Apparatus and procedure for ultraviolet laser ablation

• US 20030158543A1
• Filed: 03/19/2003
• Published: 08/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Paul Philip Van Saarloos
• Original Assignee: Paul Philip Van Saarloos
• Inventors: Van Saarloos, Paul Philip
• Granted Patent: US 7,090,669 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/5
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2009/00846 Eyetracking
• 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 9/009 Auxiliary devices making contact with the eyeball and coupling in laser light, e.g. goniolenses apparatus for eye examination A61B3/0008

Abstract

Apparatus for performing ultraviolet laser ablation of a surface, eg. an eye surface, including a laser delivery system (7) having a laser source (1) for generating a laser beam (2) and optics for applying the laser beam to the surface to be ablated, means (20, 20′) for providing a compatible liquid (32) in contact with the surface (4a) to be ablated, in a position whereby said laser beam (2) is applied to said surface through the liquid, wherein the laser beam is of a wavelength that substantially is not absorbed by the liquid.

Claims

1. (Amended) Apparatus for performing ultraviolet laser ablation of a surface, eg. an eye surface, including a laser delivery system having a laser source for generating a laser beam and optics for applying the laser beam to the surface to be ablated, means for providing a compatible liquid in contact with the surface to be ablated, in a position whereby said laser beam is applied to said surface through the liquid, wherein said laser source is arranged to generate said laser beam at about 213 nm.

3. (Amended) Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said laser source includes a solid state laser and a plurality of frequency doubling and mixing crystals for deriving the said laser beam from the output beam of the laser.

4. (Amended) Apparatus according to claim 1 or 3 further including means to retain said liquid in contact with the surface to be ablated.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said retaining means includes cap or ring means for contacting the surface to be ablated to retain liquid within the cap means.

6. (Amended) Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said cap or ring means further includes overlying wall means spaced from the surface which has a lens through which the ablating laser beam is directed.

7. Apparatus according to claim 4, 5 or 6 wherein said retaining means includes means for holding it against the surface to be ablated.

8. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7 adapted whereby the laser ablation is a step in a LASIK procedure, and further including microkeratome means for cutting a flap from the cornea to expose an interior surface to be ablated.

9. (Amended) Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein a common ring serves both as a guide ring for the microkeratome and as means for retaining liquid in contact with the surface to be ablated.

2. (Cancelled)

10. (Amended) A method of performing ultraviolet laser ablation of an eye surface including having natural liquid of the eye in contact with the eye surface to be ablated, and applying a laser beam to the eye surface through the liquid to effect ablation of the surface with the laser beam, wherein the laser beam is of a wavelength that substantially is not absorbed by the liquid.

12. A method according to claim 10 or 11, wherein said generated laser beam is at about 213 nm.

13. (Amended) A method according to claim 10 or 12, further including retaining said liquid in contact with the surface to be ablated.

14. A method according to any of claims 10 to 13 applied to an eye, further including cutting a flap from the cornea to expose an anterior surface to be ablated.

11. (Cancelled)

15. (New) A method of performing ultraviolet laser ablation of a surface including having a compatible liquid in contact with the surface to be ablated, and applying a laser beam to the surface through the liquid to effect ablation of the surface with the laser beam, wherein the laser beam is of a wavelength at about 213 nm.

16. (New) A method according to claim 15 wherein said liquid is a physiologically compatible liquid.

17. (New) A method according to claim 15 or 16, further including retaining said liquid in contact with the surface to be ablated.

18. (New) A method according to claim 15, 16 or 17 applied to an eye, further including cutting a flap from the cornea to expose an anterior surface to be ablated.

19. (New) Apparatus for performing ultraviolet laser ablation of a surface, eg. an eye surface, including a laser delivery system having a laser source for generating a laser beam and optics for applying the laser beam to the surface to be ablated, means for providing a compatible liquid in contact with the surface to be ablated, in a position whereby said laser beam is applied to said surface through the liquid, wherein the laser beam is of a wavelength that substantially is not absorbed by the liquid, further including cap or ring means for contacting the surface to be ablated to retain liquid within the cap means, which cap or ring means further includes overlying wall means spaced from the surface which has a lens through which the ablating laser beam is directed.

20. (New) Apparatus according to claim 19 wherein said laser source is arranged to generate a laser beam at about 213 nm.

21. (New) Apparatus according to claim 19 or 20 wherein said laser source includes a solid state laser and a plurality of frequency doubling and mixing crystals for deriving the said laser beam from the output beam of the laser.

22. (New) Apparatus according to claim 19, 20 or 21 wherein said cap or ring means includes means for holding it against the surface to be ablated.

23. (New) Apparatus according to any one of claims 19 to 22 adapted whereby the laser ablation is a step in a LASIK procedure, and further including microkeratome means for cutting a flap from the cornea to expose an interior surface to be ablated.

24. (New) Apparatus according to claim 23 wherein a common ring serves both as a guide ring for the microkeratome and as means for retaining liquid in contact with the surface to be ablated.

25. (New) Apparatus for performing ultraviolet LASIK on an eye surface, including a laser delivery system having a laser source for generating a laser beam and optics for applying the laser beam to the surface to be ablated, means for providing a compatible liquid in contact with the surface to be ablated, in a position whereby said laser beam is applied to said surface through the liquid, wherein the laser beam is of a wavelength that substantially is not absorbed by the liquid, and further including microkeratome means for cutting a flap from the cornea to expose an interior surface to be ablated, wherein a common ring serves both as a guide ring for the microkeratome and as means for retaining liquid in contact with the surface to be ablated.

26. (New) Apparatus according to claim 25 wherein said laser source is arranged to generate a laser beam at about 213 nm.

27. (New) Apparatus according to claim 25 or 26 wherein said laser source includes a solid state laser and a plurality of frequency doubling and mixing crystals for deriving the said laser beam from the output beam of the laser.