Surgical knives for use in ophthalmic surgery

Abstract

Surgical blades for use in ophthalmic surgery are shown to include a first shaft, a second shaft, connected to the first shaft at a predetermined angle and a tip, connected to the distal end of said second shaft. The tip associated with the micro-paufique blade has a tapered surface extending inwardly forming a continuous cutting edge which includes a front portion and first and second side portions. Rotation and transverse movement of the first shaft in relation to a scleral incision results in a subsurface scleral pocket. In a preferred embodiment the micro-paufique tip portion is generally circular shape around its outer periphery and the tapered surface extends radially inwardly and towards the bottom surface. The tip associated with the micro-keratome blade extends a distance along a central axis and includes first and second side portions substantially symmetrical to the central axis. Each of the first and second side portions includes a cutting edge oriented at a second angle with respect to the central axis. In a preferred embodiment of the micro-keratome tip the first and second side portions include a tapered surface and a generally rounded side edge, wherein the cutting edge extends to the side edge leading end and the end of the taper extends to the side edge trailing end. The tip also can include back edges which are rounded so that if the blade is retracted from an incision along the central axis, the back edges will not modify the incision.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.