System and method for making incisions for scleral eye implants

• US 20070123919A1
• Filed: 01/25/2007
• Published: 05/31/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Refocus Group Incorporated
• Original Assignee: RAS Holding Corp.
• Inventors: Cudmore, Donald, Schachar, Ronald
• Granted Patent: US 7,854,742 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/166
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/147 Implants to be inserted in the stroma for refractive correction, e.g. ring-like implants
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/013 Instruments for compensation of ocular refraction A61F9/008 takes precedence; Instruments for use in cornea removal, for reshaping or performing incisions in the cornea
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/0133 Knives or scalpels specially adapted therefor

Abstract

A system and method is disclosed for making incisions in the sclera of an eye to form a scleral pocket to receive a scleral prosthesis. The system and method comprises a surgical tool comprising a surgical blade for making incisions in the sclera of an eye. When a surgeon places the surgical blade on the sclera of the eye a pressure sensor in the surgical tool determines whether there is sufficient pressure between the surgical tool and the sclera of the eye for the surgical tool to operate properly. The surgeon activates the surgical tool to cause the surgical blade to advance through the sclera to form an incision having dimensions to receive a scleral prosthesis. When the incision is complete the surgical blade is rotated back out of the incision. The incision has the exact dimensions to receive a scleral prosthesis.

Claims

1-21. -21. (canceled)

22. A method for making an incision in scleral tissue of an eye to form a scleral pocket to receive a scleral prosthesis, said method comprising the steps of:

placing on said scleral tissue of said eye a surgical blade of a surgical tool, said surgical blade capable of being rotated by said surgical tool through said scleral tissue of said eye to make an incision having a form of a scleral pocket;

holding said scleral tissue to restrain movement of said scleral tissue;

rotating said surgical blade in a forward direction to cause said surgical blade to pass through said scleral tissue to form said incision having said form of a scleral pocket; and

rotating said surgical blade in a reverse direction to remove said surgical blade from said incision.

23. A method as claimed in claim 22 wherein said incision having said form of said scleral pocket comprises an incision that is approximately one and one half millimeters wide and approximately four millimeters long, said incision being located approximately four hundred microns under a surface of said scleral tissue.

24. A method as claimed in claim 22 wherein said step of placing on said scleral tissue of said eye a surgical blade of a surgical tool further comprises the step of:

aligning an external reference line located on a surface of a blade mount housing of said surgical tool with a limbus of said eye.

25. A method as claimed in claim 22 wherein said step of holding said scleral tissue to restrain movement of said scleral tissue comprises the step of:

holding said scleral tissue with a scleral tissue fixation tool.

26. A method as claimed in claim 22 wherein said step of holding said scleral tissue to restrain movement of said scleral tissue comprises the step of:

holding said scleral tissue with a vacuum.

27. A method as claimed in claim 22 wherein said step of rotating said surgical blade in a forward direction to cause said surgical blade to pass through said scleral tissue to form said incision having said form of a scleral pocket further comprises the steps of:

controlling said rotation of said surgical blade with a surgical tool controller; and

providing to said surgical tool controller control signals from a surgeon who is using said surgical tool to make an incision in said scleral tissue of said eye.

28. A method as claimed in claim 22 further comprising the step of:

using a blade guide of said surgical tool to guide a rotation of said surgical blade through said scleral tissue to cause said surgical blade to pass through said scleral tissue at a depth of approximately four hundred microns.

29. A method as claimed in claim 28 further comprising the steps of:

providing a pressure sensor within said blade guide;

coupling an output of said pressure sensor to said surgical tool controller;

determining with said pressure sensor a measurement of pressure between said blade guide and said scleral tissue when said blade guide is placed in contact with said scleral tissue; and

providing said measurement of pressure to said surgical tool controller.

30. A method as claimed in claim 29 further comprising the step of:

disabling bidirectional motion of said surgical blade when said measurement of pressure from said pressure sensor does not exceed a selected pressure level.