US5318044A — Method and apparatus for re-profiling the cornea …

Claim 1

Independent Claim 131 words

A method of correcting hyperopic refractive error in an eye having a cornea with a visual axis and of given radius comprising the steps of: providing a tool having a central pressure pad and a plurality of sharpened knife-edge blades that extend outward from said central pressure pad, said blades curved at a radius larger than said radius of said cornea; initially positioning said tool co-axially with said visual axis and against said cornea such that said knife-edge blades are tangential to and against that portion of said cornea along a ring that is greater in diameter than said central pressure pad; and rotating or oscillating said knife edges about said visual axis so as to scrape said cornea with said knife edges until said refractive error has been substantially corrected.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 131 words

A method of correcting hyperopic refractive error in an eye having a cornea with a visual axis and of given radius comprising the steps of: providing a tool having a central pressure pad and a plurality of sharpened knife-edge blades that extend outward from said central pressure pad, said blades curved at a radius larger than said radius of said cornea; initially positioning said tool co-axially with said visual axis and against said cornea such that said knife-edge blades are tangential to and against that portion of said cornea along a ring that is greater in diameter than said central pressure pad; and rotating or oscillating said knife edges about said visual axis so as to scrape said cornea with said knife edges until said refractive error has been substantially corrected.

Claim 3

Independent Claim 133 words

A method of correcting hyperopic refractive error in an eye having a cornea with a visual axis and of given radius comprising the steps of: providing a tool having a plurality of sharpened knife-edge blades that extend outward from a central pressure pad, said blades curved at a radius larger than said radius of said cornea; initially positioning said tool co-axially with said visual axis and applying pressure against said cornea with said central pressure pad such that said knife-edge blades are tangential to and against that portion of said cornea along a ring that is greater in diameter than said pressure pad; and manually rotating or oscillating said knife edge about said visual axis so as to scrape said cornea with said knife edges until said refractive error has been substantially corrected.

Claim 4

Independent Claim 133 words

A method of correcting hyperopic refractive error in an eye having a cornea with a visual axis and of given radius comprising the steps of: providing a tool having a plurality of sharpened knife-edge blades that extend outward from a central pressure pad, said blades curved at a radius larger than said radius of said cornea; initially positioning said tool co-axially with said visual axis and applying pressure against said cornea with said central pressure pad such that said knife-edge blades are tangential to and against that portion of said cornea along a ring that is greater in diameter than said pressure pad; and manually rotating or oscillating said knife edge about said visual axis so as to scrape said cornea with said knife edges until said refractive error has been substantially corrected.

Claim 5

Independent Claim 133 words

A method of correcting hyperopic refractive error in an eye having a cornea with a visual axis and of given radius comprising the steps of: providing a tool having a plurality of sharpened knife-edge blades that extend outward from a central pressure pad, said blades curved at a radius larger than said radius of said cornea; initially positioning said tool co-axially with said visual axis such that said knife-edge blades are tangential to and against said cornea along a ring that is greater in diameter than said pressure pad; rotating or oscillating said knife edge about said visual axis so as to scrape said cornea with said knife edges until said refractive error has been substantially corrected; and axially advancing said blade incrementally against said cornea until said refractive error has been corrected.

Claim 6

Independent Claim 133 words

A method of correcting hyperopic refractive error in an eye having a cornea with a visual axis and of given radius comprising the steps of: providing a tool having a plurality of sharpened knife-edge blades that extend outward from a central pressure pad, said blades curved at a radius larger than said radius of said cornea; initially positioning said tool co-axially with said visual axis such that said knife-edge blades are tangential to and against said cornea along a ring that is greater in diameter than said pressure pad; rotating or oscillating said knife edge about said visual axis so as to scrape said cornea with said knife edges until said refractive error has been substantially corrected; and axially advancing said blade incrementally against said cornea until said refractive error has been corrected.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 22 words

The method of claim 1 wherein said pressure pad is 2 mm in diameter and said ring is 4 mm in diameter.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 22 words

The method of claim 2 wherein said pressure pad is 2 mm in diameter and said ring is 4 mm in diameter.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 22 words

The method of claim 3 wherein said pressure pad is 2 mm in diameter and said ring is 4 mm in diameter.

Claim 10

Independent Claim 167 words

A method of reprofiling the corneal portion of an eye to change the corneal radius and thus correct hyperopic refractive errors, comprising the steps of: determining the amount of said refractive error; creating a visual topographic keratograph of said corneal portion of said eye; comparing said visual keratograph with a visual display means showing the corneal radius as corrected for said refractive error; providing a tool having a plurality of sharpened knife-edge blades that extend outward from a central pressure pad, said blades curved at a radius larger than said radius of said cornea; initially positioning said tool co-axially with said visual axis such that said knife-edge blades are tangential to and against said cornea along a ring that is greater in diameter than said pressure pad; rotating or oscillating said knife edge about said visual axis so as to scrape said cornea with said knife edges until said refractive error has been substantially corrected; and monitoring said keratograph until said refractive error has been substantially corrected.

