Ocular fixation and stabilization device for ophthalmic surgical applications

• US 6,863,667 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2001
• Issued: 03/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AMO Development LLC (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: AMO Development LLC (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Juhasz, Tibor, Kurtz, Ronald M., Horvath, Christopher, Suarez, Carlos G., Ross, Mark W., Webb, Kyle R., Brownell, Michael F., Nagy, Laszlo I.
• Primary Examiner(s): FARAH, AHMED M
• Application Number:
  US09/772,539
• Publication Number:
  US 20020103481A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,499 Days
• Field of Search: 606 4- 6, 606/10, 606/13, 606/166
• US Class Current: 606/4
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/306 holding by means of suction
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2009/00846 Eyetracking
• 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 disposable stabilization and applanation device for reconfiguring the cornea of an eye for ophthalmic laser surgery, includes an applanation lens that is disposed in a particular spatial position with respect to an incident laser beam. The applanation lens is inserted into the central opening of an attachment ring and applanates the eye in response to pressure from a lens cone. The attachment ring is coupled to the eye and includes a skirt which surrounds the applanation lens and extends outwardly therefrom to define a chamber. The skirt is formed with a groove which defines a suction channel between the attachment ring skirt and the corneal surface of an eye. A vacuum source is connected and fluid communication with the suction channel and is selectively activated to create a partial vacuum in the channel.

Claims

1. An interface, adapted to couple a patient'"'"'s eye to a surgical laser system, the interface comprising:

an attachment ring, the ring overlaying the anterior surface of the eye;

a lens cone, the lens cone defining a first plane surface and coupled to a delivery tip of the surgical laser such that the delivery tip is positionally referenced to the first plane surface, wherein the lens cone comprises an apex ring coupled to the first plane surface; and

an applanation lens disposed at a distal end of the apex ring, the applanation lens positioned in a second plane, parallel to the first plane such that the delivery tip is positionally referenced to the second plane; and

a gripper, including a first recentacle for receiving the attachment ring, the gripper further including a central orifice for receiving the lens cone, the gripper stabilizing the relative positions of the lens cone and the attachment ring when the cone and ring are received within the gripper.

2. The interface according to claim 1, the applanation lens further comprising:

an anterior surface;

an applanation surface configured to contact and applanate the anterior surface of the eye; and

wherein the applanation surface defines the second plane, such that the delivery tip is positionally referenced to the applanation surface and thereby to the applanated surface of the eye.

3. The interface according to claim 2, wherein the apex ring is displaced from the first plane of the lens cone by a particular distance, the apex ring extending the applanation lens from the delivery tip by a corresponding distance such that the delivery tip of the surgical laser is referenced to the applanation surface and thereby the applanated surface of the eye in three dimensions.

4. the interface according to claim 3, wherein the applanation lens is aligned with respect to the apex ring by a golden pedestal, the applanation lens aligned with the delivery tip such that alignment tolerances between the delivery tip and the applanation surface are no greater than approximately +/−

30 microns in three dimensions.

5. The interface according to claim 4, wherein the alignment tolerances between the delivery tip and the applanation surface are no greater than approximately +/−

10 microns in three dimensions.

6. The interface according to claim 1, the attachment ring further comprising:

a flexible annular outer shroud, the shroud engaging the surface of the eye when in proximity thereto, the shroud defining an outer wall surface; and

an annular suction cavity formed in an upper surface of the attachment ring and in proximate contact with the outer wall surface of the shroud.

7. The interface according to claim 6, the attachment ring further comprising a fluid communication channel, coupled between the suction cavity and a vacuum source, wherein as the attachment ring is positioned proximate to an eye, a suction is communicated to the annular suction cavity thereby engaging the attachment ring to the eye.

8. The interface according to claim 7, the attachment ring defining an annular central opening, the opening sized to receive the applanation lens.

9. The interface according to claim 8, wherein the gripper engages the apex ring, thereby fixing a spatial relationship between the applanation lens and the attachment ring and thus the patient'"'"'s eye.

