Bi-radial patient interface

A method of docking a patient interface of an ophthalmic surgical laser system to an eye, the method comprising:

• determining R(central-cornea), a radius of curvature of a central portion of a cornea of the eye, and R(peripheral-cornea-sclera), a radius of curvature characteristic of a peripheral portion of the cornea and a sclera of the eye;
• selecting a contact element with a central portion having a central radius of curvature Rc and a peripheral portion having a peripheral radius of curvature Rp that is greater than Rc, wherein
• Rc is less than R(central-cornea)+1 mm, and
• Rp is less than R(peripheral-cornea-sclera)+1 mm;
• and
• docking the patient interface of the ophthalmic surgical laser system with the selected contact element to the eye.