APPARATUS FOR COUPLING AN ELEMENT TO THE EYE

• US 20120191077A1
• Filed: 03/30/2012
• Published: 07/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alcon Incorporated
• Original Assignee: WaveLight AG (WaveLight GmbH)
• Inventors: MROCHEN, Michael, BÜELER, Michael, DONITZKY, Christof, WÜLLNER, Christian
• Granted Patent: US 8,753,321 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/4
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2009/00857 considering biodynamics
• 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
• 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

The invention relates to a suction ring (2) for ophthalmic surgery, with a first suction region (4), which is designed to suck the suction ring onto an eye (18), and with a second suction region (10), which is designed to aspirate a functional element (12). The functional element and/or the suction ring may exhibit measuring means. The functional element may be formed in the manner of a container, so that it can receive a liquid which in operation is located between the cornea of the eye and a lens.

Claims

1-27. -27. (canceled)

28. A device for eye surgery, the device configured to hold a fluid other than air between a focusing lens and a cornea of an eye during treatment of the eye, the device comprising:

a suction ring configured to be placed on an eye to be treated, the suction ring having a first suction portion configured to secure the suction ring against the eye through application of a vacuum in the first suction portion; and

a container member coupled to the suction ring, the container member having a longitudinal axis and an interior for receiving the fluid, the container member including a wall extending from a first axial end of the container member to an opposite second axial end of the container member and extending around the longitudinal axis, the wall closing the container member laterally to define the interior, wherein a first opening for supplying the fluid to the interior extends through the wall and a second opening for venting the interior extends through the wall, wherein the first and second openings are offset relative to one another along the longitudinal axis of the container member.

29. The device of claim 28, wherein the container member is integrally formed with the suction ring.

30. The device of claim 28, wherein the container member is vacuum coupled to the suction ring.

31. The device of claim 28, wherein the container member is mechanically coupled to the suction ring.

32. The device of claim 28, wherein the first opening is positioned adjacent the first axial end of the container member.

33. The device of claim 32, wherein the second opening is positioned adjacent the second axial end of the container member.

34. The device of claim 28, further comprising a focusing lens coupled to the second axial end of the container member.

35. The device of claim 28, further comprising the fluid for introduction into the interior through the first opening.

36. The device of claim 35, wherein the fluid has a refractive index approximately equal to a refractive index of a cornea of the eye.

37. A method of treating an eye, comprising:

coupling a suction ring to the eye;

introducing a fluid into an interior chamber of an element coupled to the suction ring and a focusing lens of a laser system such that only the fluid is positioned between the focusing lens of the laser system and an outer surface of the eye.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein introducing the fluid into the interior chamber of the element includes evacuating any air in the interior chamber.

39. The method of claim 37, wherein introducing the fluid into the chamber of the element includes supplying the fluid through a first opening in a sidewall of the element.

40. The method of claim 39, further comprising removing at least a portion of the fluid from the interior chamber through a second opening in the sidewall of the element.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the second opening is spaced from the first opening along a length of the element.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the second opening is positioned closer to the focusing lens than the first opening.

43. The method of claim 37, wherein the fluid introduced into the interior chamber of the element has a refractive index approximately equal to a refractive index of a cornea of the eye.

44. The method of claim 37, further comprising coupling the element to the suction ring.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein coupling the element to the suction ring includes applying a vacuum.

46. The method of claim 44, wherein coupling the element to the suction ring includes mechanically coupling the element to the suction ring.

47. The method of claim 37, further comprising cutting a portion of a cornea of the eye with laser radiation supplied by the laser system.