Method and apparatus for aligning a mask with the visual axis of an eye
First Claim
1. A method of increasing the depth of focus of an eye of a patient, the eye having a cornea and a visual axis, the method comprising:
- aligning the visual axis with an instrument axis of an ophthalmic instrument, said instrument having an aperture through which the patient may look along the instrument axis, said aligning comprising;
imaging a first reference target on the instrument axis at a first distance with respect to the eye;
imaging a second reference target on the instrument axis, said second reference target being imaged at a second distance with respect to the patient'"'"'s eye, the second distance being greater than the first distance; and
providing movement of the eye to a position where the images of the first and second reference targets appear to the patient'"'"'s eye to be aligned;
aligning a mask comprising a pin-hole aperture having a mask axis with the instrument axis such that the mask axis is substantially collinear with the instrument axis; and
applying the mask to the eye of the patient while maintaining the alignment of the mask axis and the instrument axis.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method is provided for increasing the depth of focus of an eye of a patient. A visual axis of the eye is aligned with an instrument axis of an ophthalmic instrument. The ophthalmic instrument has an aperture through which the patient may look along the instrument axis. A first reference target is imaged on the instrument axis at a first distance with respect to the eye. A second reference target is imaged on the instrument axis with the ophthalmic instrument at a second distance with respect to the eye. The second distance is greater than the first distance. Movement is provided such that the patient'"'"'s eye is in a position where the images of the first and second reference targets appear to the patient'"'"'s eye to be aligned. A mask comprising a pin-hole aperture having a mask axis is aligned with the instrument axis such that the mask axis and the instrument axis are substantially collinear. The mask is applied to the eye of the patient while the alignment of the mask axis and the instrument axis is maintained. Maintaining alignment of the mask axis and the instrument axis may be facilitated by capturing an image of the eye.
179 Citations
98 Claims
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1. A method of increasing the depth of focus of an eye of a patient, the eye having a cornea and a visual axis, the method comprising:
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aligning the visual axis with an instrument axis of an ophthalmic instrument, said instrument having an aperture through which the patient may look along the instrument axis, said aligning comprising;
imaging a first reference target on the instrument axis at a first distance with respect to the eye;
imaging a second reference target on the instrument axis, said second reference target being imaged at a second distance with respect to the patient'"'"'s eye, the second distance being greater than the first distance; and
providing movement of the eye to a position where the images of the first and second reference targets appear to the patient'"'"'s eye to be aligned;
aligning a mask comprising a pin-hole aperture having a mask axis with the instrument axis such that the mask axis is substantially collinear with the instrument axis; and
applying the mask to the eye of the patient while maintaining the alignment of the mask axis and the instrument axis. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method for increasing the depth of focus of a eye of a patient, the eye comprising a visual axis and a cornea comprising an epithelial sheet, a Bowman'"'"'s membrane, and a stroma, the method comprising:
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locating the visual axis of the eye using more than one reference target;
aligning a mask comprising a pin-hole aperture having a mask axis with the visual axis of the eye; and
applying the mask to the eye while maintaining the alignment of the mask axis and the visual axis. - View Dependent Claims (29)
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30. A method for correcting vision, comprising:
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performing a LASIK procedure;
moving the eye until at least two reference targets are aligned; and
applying a mask to the eye.
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31. An apparatus for aligning a mask with a visual axis of an eye of a patient, the apparatus comprising:
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an optics housing defining an aperterture at a first location into which the eye may be directed and an instrument axis;
a first target coupled with the optics housing, the first target being positioned on the instrument axis at a first distance relative to the first location;
a second target coupled with the optics housing, the second target beings positioned on the instrument axis at a second distance relative to the first location;
a lens coupled with the optics housing, the second distance being equal to the focal length of the lens; and
a light source off-set from the instrument axis configured to indicate the location of the visual axis of the eye. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34)
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35. An apparatus for aligning a mask with a visual axis of an eye of a patient, the apparatus comprising:
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a first target positioned on an instrument axis at a first distance relative to the first location;
a second target positioned on the instrument axis at a second distance relative to the first location; and
a marker configured to indicate the location of the instrument axis. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A method of treating a patient, comprising the steps of:
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identifying a reference point on a cornea;
marking the reference point;
lifting a corneal flap to expose an intracorneal surface;
positioning an implant on the intracorneal surface; and
closing the flap to cover at least a portion of the implant. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62)
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63. A method of treating a patient, comprising the steps of:
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identifying a reference point on a cornea;
marking the reference point;
creating a corneal pocket to expose an intracorneal surface;
positioning an implant on the intracorneal surface. - View Dependent Claims (64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74)
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75. A method of treating a patient, comprising the steps of:
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identifying a reference point on a cornea;
marking the reference point;
exposing a stromal surface;
positioning an implant on the stromal surface; and
covering at least a portion of the implant. - View Dependent Claims (76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98)
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Specification