SURGICAL APPARATUS

摘要

An instrument for separating at least a portion of the epithelium from the Bowman's layer of a cornea of an eye having a positioning ring for temporary attachment to the eye. The positioning ring is structured to receive and expose the cornea to be separated in a non~planar configuration and includes a vacuum connection. When a vacuum is applied through the vacuum connection, t he epithelium of an eye received in the positioning ring will not be in contact with any portion of the instrument. The instrument has a separator that separates the epithelium of the cornea from the underlying Bowman's layer wh en brought into contact with the eye as the separator moves along a predetermin ed path intersecting with the cornea. The edge of the separator is not sufficiently sharp to sever Bowman's layer when brought into contact with th e eye. No portion of the instrument will contact the epithelium prior to it being separated from Bowman's layer by the separating edge as the separator moves along the predetermined path.