Cornea contact system

• US 20070093795A1
• Filed: 10/21/2005
• Published: 04/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Technolas Perfect Vision GMBH (Bausch Health Cos., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Technolas Perfect Vision GMBH (Bausch Health Cos., Inc.)
• Inventors: Melcher, Markus, Baumeister, Klaus
• Granted Patent: US 7,955,324 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/10
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/306 holding by means of suction
• 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 system for positioning the eye of a patient in alignment with a laser unit for laser surgery includes an alignment device that is mounted on the laser unit. It also includes a patient interface having a curved contact lens. Additionally, a clamp with an attached suction ring can be engaged with the interface to hold the lens against the eye of the patient. Thus, when the interface is joined with the alignment device, the lens is positioned against the eye of the patient at a predetermined distance from the laser unit for laser surgery.

Claims

1. A system for positioning the eye of a patient for laser surgery which comprises:

a laser unit for generating a laser beam;

an alignment device mounted on said laser unit;

a patient interface formed with a receptacle for receiving said alignment device therein;

a clamp defining an orifice, said clamp being moveable between a first configuration wherein said clamp receives said patient interface in the orifice, and a second configuration wherein said clamp closes the orifice onto the patient interface to fixedly hold said patient interface on said clamp; and

a suction ring attached to said clamp to surround the orifice and hold the patient interface against the eye of the patient when said interface is held by said clamp, and said alignment device is received in the receptacle of the patient interface for laser surgery.

2. A system as recited in claim 1 further comprising a curved contact lens mounted on said patient interface for positioning of said lens against the eye of the patient at a predetermined distance from said laser unit during laser surgery.

3. A system as recited in claim 1 further comprising a suction means connected to said suction ring to create a suction therewith for holding said suction ring in position against the eye to surround a target area thereon where the laser surgery is to be performed.

4. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein said alignment device is formed with a suction channel and said system further comprises a suction means connected in fluid communication with said suction channel to create a suction for holding said patient interface against said alignment device.

5. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein said clamp further comprises a locking mechanism for selectively maintaining the second configuration of said clamp.

6. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein said clamp comprises:

a first handle, with said suction ring rigidly affixed thereto; and

a second handle, wherein said second handle is mounted on said first handle for rotation about a pivot point thereon to establish the first configuration and, alternatively, to establish the second configuration for said clamp.

7. A system as recited in claim 6 wherein said first handle is formed with a pin, and said second handle is formed with a slot for receiving said pin therein to interact therewith to restrict relative movement of said first and second handles between the first and second configurations.

8. A system as recited in claim 7 wherein said first handle is formed with a first latch and said second handle is formed with a second latch, and wherein said first latch engages with said second latch to hold said clamp in the second configuration.

9. A system for positioning the eye of a patient in alignment with a laser unit for laser surgery which comprises:

a patient interface;

a clamp defining an orifice, said clamp being moveable from a first configuration wherein said clamp receives said patient interface in the orifice, and a second configuration wherein said clamp closes the orifice onto the patient interface to fixedly hold said patient interface on said clamp;

a suction ring attached to said clamp to surround the orifice and hold the patient interface against the eye of the patient when said interface is held by said clamp; and

an alignment device mounted on the laser unit for engaging said patient interface to align the eye of the patient with the laser unit for laser surgery.

10. A system as recited in claim 9 wherein said patient interface is formed with a receptacle for receiving said alignment device therein.

11. A system as recited in claim 10 further comprising a curved contact lens mounted on said patient interface for positioning of said lens against the eye of the patient at a predetermined distance from said laser unit during laser surgery.

12. A system as recited in claim 9 further comprising:

a first suction means connected to said suction ring to create a suction for holding said suction ring in position against the eye to surround a target area thereon where the laser surgery is to be performed; and

a second suction means for creating a suction to hold said patient interface against said alignment device.

13. A system as recited in claim 9 wherein said clamp further comprises a locking mechanism for selectively maintaining the second configuration of said clamp.

14. A system as recited in claim 9 wherein said clamp comprises:

a first handle, with said suction ring rigidly affixed thereto; and

a second handle, wherein said second handle is mounted on said first handle for rotation about a pivot point thereon to establish the first configuration and, alternatively, to establish the second configuration for said clamp.

15. A system as recited in claim 14 wherein said first handle is formed with a pin, and said second handle is formed with a slot for receiving said pin therein to interact therewith to restrict relative movement of said first and second handles between the first and second configurations.

16. A system as recited in claim 15 wherein said first handle is formed with a first latch and said second handle is formed with a second latch, and wherein said first latch engages with said second latch to hold said clamp in the second configuration.

17. A method for positioning the eye of a patient in alignment with a laser unit for laser surgery which comprises the steps of:

mounting an alignment device on the laser unit;

locating a suction ring on the eye of the patient to surround a target area thereon where the laser surgery is to be performed, wherein the suction ring is attached to a clamp defining an orifice and said clamp is moveable between a first configuration and a second configuration;

holding a patient interface with said clamp, wherein said patient interface is formed with a receptacle, and wherein said holding step is accomplished by moving the clamp from its first configuration wherein said clamp receives said patient interface in the orifice, and its second configuration wherein said clamp closes the orifice onto the patient interface to fixedly hold said patient interface on said clamp; and

receiving the alignment device into the receptacle of said patient interface to align said patient interface with the laser unit for laser surgery.

18. A method as recited in claim 17 wherein said holding step is accomplished before said receiving step.

19. A method as recited in claim 17 wherein said receiving step is accomplished before said holding step.

20. A method as recited in claim 17 wherein said clamp comprises a first handle, with said suction ring rigidly affixed thereto, and a second handle mounted on said first handle for rotation about a pivot point thereon to establish the first configuration and, alternatively, to establish the second configuration for said clamp, and wherein said first handle is formed with a pin, and said second handle is formed with a slot for receiving said pin therein to interact therewith to restrict relative movement of said first and second handles between the first and second configurations, and further wherein said first handle is formed with a first latch and said second handle is formed with a second latch for engagement with said first latch to hold said clamp in the second configuration.