Device and method for aligning an eye with a surgical laser

• US 20060192921A1
• Filed: 02/25/2005
• Published: 08/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Technolas Perfect Vision GMBH (Bausch Health Cos., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: 20/10 Perfect Vision AG (Bausch Health Cos., Inc.)
• Inventors: Gress, Bernhard, Loesel, Frieder, Kuhn, Tobias, Meisel, Fritz
• Granted Patent: US 7,390,089 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 351/219
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/306 holding by means of suction
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/008 using laser
• 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

A device for establishing a desired alignment between a patient'"'"'s eye and a laser system to facilitate an engagement therebetween includes a light source to illuminate the eye. A moveable platform is provided to move the patient relative to the laser system. To establish alignment between the eye and the laser system, a reference marker is based on the laser system. An image of the marker, along with reflections from the illuminated eye, is then transmitted to the system controller. There, the image and reflections are processed to determine a measured alignment that is then compared to the desired alignment. An error signal that is indicative of an alignment difference is then generated and used to incrementally move the platform, or the patient, in an appropriate direction.

Claims

1. A device for establishing a predetermined contact alignment between an eye of a patient and a laser system during ocular surgery which comprises:

at least one detector for detecting a spatial position of the eye and a spatial position of the laser system;

a controller means for determining an alignment difference between the spatial position of the eye and the spatial position of the laser system; and

a means for altering the alignment difference between the eye and the laser system to establish the predetermined contact alignment.

2. A device as recited in claim 1 further comprising at least one pressure sensor mounted on the laser system for measuring a pressure on the eye during contact between the eye and the laser system.

3. A device as recited in claim 2 further comprising a switch interconnecting the pressure sensor with the altering means for stopping the altering means whenever the pressure exceeds a predetermined level.

4. A device as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

at least three pressure sensors mounted on the laser system for measuring a respective pressure on the eye during contact between the eye and the laser system; and

a computer means for calculating a pressure differential between each sensor and each other sensor, wherein the altering means is activated by the computer means to substantially nullify all pressure differentials.

5. A device as recited in claim 1 wherein the altering means moves the patient.

6. A device as recited in claim 1 wherein the altering means moves the laser system.

7. A device as recited in claim 1 wherein the detector includes a camera.

8. A device as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

a contact lens mounted on the laser system for engagement with the eye during the refractive surgery; and

a marker positioned on the laser system, wherein the marker is indicative of the spatial position of the laser system.

9. A device as recited in claim 1 wherein the spatial position of the eye is determined by detecting an anatomical structure of the eye.

10. A device for aligning an eye of a patient with a surgical laser system to facilitate an engagement therebetween, the device comprising:

a detector for generating a control signal indicative on an alignment difference between a spatial position of the eye and a spatial position of the laser system; and

a motorized platform for supporting the eye and the laser system, the platform being reconfigurable in response to the control signal to effect a relative movement between the eye and the laser system to engage the eye of the patient with the laser system.

11. A device as recited in claim 10 wherein the detector comprises:

a marker positioned on the laser system;

an illumination system for creating a light pattern from the eye; and

at least one camera for simultaneously imaging the marker and the light pattern for use in generating the control signal.

12. A device as recited in claim 11 further comprising a contact lens mounted on the laser system for engagement with the eye and wherein the marker is affixed to the contact lens.

13. A device as recited in claim 11 wherein the light pattern is created by reflections from an anatomical structure of the eye.

14. A device as recited in claim 11 wherein the light pattern is created by reflections from an exposed anterior surface of the eye.

15. A device as recited in claim 10 further comprising at least one pressure sensor mounted on the laser system for measuring a pressure on the eye during a contact between the eye and the laser system.

16. A device as recited in claim 10 wherein the eye is attached to an eye stabilizing device and an adapter is mounted on the laser source and wherein the optical detection system is configured to receive light reflected from the eye stabilizing element to generate the control signal.

17. A device as recited in claim 10 wherein the platform supports and moves the patient.

18. A device as recited in claim 10 wherein the detector comprises a camera for simultaneously detecting the spatial position of the eye and the spatial position of the laser system.

19. A method for aligning an eye of a patient with a surgical laser system to facilitate an engagement therebetween, the method comprising the steps of:

configuring an optical detection system to generate a control signal indicative on an alignment difference between a spatial position of the eye and a spatial position of the laser system;

providing a motorized platform for supporting the eye and the laser system; and

reconfiguring the motorized platform in response to the control signal to effect a relative movement between the eye and the laser system to engage the eye of the patient with the laser system.

20. A method as recited in claim 19 wherein the optical detection system comprises:

a marker positioned on the laser system;

an illumination system for creating a pattern from the eye; and

at least one camera for simultaneously imaging the marker and the light pattern for use in generating the control signal.