METHOD FOR LASER CUTTING A CORNEAL POCKET

摘要

A method for using a laser to create a pocket in a patient's cornea is provided. The pocket is created using a femtosecond or a nanosecond laser. The laser ablates tissue within the cornea in a specific shape. The shape of the pocket can be determined by software to custom program a three-dimensional path of the laser. A variety of corneal pocket configurations or computer programmed shapes can be used accommodate various corneal lens shapes and sizes. An intracorneal lens can then be inserted into the pocket, in order to correct the patient's vision.

主权项

1. A method for creating a corneal pocket and an entry channel for inserting and positioning an intracorneal lens in the corneal pocket, the method comprising:
providing a low-energy femtosecond laser configured to create the corneal pocket; positioning the laser proximate to a cornea such that it can be used to create the corneal pocket; receiving an input for a generally curvilinear movement path and a first laser energy output in a range between approximately 0.2 microjoules and 1.5 microjoules for the laser to form the corneal pocket having a specific pocket shape and a thickness conforming to predefined surfaces of an intracorneal lens to be inserted into the corneal pocket; focusing a laser beam from the laser to a predetermined depth within the cornea between an anterior surface and a posterior surface of the cornea such that the laser beam ablates corneal tissue at a focal point at the predetermined depth; moving the laser beam in the generally curvilinear movement path in order to create the corneal pocket having the specific pocket shape and a thickness about the size of diameter of the laser beam focal point; forming the entry channel into the corneal pocket with the laser beam, wherein the entry channel is at an obtuse angle form the conical pocket toward an entry incision on the cornea; and forming a relaxing incision in a region of the cornea outside of the corneal pocket and the entry channel using a second laser energy output that is less than the determined first laser energy output used to create the corneal pocket in order to ease the insertion of the intracorneal lens into the corneal pocket.