Device for cutting the cornea of an eye

A device for cutting a cornea of an eye in order to correct refractive power of the eye comprising:

• (a) a frame comprising a fixation ring drawable onto the eye, a receptacle, and a peripheral recess disposed between the fixation ring and the receptacle;
• (b) an applanator received in the receptacle for deforming the cornea within the fixation ring, said applanator being coaxially displaceable relative to the fixation ring;
• (c) a holding device mounted on the frame, said holding device comprises a lever system comprising at least a first lever arm and a second lever arm connected via a joint to the first lever arm, each lever arm having a respective pivot axis perpendicular to the cutting plane;
• and
• (d) a blade held by the holding device in front of the applanator and passing into the frame through the peripheral recess with a clearence from the frame during cutting into corneal tissue of the cornea, said blade being radially displaceable relative to the fixation ring and movable around an axis perpendicular to the guiding plane via the holding device for cutting into the corneal tissue, the blade not resting on the frame during radial displacement, movement about the axis perpendicular to the guiding plane, and cutting into the corneal tissue;
• wherein said holding device further comprises a vibrator which adds an oscillatory motion to the movement of the blade around the pivot axis of the first lever arm.