10. An interface, adapted to couple a patient'"'"'s eye to a surgical laser system, the interface comprising:

an attachment ring, the ring overlaying the anterior surface of the eye;

a lens cone, the lens cone defining a first plane surface and coupled to a delivery tin of the surgical laser such that the delivery tip is positionally referenced to the first plane surface wherein the lens cone comprises an apex ring coupled to the first plane surface; and

an applanation lens disposed at a distal end of the apex ring;

a gripper, including a first receptacle for receiving the attachment ring;

a central orifice for receiving the lens cone, the gripper stabilizing the relative positions of the lens cone and the attachment ring when the cone and ring are received within the gripper; and

a pair of expandable jaws, the jaws expanding a diameter of the central orifice when opened and contracting a diameter of the central orifice when allowed to relax; and

a pair of opposed lever handles, coupled to the jaws, the lever handles applying an opening pressure to the jaws when the opposed handles are squeezed together.

11. The interface according to claim 10, wherein

the applanation lens positioned in a second plane, parallel to the first plane such that the delivery tip is positionally referenced to the second plane.

12. The interface according to claim 11, wherein the gripper central orifice defines an inner diameter, the inner diameter sized to be smaller than the outer diameter of the apex ring, the gripper central orifice expandable to an inner diameter sufficient to receive the apex ring upon application of opening pressure to the lever handles.

13. The interface according to claim 12, wherein the jaws engage an outer surface of the apex ring upon relaxation of opening pressure applied to the lever handles, thereby retaining the apex ring and the lens cone in a generally fixed relationship with respect to the gripper.

14. An interface, adapted to couple a patient'"'"'s eye to a surgical laser, the interface comprising:

flexible attachment means for overlaying the anterior surface of an eye and for stable engagement to the eye, wherein the flexible attachment means comprises an annular suction cavity, disposed in a portion of the attachment means facing the anterior surface of an eye and in proximate contact with the anterior surface of the eye; and

a fluid communication channel, coupled between the suction cavity and a vacuum source, wherein as the attachment means is positioned proximate to an eye, a suction is communicated to the annular suction cavity thereby engaging the attachment means to the eye;

applanation means for defining an applanation surface, the applanation surface bounded by a plane and coupled to a delivery tip of the surgical laser such that the delivery tip is referenced to the plane, wherein the applanation means comprises a lens cone, the lens cone defining a first surface and coupled to a delivery tip of the surgical laser such that the delivery tip is positionally referenced to the first surface;

an apex ring coupled to the first surface; and

an applanation lens disposed at a distal end of the apex ring, the applanation lens defining a second surface, referenced to the first surface such that the delivery tip is positionally referenced to the second surface; and

gripper means, including a receptacle for receiving the attachment means, the gripper further including engagement means for receiving the applanation means, the gripper means stabilizing the relative positions of the applanation means and the attachment means with respect to one another and thereby with respect to the patient'"'"'s eye.

15. The interface according to claim 14, the applanation lens further comprising:

an anterior surface;

an applanation surface configured to contact the eye and applanate the anterior surface of the eye upon application of a pressure, wherein the applanation surface defines the second surface, such that the delivery tip is positionally referenced to the applanation surface and thereby to the applanated surface of the eye; and

wherein the first and second surfaces have a shape selected from the group consisting of a flat surface, a concave surface and a convex surface.

16. The interface according to claim 15, the gripper means further comprising:

a pair of expandable jaws, the jaws expanding a diameter of the receptacle when opened and contracting a diameter of the receptacle when allowed to relax; and

a pair of opposed lever handles, coupled to the jaws, the lever handles applying an opening pressure to the jaws when the opposed handles are squeezed together.

17. The interface according to claim 16, wherein the gripper means receptacle defines an inner diameter, the inner diameter sized to be smaller than an outer diameter of the apex ring, the gripper means receptacle expandable to an inner diameter sufficient to receive the apex ring upon application of opening pressure to the lever handles.

18. The interface according to claim 17, wherein the jaws engage an outer surface of the apex ring upon relaxation of opening pressure applied to the lever handles, thereby retaining the apex ring and the applanation lens in a generally fixed relationship with respect to the gripper means.

19. The interface according to claim 15, the gripper means comprising a vacuum manifold, positioned to engage the apex ring of the lens cone, thereby retaining the apex ring and the applanation lens in a generally fixed relationship with respect to the gripper means.

20. The interface according to claim 15, the gripper means comprising a magnetized receiving manifold, positioned to magnetically engage the apex ring of the lens cone, thereby retaining the apex ring and the applanation lens in a generally fixed relationship with respect to the gripper means.