Method of laser-sculpture of the optically used portion of the cornea
AssigneeLri L.P.
InventorFrancis A. L'Esperance, Jr.
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention contemplates removal of epithelium-layer material from the anterior surface of the cornea, as a step preparatory to laser surgery, wherein controlled ultraviolet irradiation of the cornea is operative to surgically ablate corneal tissue within an epithelium-free area which is in the optically used central region of the cornea; the control is such as to effect a predetermined sculpted corrective-curvature change in the optically used region. Other important pre-surgery and post-surgery procedural steps are disclosed, for greater assurance of a predictable curvature change through the sculpting laser surgery.
Claims19
The method of changing optical properties of an eye by operating solely upon the optically used area of the anterior surface of the cornea of an eye, which comprises the preliminary step of removing only the epithelial layer from said area, whereby within said area the cornea is epithelium-free, then within said area subjecting the cornea to selective tissue-ablating laser irradiation to selectively ablate the anterior surface of the cornea in a volumetric removal of corneal tissue and with depth penetration into the stroma to achieve a predetermined corneal profile, applying an environmentally protective cover to said area and adjacent epithelium, and affording a quiescent post-operative period for epithelium regrowth over said area.
The method of changing the anterior surface of the cornea of an eye from an initial curvature in an optically used area having defective optical properties to a subsequent curvature having correctively improved optical properties within said optically used area, which method comprises the preliminary step of removing only the epithelial layer from said area, whereby within said area Bowman's membrane is the externally exposed anterior surface of the cornea, then directionally and within said area impacting said externally exposed surface with tissue-ablating laser irradiation to selectively ablate the anterior surface of the cornea with penetration into the stroma and with volumetric sculpturing removal of corneal tissue to such penetration depth and profile as to characterize the anterior surface of the cornea with said subsequent curvature, applying an environmentally protective cover to said area and adjacent epithelium, and affording a quiescent post-operative period for epithelium regrowth over said area.
The method of changing optical properties of an eye by operating solely upon the optically used area of the anterior surface of the cornea of an eye, which comprises the preliminary step of removing only the epithelial layer from said area, whereby within said area the cornea is epithelium-free, then within said area subjecting the cornea to selective ultraviolet irradiation and attendant ablative photodecomposition in a volumetric removal of corneal tissue and with depth penetration into the stroma to achieve a predetermined corneal profile, applying an environmentally protective cover to said area and adjacent epithelium, and affording a quiescent post-operative period for epithelium regrowth over said area.
The method of changing the anterior surface of the cornea of an eye from an initial curvature in an optically used area having defective optical properties to a subsequent curvature having correctively improved optical properties within said optically used area, which method comprises the preliminary step of removing only the epithelial layer from said area, whereby within said area Bowman's membrane is the externally exposed anterior surface of the cornea, then directionally and within said area impacting said externally exposed surface with ultraviolet irradiation to selectively ablate the anterior surface of the cornea by photodecomposition with penetration into the stroma and with volumetric sculpturing removal of corneal tissue to such penetration depth and profile as to characterize the anterior surface of the cornea with said subsequent curvature, applying an environmentally protective cover to said area and adjacent epithelium, and affording a quiescent post-operative period for epithelium regrowth over said area.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.