducing a higher order aberration;
- diffractive multifocal;
- refractive multifocal;
- chromatic aberration correction;
- higher order aberration corrections;
- binocular monovision;
- rotationally symmetric or asymmetric single ring;
- or custom corrections;
- and
- further wherein refractive structures provided in the peripheral zone of the optical device provide a region of altered refractive index to reduce glare, halo, edge effects or dysphotopsias.
A method for improving binocular visual performance in a presbyopia patient, comprising:
- modifying the refractive index of ocular tissue of an eye of the patient, by irradiating select regions of the ocular tissue with a focused, visible or near-IR laser below the optical breakdown threshold of the tissue to provide refractive structures that exhibit a change in refractive index, and exhibit little or no scattering loss, and scanning over the select regions with the laser such that ablation or removal of the tissue is not observed in the irradiated region,
- wherein the refractive structures provided include one or more of the following:
- extended the depth of focus by inducing a higher order aberration to the patient's eye;
- diffractive multifocal;
- refractive multifocal;
- chromatic aberration correction;
- higher order aberration corrections;
- binocular monovision;
- rotationally symmetric or asymmetric single ring;
- or custom corrections.
A method for providing an intraocular telescope lens system in an eye, comprising:
- modifying the refractive index of crystalline lens tissue of the eye by irradiating select regions of the crystalline lens tissue with a focused, visible or near-IR laser below the optical breakdown threshold of the crystalline lens tissue to provide a negative power lens element in the crystalline lens that exhibits a change in refractive index relative to non-irradiated crystalline lens tissue, and exhibits little or no scattering loss, and scanning over the select regions with the laser such that ablation or removal of the tissue is not observed in the irradiated region, and
- modifying the refractive index of cornea tissue of the eye by irradiating select regions of the cornea tissue with a focused, visible or near-IR laser below the optical breakdown threshold of the cornea tissue to provide a positive power lens element in the cornea that exhibits a change in refractive index relative to non-irradiated cornea tissue, and exhibits little or no scattering loss, and scanning over the select regions with the laser such that ablation or removal of the tissue is not observed in the irradiated region, and
- wherein the negative and positive power lens elements are aligned along an optical axis in the eye.
A method for providing an intraocular telescope lens system in an eye, comprising:
- inserting an intraocular lens comprising a negative power lens element in the eye, and
- modifying the refractive index of cornea tissue of the eye by irradiating select regions of the cornea tissue with a focused, visible or near-IR laser below the optical breakdown threshold of the cornea tissue to provide a positive power lens element in the cornea that exhibits a change in refractive index relative to non-irradiated cornea tissue, and exhibits little or no scattering loss, and scanning over the select regions with the laser such that ablation or removal of the tissue is not observed in the irradiated region, and
- wherein the negative and positive power lens elements are aligned along an optical axis in the eye.
A method for placing myopic defocus on the peripheral retina of an eye to prevent or slowing myopia progression in a patient, comprising:
- modifying the refractive index of ocular tissue of an eye of the patient, or of an optical device selected from an intraocular lens, contact lens, or corneal inlay, by irradiating select regions of the ocular tissue or optical device material with a focused, visible or near-IR laser below the optical breakdown threshold of the tissue or optical device material to provide refractive structures that exhibit a change in refractive index, and exhibit little or no scattering loss, and scanning over the select regions with the laser such that ablation or removal of the tissue or optical device material is not observed in the irradiated region, wherein the refractive structures provided form at least one peripheral zone having a different dioptric power around a center zone of the cornea or natural crystalline lens, or optical device, so as to provide a multifocal power profile in the cornea or natural crystalline lens, or optical device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.