Methods for removing epithelial cells prior to performing corneal ablation

• US 7,211,077 B1
• Filed: 06/30/2005
• Issued: 05/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Supralase, LLC
• Original Assignee: Douglas M. Rampona
• Inventors: Rampona, Douglas M.
• Primary Examiner(s): FARAH, AHMED M
• Application Number:
  US11/172,576
• Time in Patent Office: 670 Days
• Field of Search: 606 4- 6, 606/166, 128/898
• US Class Current: 606/5
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2009/00872 Cornea
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/008 using laser
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00802 for photoablation

Abstract

Methods for removing certain of the cells of the epithelium prior to performing corneal ablation, comprising, ablating certain of the cells of the epithelium in an area above the cornea to form an initial, substantially circular refractive curve in the epithelium, wherein the initial refractive curve is formed above an area of the cornea that will be ablated during the corrective eye surgery, and ablating certain additional cells of the epithelium to translate the initial refractive curve downward to define a bed in the epithelium, wherein the certain additional cells of the epithelium are ablated until the Bowman'"'"'s membrane is at least partially exposed.

Claims

1. A method for removing certain of the cells of the epithelial layer of the cornea prior to performing corneal ablation, comprising:

laser ablating certain of the epithelial cells in the epithelial layer of the cornea to form an initial refractive curve in the epithelial layer of the cornea, wherein the initial refractive curve is formed above an area of the cornea that will be ablated during the corrective eye surgery, and wherein a curvature of the refractive curve is approximately −

0.75 D to −

0.95 D; and

laser ablating certain additional epithelial cells in the epithelial layer of the cornea to translate the initial refractive curve downward to define a bed in the epithelial layer of the cornea, wherein the certain additional epithelial cells in the epithelial layer of the cornea are laser ablated until the Bowman'"'"'s membrane is at least partially exposed.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a curvature of the refractive curve substantially parallels the curvature of the Bowman'"'"'s membrane.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a curvature of the refractive curve is approximately −

0.75 D to −

0.85 D.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a diameter of the bed is approximately equivalent to the diameter of the area of the cornea that will be ablated during the corrective eye surgery.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a diameter of the bed is larger than the diameter of the area of the cornea that will be ablated during the corrective eye surgery.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein certain additional cells of the epithelial layer of the cornea are ablated until the Bowman'"'"'s membrane is completely exposed.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein a diameter of the bed at a surface of the bed is smaller than a diameter of the initial refractive curve.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein a diameter of the bed at a surface of the bed is equal to a diameter of the initial refractive curve.

9. The method of claim 1, further including the step of removing, via a brush, any epithelial cells that remain above the area of the cornea that will be ablated during the corrective eye surgery.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein a perimeter of the initial refractive curve is substantially circular.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein laser ablating certain of the epithelial cells in the epithelial layer of the cornea comprises substantially vaporizing certain of the epithelial cells in the epithelial layer of the cornea.

12. A method for removing certain of the cells of the epithelial layer of the cornea prior to performing corneal reshaping, comprising:

substantially vaporizing certain of the cells of the epithelial layer of the cornea to define a bed, wherein the bed is formed above an area of the cornea that will be reshaped during the corrective eye surgery, wherein a curvature of the bed is approximately −

0.75 D to −

0.95 D, and wherein the certain cells of the epithelial layer of the cornea are substantially vaporized until the Bowman'"'"'s membrane is at least partially exposed.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein certain of the cells of the epithelial layer of the cornea are substantially vaporized by laser ablation.

13. A method for preparing an eye for corneal ablation, comprising:

laser ablating certain of the cells of the epithelial layer of the cornea to form an initial, substantially circular refractive curve in the epithelial layer of the cornea, wherein the initial refractive curve is formed above an area of the cornea that will be ablated during the corrective eye surgery, and wherein a curvature of the refractive curve is approximately −

0.75 D to −

0.95 D; and

laser ablating certain additional cells of the epithelial layer of the cornea to translate the initial refractive curve downward to define a bed in the epithelial layer of the cornea, wherein the certain additional cells of the epithelial layer of the cornea are laser ablated until the Bowman'"'"'s membrane is at least partially exposed.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein laser ablating certain of the epithelial cells in the epithelial layer of the cornea comprises substantially vaporizing certain of the epithelial cells in the epithelial layer of the cornea.