Method and system for improving vision

• US 7,699,837 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2005
• Issued: 04/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Technolas GmbH Ophthalmologische Systeme (Bausch Health Cos., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Technolas GmbH Ophthalmologische Systeme (Bausch Health Cos., Inc.)
• Inventors: Cox, Ian G., Turner, Timothy N., Youssefi, Gerhard
• Primary Examiner(s): Farah; Ahmed M
• Application Number:
  US11/158,365
• Publication Number:
  US 20050251115A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,763 Days
• Field of Search: 606/4, 606/5, 606 10- 12, 351205-212, 128/898
• US Class Current: 606/5
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2009/00846 Eyetracking
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2009/00857 considering biodynamics
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2009/00859 considering nomograms
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2009/00872 Cornea
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2009/0088 based on wavefront
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2009/00882 based on topography
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/008 using laser
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00806 Correction of higher orders
• 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

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for improving vision incorporate the effects of biodynamical and biomechanical (biological) responses of the eye. The eye produces a biological response to trauma, such as a LASIK keratectomy or other necessary traumatic procedure in preparation for refractive surgery. By observing the biological response, a prospective treatment to correct higher order aberrations is adjusted to compensate for the biological effects. An improved photorefractive surgery system incorporates one or more suitable diagnostic devices that provide biological response information in such a manner that the patient need not change position from that assumed for the surgical procedure.

Claims

1. A method for developing a photorefractive treatment of a patient'"'"'s eye, comprising:

obtaining a diagnostic measurement of the patient'"'"'s eye;

using the diagnostic measurement to determine at least one of a lower-order and a higher-order aberration of the eye;

developing a photorefractive treatment by adjusting a prospective photorefractive treatment for the at least one aberration based upon at least one of a biodynamically and a biomechanically induced deviation from an expected result of the prospective treatment in the absence of the biodynamically or biomechanically induced deviation to compensate for said deviation; and

performing a photorefractive treatment on the eye based on the adjusted prospective photorefractive treatment.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said adjustment is an empirical adjustment.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said diagnostic measurement includes at least one of a wavefront aberration measurement, a topography measurement, an OCT measurement, an ultrasound measurement, and a pachymetry measurement.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the photorefractive treatment comprises an ablation pattern that is the sum of ablation patterns for each of a contributing aberration order.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said treatment is a multi-stage treatment.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said treatment is adapted to provide a sum total of rotationally symmetric aberrations that is equal to or greater than a sum total of rotationally asymmetric aberrations.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising obtaining another diagnostic measurement that is indicative of a shape of a stromal surface of the patient'"'"'s eye.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said diagnostic measurement is made through a line of sight of the patient'"'"'s eye.

9. The method of claim 1, comprising performing a photoablative treatment with a laser beam having a diameter, d, at a target location between 0.5 mm<

d<

7 mm.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising obtaining a diagnostic measurement of the patient'"'"'s eye prior to inflicting the surgical trauma.