Topographical mapping, depth measurement, and cutting systems for performing radial keratotomy and the like

Claim 3

A system according to claim 1 wherein each of said measurement units includes one detector means in association with a plurality of emitter means.

Claim 4

A system according to claim 1 wherein each of said measurement units including one emitter means in association with a plurality of detector means.

Claim 5

A system according to claim 1 wherein at least two of said measurement units are present, and further including means for calculating an average distance between the reference face and the reflecting surface by adding the distance between the reference face and the reflecting surface at each of said measurement units and dividing by the number of said measurement units.

Claim 6

A system according to claim 4 and further including means for comparing the distance at a selected one of said measurement units with said average distance to determined the relationship between the reference face with the reflecting surface.

Claim 7

A system according to claim 1 and further including means for detecting when a drop of intensity occurs which is less than said predetermined value and greater than a predetermined intermediate value and for generating a signal.

Claim 8

A system according to claim 1 wherein said energy used is light energy.

Claim 9

A system according to claim 1 and further including means for generating a control signal based upon the distance between the reference face and the reflecting surface.

Claim 10

A corneal depth measurement instrument comprising: a housing having an operative face which, in use, is positioned adjacent to the epithelium layer of the cornea, and transducer means on said operative face comprising at least one measurement unit including means positioned adjacent to the epithelium layer for emitting within a known angle of emission a cone of energy toward the endothelium layer, and means positioned on the epithelium layer for detecting within a known angle of detection a cone of energy reflected from the endothelium layer toward the epithelium layer, means for changing the lateral spacing between said emitter means and said detector means from a first interval, in which said emitter means and said detector means are generallly adjacently spaced, to successive intervals, each increasing the lateral spacing between said emitter means and said detector means, means for measuring the intensity of said cone of reflected energy detected by said detector means at said first interval and each of said successive intervals until the drop in intensity between two successive intervals exceeds a predetermined value, means for determining the lateral distance between said emitter means and said detector means at which said drop in intensity occurs, and means for calculating the distance between the epithelium layer and the endothelium layer according to the following formula: ##EQU6## wherein D1 is the distance between the epithelium layer and the endothelium layer, wherein D2 is said lateral distance, and wherein φ is the smaller of said of emission and said angle of detection.

Claim 11

A corneal depth measurement instrument comprising: a housing having an operative face which, in use, is positioned adjacent to the epithelium layer of the cornea, and transducer means on said operative face comprising at least one measurement unit including means positioned adjacent to the epithelium layer for emitting within a known angle of emission a cone of energy toward the endothelium layer, and means positioned on the epithelium layer for detecting within a known angle of detection a cone of energy reflected from the endothelium layer toward the epithelium layer, means for changing the lateral spacing between said emitter means and said detector means from a first interval, in which said emitter means and said detector means are generallly adjacently spaced, to successive intervals, each increasing the lateral spacing between said emitter means and said detector means, means for measuring the intensity of said cone of reflected energy detected by said detector means at said first interval and each of said successive intervals until the drop in intensity between two successive intervals exceeds a predetermined value, means for determining the lateral distance between said emitter means and said detector means at which said drop in intensity occurs, and means for calculating the distance between the epithelium layer and the endothelium layer according to the following formula: ##EQU6## wherein D1 is the distance between the epithelium layer and the endothelium layer, wherein D2 is said lateral distance, and wherein φ is the smaller of said of emission and said angle of detection.

Claim 12

An instrument as defined in claim 9 wherein each of said measurement units includes one detector means in association with a plurality of emitter means.

Claim 13

An instrument as defined in claim 9 wherein each of said measurement units including one emitter means in association with a plurality of detector means.

Claim 14

An instrument as defined in claim 9 Wherein at least two of said measurement units are present, and further including means for calculating an average distance between the epithelium layer and the endothelium layer by adding the distance between the epithelium layer and the endothelium layer at each of said measurement units and dividing by the number of said measurement units.

