Universal automated keratectomy apparatus and method

A surgical device comprising:

• a base, said base comprising a suction ring, said suction ring being adapted to engage the sclera of an eye to form a vacuum chamber with said eye;
• an insert, said insert being carried on said base, said insert having a face disposed toward said eye, said face having a surface portion formed according to a predetermined correction;
• a knife having a knife edge, said knife being movable in a plane transverse to and adjacent said face in said vacuum chamber;
• a drive device for moving said knife, said drive device being selectively operable such that only said knife is movable across said insert, said insert being stationary relative to said base;
• said suction ring is adapted to be coupled to a vacuum source whereby application of vacuum to said vacuum chamber from said vacuum source raises the inner ocular pressure of said eye thereby causing the cornea of said eye to be urged into contact with said surface portion;
• and
• whereby actuation of said drive device after said eye is urged into contact with said surface portion causes said knife edge to engage and cut said cornea only under said surface portion.

A surgical system for corrective surgical procedures on an eye, said system comprising:

• a vacuum source;
• a controller coupled to said vacuum source to control operation thereof;
• a surgical device, said surgical device comprising:
• a base, said base having a suction ring coupleable to said vacuum source and adapted to engage the sclera of an eye, such that said suction ring and said eye form a vacuum chamber;
• an insert, said insert being carried on said base, said insert having a face disposed toward said eye, said face having a surface portion shaped according to a predetermined correction, said surface portion being surrounded by a flat circumferential portion;
• a knife having a knife edge, said knife being movable in a plane transverse to said flat circumferential portion of said face and adjacent to said face such that said knife edge will cut only corneal tissue of said eye directly underneath said surface portion;
• a drive device coupled to said knife for moving said knife in said plane, said drive device being operable such that only said knife is movable across said insert, said insert being stationary relative to said base;
• and
• said controller being coupled to said drive device and adapted to selectively energize said drive device whereby said drive device operates to move said knife across said insert to cut corneal tissue.

A method of performing corrective eye surgery comprising the steps of:

• determining a desired prescriptive correction for an eye;
• determining a surface shape to be removed from the cornea of said eye from said correction;
• forming an equivalent of said surface shape in a face of an insert to be used in a surgical device of a type which comprises a base, a suction ring carried by said base, a portion adapted to receive said insert, a knife carried on said base adjacent said insert, and a drive device coupled to said knife and operable to move said knife under said insert to cut said eye, said drive device being stationary with respect to said base and said insert;
• inserting said insert in said surgical device;
• placing said device over the eye to be corrected;
• and
• operating said device to perform a surgical cut on the cornea of said eye to produce said prescriptive correction directly to said eye.