Confocal laser eye surgery system

• US 10,123,696 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2014
• Issued: 11/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AMO Development LLC (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: OptiMedica Corporation (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Schuele, Georg, Bareket, Noah, Dewey, David, Hart, John S., Gonzalez, Javier G, Woo, Raymond, Teisseyre, Thomas Z, Golda, Jeffrey A, Sheehy, Katrina B, O'Meara, Madeleine C, Woodley, Bruce
• Primary Examiner(s): Eastwood, David C
• Assistant Examiner(s): HUH, VYNN V
• Application Number:
  US14/576,593
• Publication Number:
  US 20150272782A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,425 Days
• Field of Search: 606 2- 19
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/0025 characterised by electronic signal processing, e.g. eye models
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/1025 for confocal scanning
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/1173 for examining the eye lens
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/14 Arrangements specially adapted for eye photography apparatus or arrangements for taking photographs per se G03B
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2009/00844 Feedback systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2009/00878 Planning
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2009/00897 Scanning mechanisms or algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00754 for cutting or perforating the anterior lens capsule, e.g. capsulotomes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/008 using laser

Abstract

A laser surgery system includes a light source, an eye interface device, a scanning assembly, a confocal detection assembly and preferably a confocal bypass assembly. The light source generates an electromagnetic beam. The scanning assembly scans a focal point of the electromagnetic beam to different locations within the eye. An optical path propagates the electromagnetic beam from a light source to the focal point, and also propagates a portion of the electromagnetic beam reflected from the focal point location back along at least a portion of the optical path. The optical path includes an optical element associated with a confocal detection assembly that diverts a portion of the reflected electromagnetic radiation to a sensor. The sensor generates an intensity signal indicative of intensity the electromagnetic beam reflected from the focal point location. The confocal bypass assembly reversibly diverts the electromagnetic beam along a diversion optical path around the optical element.

Claims

1. A laser-based eye surgery system for treating and imaging an eye using different electromagnetic radiation beam paths, the system comprising:

a beam-splitter for separating electromagnetic radiation beams, configured to receive a first electromagnetic radiation beam, and to output a first portion of the first electromagnetic radiation beam which is less than 20% of the first electromagnetic radiation beam in a first direction and to output a second portion of the first electromagnetic radiation beam in a second direction which is different from the first direction, the beam-splitter further configured to receive a second electromagnetic radiation beam traveling in a third direction which is opposite the first direction, and to output a first portion of the second electromagnetic radiation beam which is greater than 80% of the second electromagnetic radiation beam to a fourth direction;

a laser delivery system configured and disposed to receive the first portion of the first electromagnetic radiation beam that has been output by the beam-splitter and to deliver it to a target in the eye, without receiving the second portion of the first electromagnetic radiation beam, and configured and disposed to receive a reflected electromagnetic radiation beam from the eye and to deliver it to the beam-splitter as the second electromagnetic radiation beam traveling in the third direction;

a moveable bypass assembly for directing electromagnetic radiation beams;

control electronics configured to control a movement of the moveable bypass assembly; and

a sensor for imaging the eye, disposed to receive the first portion of the second electromagnetic radiation beam that has been output by the beam-splitter to the fourth direction;

wherein the control electronics is configured to move the moveable bypass assembly when the laser-based eye surgery system is in a high power level treatment mode to a first position where the bypass assembly directs the first electromagnetic radiation beam to bypass the beam-splitter and to enter the laser delivery system from the bypass assembly at a treatment power level and further directs the second electromagnetic radiation beam to bypass the beam-splitter, and wherein the control electronics is further configured to move the moveable bypass assembly when the laser-based eye surgery system is in a low power level imaging mode to a second position where the bypass assembly is out of beam paths of the first and second electromagnetic radiation beams as they enter the beam-splitter such that the beam-splitter directs the first electromagnetic radiation beam to enter the laser delivery system at an imaging power level which is less than the treatment power level.

2. The laser-based eye surgery system of claim 1, further comprising one or more wave plates to enable confocal imaging of the target in the eye.

3. The laser-based eye surgery system of claim 1, further comprising one or more wave plate angles for imaging ocular structures of the target in the eye to compensate for birefringence effects in the imaged ocular structures.

4. The laser-based eye surgery system of claim 1, wherein the moveable bypass assembly comprises a bypass prism.

5. The laser-based eye surgery system of claim 1, further comprising:

a beam expander configured to increase a diameter of the electromagnetic radiation beam from the light source; and

an attenuator configured to provide the electromagnetic radiation beam from the beam expander to the beam-splitter in the low power imaging mode, and to provide the electromagnetic radiation beam from the beam expander to the moveable bypass assembly in the high power treatment mode.

