Ablation profile calibration plate

摘要

A profiling and/or calibration sample plate allowing approximately full scale calibration monitoring of an ablation achieved in corneal tissue. The profiling/calibration sample plate also allows for a permanent record of an achieved corneal ablation to be made immediately before (and/or during) the actual cornea to be ablated is ablated. The present invention allows "in vitro" full scale determination of the ablation profile resulting from a given set of refractive laser parameters. One exemplary profiling/calibration sample plate includes a plate (or other shape) having a recess adapted to contain a cross-linked collagen material. The collagen material serves as an approximation of corneal tissue having a similar ablation rate to allow for a "full scale" calibration and/or measurement of an ablation procedure as it will actually occur in a cornea. The profiling/calibration sample plate may include alignment registration elements to allow precise positioning of the calibration plate with respect to an astigmatism or other directional optical component if included in the ablation profile. A non-contact interferometer may be used to measure the resultant or achieved ablation profile on the surface of the cross-linked collagen material contained in the profiling/calibration sample plate. The measured surface features in the collagen material and/or a preserved original or copy of the cross-linked collagen material may be maintained as a permanent record of the actual ablation performed on a particular patient.