CORNEAL ELECTROSURGICAL PROBE WITH A VARIABLE-HEIGHT ACTIVE SITE

摘要

This invention is a device and procedure for the correction of optical abnormalities in a human eye. It involves use of an inventive electrosurgical energy probe with specific physical configurations. The process preferably utilizes a high frequency RF electrodesiccation or ablation device. The procedure involves the initial step of forming at least one access site allowing access to the corneal volume behind the Bowman's Layer. It preferably is placed in the anterior surface of the cornea through and ending posterior to the Bowman's layer of the eye. The electrosurgical probe is then introduced into the access site and, depending upon the visual abnormality to be corrected, the probe is activated to adjust the volume of the corneal stromal layers through ablation or desiccation. The shape of the volume desiccated or ablated is dependent upon the aberration to be corrected. The depth of tissue ablated may be adjusted by varying the height of the electrically active site of the electrosurgical probe. The height can be varied by raising or lowering a piston (3602) supporting the active site. The piston (3602) can be raised or lowered either pneumatically, or by attachment to an electrically controlled thermal expansion element which raises and lowers the piston as the thermal expansion element expands and contracts. Alternatively, the active site can be located on a balloon-type material which is pneumatically inflated to alter the height of the active sight above the nonconductive portion of the electrosurgical probe.