Interface for laser eye surgery

• US 20030004500A1
• Filed: 08/20/2002
• Published: 01/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Amo Manufacturing Usa, Llc (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: VISX Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Hofer, Richard A., Cowperthwaite, Michael, Clapham, Terrance N., Scramaglia, Erik
• Application Number:
  US10/226,867
• Publication Number:
  US 20030004500A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/10
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2009/00844 Feedback systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2009/00872 Cornea
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/008 using laser
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00804 Refractive treatments
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00817 Beam shaping with masks

Abstract

A laser surgery system having a computer control system coupled to a laser subsystem and a patient seat. The control system is coupled to the laser through a laser alignment system. The control system can be coupled to the patient seat through a patient alignment system. The control system sends a nominal position signal to move the patient seat, laser subsystem, or both so that the patient'"'"'s first eye is moved into substantial alignment with the laser beam axis. The control system can send a second nominal signal to move the patient'"'"'s second eye into substantial alignment with the laser beam axis. The control system can optionally comprise both an operator display and an assistant display. The assistant display provides real-time information to an assistant positioned at an assistant station adjacent the patient seat. The control system can be programmed to display edit fields with different colors to provide an obvious indication of the refractive information of the eye. The control system can comprise an operator input for providing a pre-determined secondary ablative treatment. If it is determined that the first ablative treatment did not completely remove the epithelial layer from a target region, the operator actuates the operator input to deliver the secondary ablative treatment.

Claims

1. A method of positioning a patient for refractive eye surgery, the patient having first and second eyes, the method comprising:

automatically positioning the patient in a first nominal position, in the first nominal position the patient'"'"'s first eye is substantially aligned with a laser beam axis; and

moving the patient in a second nominal position, in the second nominal position, the patient'"'"'s second eye is substantially aligned with the laser.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the moving is carried out after the first eye has been treated.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein positioning is carried out by moving a patient seat.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein the nominal positions are near a center of the seat'"'"'s X and Y horizontal directions of movement.

5. A method of aligning a patient for laser surgery, the method comprising:

placing a seat in a patient loading position; and

activating a control system to move the seat to a first nominal position, wherein the seat in the first nominal position substantially aligns a patient'"'"'s eye with a laser beam axis.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein placing comprises rotating the seat to an upright position.

7. The method of claim 5 further comprising making fine adjustments to at least one of a laser optics and the patient seat to align the patient'"'"'s eye with the laser beam axis.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising activating the control system to move the seat to align the patient'"'"'s other eye with the laser beam axis.