US 8,911,431 B2Granted

Ophthalmological laser system and operating method

AssigneeCarl Zeiss Meditec AG

InventorsMatthias Reich, Dieter Grebner, Andreas Koch, Juergen Ledermann, Manfred Dick, Marco Hanft

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Abstract

A polarization beam splitter selectively decouples detection light onto a detector such that it has a polarization direction that differs from the emitted illumination light. This enables the detection of the light scattered back in the eye lens at a high level of accuracy, since stray light from reflections at optical components of the light path is suppressed. In the generating of photo disruptions or other incisions, the ray exposure of the retina may be reduced in that the incisions being furthest away from the laser are induced first such that laminar gas inclusions with an existence duration time of at least 5 seconds result. In this manner the laser radiation propagated in the direction of the retina in further incisions are scattered and partially reflected such that the influence impinging upon the retina is reduced.

Claims21

Dependent claims

An ophthalmological laser system, for the diagnosis of an eye, a lens of the eye and/or therapy of presbyopia, the ophthalmological laser system comprising:

a laser emitting detection radiation, the radiation being selected to pass through a cornea and aqueous humor of the eye and being focusable in an examination region including the lens of the eye as illumination light via a beam path;
the beam path, comprising a beam splitter, a scanner unit, and focusing optics structured to focus the detection radiation in the examination region;
wherein returning detection radiation, which returns to the beam splitter from a direction of the examination region, reaches a detector as detection light through a confocal aperture diaphragm;
wherein the beam splitter is a polarization beam splitter, which decouples the detection light selectively onto the detector such that the detection light exhibits a polarization direction different from the illumination light;
and
a control unit programmed to control the scanner unit such that each two consecutive scan points of a continuous scan curve or structure differ from each other in all three spatial coordinates and to determine at least one of form, structure and position of an ocular structure based on the detection light returned from the scan points;
wherein the continuous scan curve or structure comprises a Lissajous pattern shape;
and
further wherein the control unit is further programmed to control the scanner unit such that the Lissajous pattern shape comprises two harmonics and wherein the two harmonics have different frequencies including a first frequency and a second frequency.

6 more elements

A computer implemented operating method for an ophthalmological laser system, the laser of which is switchable between an illumination laser power and a therapy laser power, and the laser light of which is focusable three-dimensionally variably in the lens of an eye, the method comprising:

immobilizing the eye containing the lens by application of an immobilization device;
irradiating the lens of the eye, positioned in the examination region with detection radiation, by application of the laser with an illumination laser power with laser radiation selected to pass through a cornea and aqueous humor of the eye;
scanning the laser focus of the detection radiation three-dimensionally in the lens thereby irradiating the lens at several scan points and such that each two consecutive scan points of a continuous scan curve or structure differ from each other in all three spatial coordinates such that the continuous scan curve or structure comprises a Lissajous pattern shape and such that the Lissajous pattern shape comprises two harmonics and the two harmonics have different frequencies including a first frequency and a second frequency;
mapping detection light returned from the scan points with a detector;
determining at least one of form, structure and position of the lens based on the detection light returned from the scan points;
determining irradiation control data for a surgical therapy, wherein a basic pattern of the lens is adjusted to the determined at least one of the form, structure and position of the lens;
irradiating the lens by application of the laser with a surgical therapy laser power in accordance with the determined irradiation control data;
and
releasing the immobilization of the eye.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 12/996,250Filed 4 Jun 2009
Priority: DE 10 2008 027 3585 Jun 2008
Published: US 2011/0264081 A127 Oct 2011
Granted: 16 Dec 2014
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

A61F 9/008
Methods or devices for eye surgery: using laser
A61B 3/1173
For examining the anterior chamber or the anterior chamber angle, e.g. gonioscopes: for examining the eye lens
A61F 9/00838
For photodisruption: correction of presbyopia
A61F 2009/0087
Adapted for treatment at a particular location: lens