Device for ophthalmologically treating the eye using a fixation light beam

• US 20060142742A1
• Filed: 02/22/2006
• Published: 06/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alcon Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Wavelight GmbH (The Cooper Cos., Inc.)
• Inventors: Donitzky, Christof
• Granted Patent: US 7,998,135 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/5
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/2025 with a pilot laser
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/113 for determining or recording eye movement
• 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

Abstract

A device for ophthalmologically treating the eye has a treatment laser beam (UV) for ablating parts of the cornea (12) and a fixation light beam (24). A fixation light spot in the vicinity of the fovea (30) and the fovea are imaged by means of a camera (40). This makes it possible to check whether the patient has reliably fixated the fixation light source (22). In addition, the pupil can be recorded and both recordings can be superimposed.

Claims

1. A device for ophthalmologically treating an eye of a patient, comprising:

a treatment ultraviolet laser beam for ablating parts of a cornea of said eye;

a fixation light beam that is provided to be visually fixated by the patient; and

a camera for sharply imaging a retina plane in the region of a fovea by said camera being focused on a surface of said retina at the level of said fovea and imaging a light spot generated by said fixation light beam on said retina; and

a device to determine whether said fixation light spot on said retina is situated sufficiently precise on said fovea in order to check the fixation on the part of the patient.

2. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a device for imaging a pupil of said eye, wherein said determining device is adapted for determining a center of gravity of said pupil.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein said determining device is adapted for determining whether said fovea is central in said pupil.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein said determining device is adapted for determining an ablation center eccentric with respect to said center of gravity of said pupil and defined by a center point of said fixation light spot and said fovea.

5. The device according to claim 4, further comprising a device to control said treatment ultraviolet laser beam such that an ablation of said cornea takes place in a centered manner with respect to said ablation center.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein said determining device is adapted to provide information on the check of the fixation of the patient to initiate measures for achieving a sufficiently precise situation of said fixation light spot on said fovea.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein said imaging device is adapted to image said pupil of said eye in such a way that an image of said light spot of said fixation light beam and an image of said pupil are superimposed.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein said imaging device includes said camera.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein said imaging device includes a second camera.

10. A device for ophthalmologically treating an eye of a patient, comprising:

a treatment ultraviolet laser beam for ablating parts of a cornea of said eye;

a fixation light beam that is provided to be visually fixated by the patient;

a camera for sharply imaging a retina plane in the region of a fovea by said camera being focused on a surface of said retina at the level of said fovea and imaging a light spot generated by said fixation light beam on said retina;

a device for imaging a pupil of said eye;

a device to determine whether said fixation light spot is situated sufficiently precise on said fovea in order to check the fixation on the part of the patient and for determining a center of gravity of said pupil, said determining device being further adapted for determining whether said fovea is central in said pupil and for determining an ablation center eccentric with respect to said center of gravity of said pupil and defined by a center point of said fixation light spot and said fovea; and

a device to control said treatment ultraviolet laser beam such that an ablation of said cornea takes place in a centered manner with respect to said ablation center.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein said determining device is adapted to provide information on the check of the fixation of the patient to initiate measures for achieving a sufficiently precise situation of said fixation light spot on said fovea.

12. The device according to claim 10, wherein said imaging device is adapted to image said pupil of said eye in such a way that an image of said light spot of said fixation light beam and an image of said pupil are superimposed.

13. The device according to claim 10, wherein said imaging device includes said camera.

14. The device according to claim 10, wherein said imaging device includes a second camera.

15. A method for ophthalmologically treating an eye of a patient, comprising the steps of:

generating a treatment ultraviolet laser beam for ablating parts of a cornea of said eye;

generating a fixation light beam that is provided to be visually fixated by the patient;

sharply imaging a retina plane in the region of a fovea by focusing on a surface of said retina at the level of said fovea and imaging a light spot generated by said fixation light beam on said retina of said eye; and

determining whether said fixation light spot on said retina is situated sufficiently precise on said fovea in order to check the fixation on the part of the patient.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising imaging a pupil of said eye and determining a center of gravity of said pupil.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising determining whether said fovea is central in said pupil.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising determining an ablation center eccentric with respect to said center of gravity of said pupil and defined by a center point of said fixation light spot and said fovea.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising controlling said treatment ultraviolet laser beam such that an ablation of said cornea takes place in a centered manner with respect to said ablation center.

20. The method according to claim 15, further comprising providing information on the check of the fixation of the patient to initiate measures for achieving a sufficiently precise situation of said fixation light spot on said fovea.

21. The method according to claim 15, further comprising imaging said pupil of said eye in such a way that an image of said fixation light spot and an image of said pupil are superimposed.

22. A method for ophthalmologically treating an eye of a patient, comprising the steps of:

generating a treatment ultraviolet laser beam for ablating parts of a cornea of said eye;

generating a fixation light beam that is provided to be visually fixated by the patient;

sharply imaging a retina plane in the region of a fovea by focusing on a surface of said retina at the level of said fovea and imaging a light spot generated by said fixation light beam on said retina of said eye;

determining whether said fixation light spot on said retina is situated sufficiently precise on said fovea in order to check the fixation on the part of the patient;

imaging a pupil of said eye;

determining a center of gravity of said pupil;

determining whether said fovea is central in said pupil;

determining an ablation center eccentric with respect to said center of gravity of said pupil and defined by a center point of said fixation light spot and said fovea; and

controlling said treatment ultraviolet laser beam such that an ablation of said cornea takes place in a centered manner with respect to said ablation center.

23. A method according to claim 22, further comprising providing information on the check of the fixation of the patient to initiate measures for achieving a sufficiently precise situation of said fixation light spot on said fovea.

24. A method according to claim 23, further comprising imaging said pupil of said eye in such a way that an image of said fixation light spot and an image of said pupil are superimposed.