6. An eye surgery system, comprising:

an eye interface device configured to interface with an eye of a patient;

a scanning assembly mechanically coupled to the eye interface device and operable to scan a focal point of an electromagnetic radiation beam to different locations within the eye;

a light source configured to generate the electromagnetic radiation beam;

an optical path configured to propagate the electromagnetic radiation beam from the light source to the focal point and also configured to propagate a portion of the electromagnetic radiation beam reflected from the focal point location back along the optical path, the optical path comprising a first optical element disposed in the propagation path from the light source to the focal point,

the first optical element being configured to receive a first electromagnetic radiation beam, and to output a first portion which is less than 20% of the first electromagnetic radiation beam in a first direction toward the focal point and output a second portion of the first electromagnetic radiation beam in a second direction which is different from the first direction, the first optical element further configured to receive a second electromagnetic radiation beam from the focal point traveling in a third direction which is opposite the first direction, and to output a first portion which is greater than 80% of the second electromagnetic radiation beam to a fourth direction;

a detection assembly configured to receive the first portion of the second electromagnetic radiation beam that has been output by the beam-splitter to the fourth direction, and in response to the received first portion of the second electromagnetic radiation beam to generate an intensity signal indicative of an intensity of the received first portion of the second electromagnetic radiation beam reflected from the focal point location; and

a bypass assembly configured to be reversibly inserted into the optical path to divert the first electromagnetic radiation beam along a diversion optical path around the first optical element, the bypass assembly being configured to be moved to a first position in the optical path wherein the bypass assembly directs the first electromagnetic radiation beam to bypass the first optical element and delivers the first electromagnetic radiation beam to the eye of the patient at a treatment power level, and wherein the bypass assembly is further configured to be moved to a second position out of the optical path where the bypass assembly is out of beam paths that pass through the first optical element such that the first optical element delivers the first electromagnetic radiation beam to the eye of the patient at an imaging power level which is less than the treatment power level.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the bypass assembly comprises a bypass prism.

8. The eye surgery system of claim 6, wherein the first optical element comprises a beam-splitter.

9. The eye surgery system of claim 6, further comprising:

a beam expander configured to increase a diameter of the electromagnetic radiation beam from the light source; and

an attenuator configured to provide the electromagnetic radiation beam from the beam expander to the bypass assembly when the bypass assembly is in the first position, and to provide the electromagnetic radiation beam from the beam expander to the first optical element when the bypass assembly is in the second position.

10. An eye surgery system, comprising:

system control electronics;

a laser light source configured to output an electromagnetic radiation beam;

a scanning assembly operable to scan a focal point of the electromagnetic radiation beam to different locations within an eye;

an optical path configured to propagate the electromagnetic radiation beam from the laser light source to the scanning assembly and also configured to propagate a portion of a return electromagnetic radiation beam, which is at least one of scattered or reflected from the focal point, back along the optical path, wherein the optical path includes a first optical attenuation element;

a detection assembly; and

a moveable bypass assembly,

wherein the moveable bypass assembly is configured to be moved under control of the system control electronics when the eye surgery system operates in a low power imaging mode into a first position wherein the bypass assembly is out of the optical path such that the electromagnetic radiation beam from the laser light source is provided to the first optical attenuation element and is provided from the first optical attenuation element to the scanning assembly at an imaging power level, and wherein the return electromagnetic radiation beam is provided to the first optical attenuation element, and

wherein the moveable bypass assembly is further configured to be moved under control of the system control electronics when the eye surgery system operates in a high power treatment mode to a second position wherein the moveable bypass assembly diverts the electromagnetic radiation beam from the laser light source around the first optical attenuation element and toward the scanning assembly at a treatment power level which is greater than the imaging power level, and prevents any portion of the return electromagnetic radiation beam from reaching the first optical attenuation element,

wherein the first optical attenuation element is configured such that when the eye surgery system operates in the low power imaging mode;

(1) the first optical attenuation element outputs toward the scanning assembly a first portion of the electromagnetic radiation beam from the laser light source which is less than 20% of the electromagnetic radiation beam from the laser light source, and (2) the first optical attenuation element outputs to the detection assembly a first portion of the return electromagnetic radiation beam which is greater than 80% of the return electromagnetic radiation beam, and

wherein the detection assembly includes a sensor which is configured to receive the first portion of the return electromagnetic radiation beam and in response thereto to output an intensity signal indicative of intensity of the first portion of the return electromagnetic radiation beam.

11. The eye surgery system of claim 10, wherein the first optical attenuation element comprises a beam-splitter.

12. The eye surgery system of claim 11, wherein the first optical attenuation element further comprises a dump, wherein the dump is arranged such that when the eye surgery system operates in the low power imaging mode, the dump receives from the beam-splitter a second portion of the electromagnetic radiation beam from the laser light source which is more than 80% of the electromagnetic radiation beam from the laser light source.

13. The eye surgery system of claim 10, wherein the sensor outputs the intensity signal to the system control electronics, and wherein the system control electronics is configured to locate structures in the eye in response to the intensity signal.

14. The eye surgery system of claim 10, wherein the moveable bypass assembly comprises a bypass prism.

15. The eye surgery system of claim 14, wherein the electromagnetic radiation beam from the laser light source experiences an even number of reflections as it passes through the bypass prism in the high power treatment mode.

16. The eye surgery system of claim 10, further comprising:

a beam expander configured to increase a diameter of the electromagnetic radiation beam from the laser light source; and

a second optical attenuation element configured to provide the electromagnetic radiation beam from the beam expander to the first optical attenuation element when the moveable bypass assembly is in the first position, and to provide the electromagnetic radiation beam from the beam expander to the moveable bypass assembly when the moveable bypass assembly is in the second position.

17. The eye surgery system of claim 10, wherein the detection assembly is a confocal detection assembly, further comprising:

a lens configured to receive the first portion of the return electromagnetic radiation beam from the first optical attenuation element; and

a pin-hole structure located conjugate to the focal point and configured to receive the first portion of the return electromagnetic radiation beam from the lens and to provide the first portion of the return electromagnetic radiation beam to the sensor,

wherein the sensor is a photodetector.