Eye stabilizing mechanism for use in ophthalmic laser surgery
First Claim
1. A mechanism for stabilizing an eye with a contact lens and compensating for eye movement relative to the focal point of a laser beam during ophthalmic laser surgery which comprises:
- a base;
means for supporting a contact lens, said supporting means being slidably mounted on said base;
means, attached to said base and connected to said supporting means, for generating a force against said supporting means to hold said contact lens against the eye; and
means mounted on said supporting means for moving said focal point along a preselected path relative to said contact lens to perform said surgery.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An eye stabilizing mechanism for use with a computer controlled ophthalmic laser system includes a base on which the ophthalmic laser system is mounted. A frame is slidingly mounted on the base, and the frame is connected to the base by a linear spring. A contact lens is fixedly attached to the frame and an object lens is slidingly mounted on the frame. An object lens activating device is also fixedly attached to the frame, and this device is connected to the object lens to move the object lens in accordance with preprogrammed instructions from the computer. Thus, while contact is maintained between the surface of the eye and the contact lens, the object lens can be moved by computer control to move the focal point of the laser system through selected eye tissue. Also, any movement of the frame, due to movement of the eye, is opposed only by the substantially constant force which is established by the linear spring between the base and the frame.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A mechanism for stabilizing an eye with a contact lens and compensating for eye movement relative to the focal point of a laser beam during ophthalmic laser surgery which comprises:
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a base; means for supporting a contact lens, said supporting means being slidably mounted on said base; means, attached to said base and connected to said supporting means, for generating a force against said supporting means to hold said contact lens against the eye; and means mounted on said supporting means for moving said focal point along a preselected path relative to said contact lens to perform said surgery. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A support apparatus for holding a contact lens against the cornea of an eye during ophthalmic surgery involving movement of a focal point of a laser system which comprises:
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a base; a frame for holding a contact lens, said frame being slidably mounted on said base; a compensating device connecting said frame to said base for maintaining a substantially constant force between said contact lens and the cornea of the eye; an objective lens slidably mounted on said frame; and means, mounted on said apparatus, for moving said objective lens relative to said contact lens to selectively move said focal point of said laser system. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for stabilizing the eye of a patient during ophthalmic laser surgery using an apparatus comprising a base, means slidably mounted on said base for supporting a contact lens, means mounted on said base and connected to said supporting means for generating a force against the supporting means to hold the contact lens against the eye, and means mounted on said supporting means for moving the focal point of a laser system along a preselected path relative to said contact lens;
- the method comprising the steps of;
positioning the contact lens against the eye; locating the objective lens of the laser system relative to the contact lens to establish a predetermined starting position for the focal point of the laser system; and maneuvering the focal point of the laser system along the preselected path to perform the ophthalmic surgery. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
- the method comprising the steps of;
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21. A mechanism for stabilizing eye movement relative to the focal point of a laser beam during ophthalmic laser surgery which comprises:
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a base; a frame slidably mounted on said base and formed with an open channel having a first end and a second end, said second end of said channel being positionable against the eye; means, mounted on said base and connected to said frame, for generating a force against said frame to hold said second end of said channel against the eye; a device selectively operable for creating a partial vacuum; a tube connecting said vacuum creating device with said first end of said channel to establish a partial vacuum at said second end of said channel to hold the eye against said frame; and means mounted on said frame for moving said focal point along a preselected path relative to said frame to perform said surgery.
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Specification