System and process for surgical treatment of an eye as well as process for calibrating a system of such a type

• US 20120296318A1
• Filed: 05/16/2011
• Published: 11/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alcon Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Wavelight GmbH (The Cooper Cos., Inc.)
• Inventors: Donitzky, Christof, Wellhöfer, Armin
• Granted Patent: US 9,301,876 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/4
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2009/00855 Calibration of the laser system
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2009/00872 Cornea
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00802 for photoablation

Abstract

A system for surgical treatment of an eye includes a laser arrangement that is adapted to emit light with a wavelength and repetition-rate suitable for surgical treatment of the eye. The system further includes a temperature-registration device that is adapted to register the temperature of an object that is to be subjected to the light of the laser arrangement.

Claims

1. A system for surgical treatment of an eye with a laser arrangement that is adapted to emit light with a wavelength and repetition-rate suitable for surgical treatment of the eye, comprising:

a temperature-registration device adapted to register the temperature of an object that is to be subjected to the light of the laser arrangement.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein

the temperature-registration device is adapted to register the temperature of the object that is to be subjected to the light of the laser arrangement before and/or during the application of the light of the laser arrangement to the object.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein

the temperature-registration device includes a thermal-imaging camera.

4. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a control device adapted to receive a temperature signal that is output by the temperature-registration device and to control the laser arrangement as a function of this temperature signal.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein

the control device is adapted to reduce the pulse energy of the laser arrangement or to head for an ablation region again at a later time if the temperature, registered by the temperature-registration device, of the object that is subjected to the light of the laser arrangement exceeds a predetermined limiting value.

6. A process for surgical treatment of an eye, comprising:

subjecting an object to light that is emitted from a laser arrangement with a wavelength and repetition-rate suitable for surgical treatment of the eye; and

registering the temperature of the object that is to be subjected to the light of the laser arrangement.

7. The process according to claim 6, wherein

the temperature of the object that is to be subjected to the light of the laser arrangement is registered before and/or during the application of the light of the laser arrangement to the eye.

8. The process according to claim 6, wherein

the temperature of the object that is to be subjected to the light of the laser arrangement is registered by means of a thermal-imaging camera.

9. The process according to claim 6, wherein

the laser arrangement is controlled as a function of a temperature signal that is output by the temperature-registration device.

10. The process according to claim 9, wherein

the pulse energy of the laser arrangement is reduced or increased if the registered temperature of the object that is subjected to the light of the laser arrangement exceeds a predetermined limiting value.

11. A process for calibrating a system for surgical treatment of an eye, comprising:

subjecting a test object to light that is emitted from a laser arrangement with a wavelength and repetition-rate suitable for surgical treatment of the eye; and

registering the temperature of the test object that is to be subjected to the light of the laser arrangement.

12. Process according to claim 11, wherein

the temperature of the test object that is to be subjected to the light of the laser arrangement is registered before and/or during the application of the light of the laser arrangement to the test object.

13. The process according to claim 11, wherein

the temperature of the test object that is to be subjected to the light of the laser arrangement is registered by means of a thermal-imaging camera.

14. The process according to claim 11, wherein

a specified resection depth of the test object is adjusted as a function of an initial temperature of the test object that is to be subjected to the light of the laser arrangement.

15. The process according to claim 11, wherein

a set of parameters for a monitoring program for monitoring the laser arrangement during the surgical treatment of an eye is created as a function of a temperature signal that is output by the temperature-registration device.

16. The process according to claim 15, wherein

a pulse energy of the laser arrangement that is required for achieving a desired treatment outcome is determined in the set parameters as a function of the temperature signal that is output by the temperature-registration device.