Claim 15

An instrument as defined in claim 9 and further including means for comparing the distance at a selected one of said measurement units with said average distance to determined the relationship between the epithelium layer with the endothelium layer.

Claim 16

An instrument as defined in claim 9 and further including means for detecting when a drop of intensity occurs which is less than said predetermined value and greater than a predetermined intermediate value and for generating a signal.

Claim 17

An instrument as defined in claim 9 wherein said energy used is light energy.

Claim 18

An instrument as defined in claim 9 and further including means for generating a control signal based upon the distance between the epithelium layer and the endothelium layer calculated by said transducer means.

Claim 19

An instrument as defined in claim 16 and further including an operator readable display operative in response to said control signal.

Claim 20

An instrument as defined in claim 16 and further including cutting means carried by said housing operative in response to said control signal to obtain a desired depth of incision into the cornea to perform keratomy.

Claim 21

A topographical mapping system for locating a position on an electrical conducting surface or a surface that has been made electrically conductive for performing radial keratotomy and the like, said system comprising a template peripherally defining an interior area and being sized to be adapted to be fitted upon the cornea of the eye and thus being attachable on the energy conducting surface to peripherally surround an area thereof, said template including first means for generating a first known voltage gradient across the area surrounded by said template, and second means for generating a second known voltage gradient across the area surrounded by said template, said second voltage gradient being non-parallel to said first voltage gradient, a probe capable of being selectively positioned within the area surrounded by said template, said probe including means for sensing the voltage present at the energy conducting surface where said probe is positioned, and system control means comprising means for alternately energizing said first and second generating means on said template, and means for creating an operator readable display of the voltage sensed by said probed sensing means, whereby the position of the probe relative to said first and second voltage gradient established on the electrical conducting surface surrounded by said template can be determined.

Claim 22

A topographical mapping system for locating a position on an electrical conducting surface or a surface that has been made electrically conductive for performing radial keratotomy and the like, said system comprising a template peripherally defining an interior area and being sized to be adapted to be fitted upon the cornea of the eye and thus being attachable on the energy conducting surface to peripherally surround an area thereof, said template including first means for generating a first known voltage gradient across the area surrounded by said template, and second means for generating a second known voltage gradient across the area surrounded by said template, said second voltage gradient being non-parallel to said first voltage gradient, a probe capable of being selectively positioned within the area surrounded by said template, said probe including means for sensing the voltage present at the energy conducting surface where said probe is positioned, and system control means comprising means for alternately energizing said first and second generating means on said template, and means for creating an operator readable display of the voltage sensed by said probed sensing means, whereby the position of the probe relative to said first and second voltage gradient established on the electrical conducting surface surrounded by said template can be determined.

Claim 23

A system as defined in claim 19 wherein said probe further includes means for measuring the distance between the electrical conducting surface and an energy reflecting surface underlying the electrical conducting surface.

Claim 24

A system as defined in claim 19 wherein said prove further includes means for making an incision into the electrical conducting surface.

Claim 25

A system as defined in claim 21 wherein said probe further includes means for measuring the distance between the electrical conducting surface and an energy reflecting surface underlying the electrical conducting surface to control the depth of said incision.

Claim 26

A system as defined in claim 19 wherein said first generating means and said second generating means are spaced along the periphery of said interior area by about ninety degrees.

Claim 27

A system as defined in claim 19 wherein at least one of said first and second generating means includes means defining a track along which said probe is movable and along which a linear voltage drop occurs to generate said associated voltage gradient.

Claim 28

A system as defined in claim 19 wherein said template is releasably attachable to the electrical conducting surface.

Claim 29

A corneal topographical mapping and cutting system comprising a topographical mapping template peripherally defining an area and being releasably attachable on the epithelium layer of the cornea, said template including first means for generating a first known voltage gradient across the epithelium layer, and second means for generating a second known voltage gradient across the eputhelium layer in a non-parallel relationship to said first voltage gradient, a corneal depth measurement and cutting instrument capable of being selectively positioned on the cornea surrounded by said template and comprising a housing having an operative face which, in use, is positioned adjacent to the epithelium layer of the cornea, means for making an incision into the cornea; transducer means on said operative face operative, when said operative face is adjacent to the epithelium layer, for emitting energy upon the endothelium layer and for calculating the distance between the epithelium and the endothelium layers based upon the intensity detected, and means on said operative face operative, when said operative face is adjacent to the epithelium layer, for sensing the voltage present at the epithelium layer where said operative face is positioned, and system control means comprising means for alternately energizing said first and second generating means on said template, means for creating an operator readable display of the voltage sensed by said voltage sensing means, thereby indicating for each of said positions the position of said operative face of said instrument on the cornea, means for creating an operator readable display of the distance calculated by said transducer means, thereby indicating the depth of the cornea under said operative face, and means for operating said incision means to obtain a desired depth of incision into the cornea.

Claim 30

A corneal topographical mapping and cutting system comprising a topographical mapping template peripherally defining an area and being releasably attachable on the epithelium layer of the cornea, said template including first means for generating a first known voltage gradient across the epithelium layer, and second means for generating a second known voltage gradient across the eputhelium layer in a non-parallel relationship to said first voltage gradient, a corneal depth measurement and cutting instrument capable of being selectively positioned on the cornea surrounded by said template and comprising a housing having an operative face which, in use, is positioned adjacent to the epithelium layer of the cornea, means for making an incision into the cornea; transducer means on said operative face operative, when said operative face is adjacent to the epithelium layer, for emitting energy upon the endothelium layer and for calculating the distance between the epithelium and the endothelium layers based upon the intensity detected, and means on said operative face operative, when said operative face is adjacent to the epithelium layer, for sensing the voltage present at the epithelium layer where said operative face is positioned, and system control means comprising means for alternately energizing said first and second generating means on said template, means for creating an operator readable display of the voltage sensed by said voltage sensing means, thereby indicating for each of said positions the position of said operative face of said instrument on the cornea, means for creating an operator readable display of the distance calculated by said transducer means, thereby indicating the depth of the cornea under said operative face, and means for operating said incision means to obtain a desired depth of incision into the cornea.

Claim 31

A system as defined in claim 26 wherein said system control means includes means for generating a control signal based upon the distance calculated by said transducer means, and wherein said means for operating said incision means is operative in response to said control signal.

Claim 32

A system as defined in claim 26 wherein said transducer means comprises at least one measurement unit including means positioned adjacent to the epithelium layer for emitting within a known angle of emission a cone of energy toward the endothelium layer, and means positioned on the epithelium layer for detecting within a known angle of detection a cone of energy reflected from the endothelium layer toward the epithelium layer, means for changing the lateral spacing between said emitter means and said detector means from a first interval, in which said emitter means and said detector means are generally adjacently spaced, to successive intervals, each increasing the lateral spacing between said emitter means and said detector means, means for measuring the intensity of said cone of reflected energy detected by said detector means at said first interval and each of said successive intervals until the drop in intensity between two successive intervals exceeds a predetermined value, means for determining the lateral distance between said emitter means and said detector means at which said drop in intensity occurs, and means for calculating the distance between the epithelium layer and the endothelium layer according to the following formula: ##EQU7## wherein D1 is the distance between the epithelium layer and the endothelium layer, wherein D2 is said lateral distance, and wherein φ is the smaller of said angle of emission and said angle of detection.

Claim 33

A system as defined in claim 26 wherein said first generating means and said second generating means are spaced along the periphery of said interior area by about ninety degrees.

Claim 34

A system as defined in claim 26 wherein at least one of said first and second generating means includes means defining a track along which said probe is movable and along which a linear voltage drop occurs to generate said associated voltage gradient.