Claim 11

Independent Claim 167 words

A method of reprofiling the corneal portion of an eye to change the corneal radius and thus correct hyperopic refractive errors, comprising the steps of: determining the amount of said refractive error; creating a visual topographic keratograph of said corneal portion of said eye; comparing said visual keratograph with a visual display means showing the corneal radius as corrected for said refractive error; providing a tool having a plurality of sharpened knife-edge blades that extend outward from a central pressure pad, said blades curved at a radius larger than said radius of said cornea; initially positioning said tool co-axially with said visual axis such that said knife-edge blades are tangential to and against said cornea along a ring that is greater in diameter than said pressure pad; rotating or oscillating said knife edge about said visual axis so as to scrape said cornea with said knife edges until said refractive error has been substantially corrected; and monitoring said keratograph until said refractive error has been substantially corrected.

Claim 12

Independent Claim 140 words

A method of correcting hyperopic refractive error in an eye having a cornea defined anteriorly in the cornea by essentially an epithelium layer and a stroma portion comprising the steps of: providing a tool having a plurality of sharpened knife-edge blades that extend outward from a central pressure pad, said blades curved at a radius larger than said radius of said cornea; initially positioning said tool co-axially with said visual axis such that said knife-edge blades are tangential to and against said cornea along a ring that is greater in diameter than said pressure pad; and rotating or oscillating said knife edge about said visual axis while simultaneously pressing and advancing said blades in controlled axial incremental amounts against said corneal epithelium layer so as to scrape said cornea with said knife edge until said refractive error is substantially corrected.

Claim 13

Independent Claim 140 words

A method of correcting hyperopic refractive error in an eye having a cornea defined anteriorly in the cornea by essentially an epithelium layer and a stroma portion comprising the steps of: providing a tool having a plurality of sharpened knife-edge blades that extend outward from a central pressure pad, said blades curved at a radius larger than said radius of said cornea; initially positioning said tool co-axially with said visual axis such that said knife-edge blades are tangential to and against said cornea along a ring that is greater in diameter than said pressure pad; and rotating or oscillating said knife edge about said visual axis while simultaneously pressing and advancing said blades in controlled axial incremental amounts against said corneal epithelium layer so as to scrape said cornea with said knife edge until said refractive error is substantially corrected.

Claim 14

Independent Claim 93 words

A method of correcting for hyperopic refractive error in an eye defined by a cornea with a visual axis and of a given radius comprising the steps of: rotating or oscillating at least one knife-edge blade of curvature greater than the radius of said cornea against that portion of the cornea that is within a band whose upper ring is of radius greater than 1 mm from said visual axis and whose lower ring is of radius no greater than 3 mm from said visual axis, until said refractive error has been corrected.

Claim 15

Independent Claim 93 words

A method of correcting for hyperopic refractive error in an eye defined by a cornea with a visual axis and of a given radius comprising the steps of: rotating or oscillating at least one knife-edge blade of curvature greater than the radius of said cornea against that portion of the cornea that is within a band whose upper ring is of radius greater than 1 mm from said visual axis and whose lower ring is of radius no greater than 3 mm from said visual axis, until said refractive error has been corrected.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 18 words

The method of claim 9 including the step of advancing said blade incrementally axially along said visual axis.

Claim 17

Independent Claim 77 words

A method of correcting for hyperopic refractive error in an eye defined by a cornea with a visual axis and of a given radius comprising the steps of: rotating or oscillating at least one knife-edge blade of curvature greater than the radius of said cornea against that portion of the cornea that is within a band that extends outward of a central area that is co-axial to said visual axis, until said refractive error has been corrected.

Claim 18

Independent Claim 77 words

A method of correcting for hyperopic refractive error in an eye defined by a cornea with a visual axis and of a given radius comprising the steps of: rotating or oscillating at least one knife-edge blade of curvature greater than the radius of said cornea against that portion of the cornea that is within a band that extends outward of a central area that is co-axial to said visual axis, until said refractive error has been corrected.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 18 words

The method of claim 11 including the step of advancing said blade incrementally axially along said visual axis.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 21 words

The method of claim 11 including the step of applying downward pressure to said central area during said rotating or oscillating.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 18 words

The method of claim 13 including the step of advancing said blade incrementally axially along said visual axis.

Claim 22

Independent Claim 153 words

A method of correcting hyperopic refractive error in an eye having a cornea with a visual axis and of given radius comprising the steps of: providing a tool having a plurality of sharpened knife-edge blades that extend outward from a central axis, said blades having a central unsharpened portion and sharpened knife-edge blade that extends outward from said central unsharpened portion; initially positioning said tool co-axially with said visual axis such that said knife-edge blades are tangential to said central unsharpened portion makes tangential contact with said cornea; axially advancing said blades whereby said central unsharpened portion presses against a central zone of said cornea to thereby force that portion of said cornea outside said central zone into contact with said sharpened knife-edge blade; and rotating or oscillating said knife edge about said visual axis so as to scrape said cornea with said knife edges until said refractive error has been substantially corrected.

Claim 23

Independent Claim 153 words

A method of correcting hyperopic refractive error in an eye having a cornea with a visual axis and of given radius comprising the steps of: providing a tool having a plurality of sharpened knife-edge blades that extend outward from a central axis, said blades having a central unsharpened portion and sharpened knife-edge blade that extends outward from said central unsharpened portion; initially positioning said tool co-axially with said visual axis such that said knife-edge blades are tangential to said central unsharpened portion makes tangential contact with said cornea; axially advancing said blades whereby said central unsharpened portion presses against a central zone of said cornea to thereby force that portion of said cornea outside said central zone into contact with said sharpened knife-edge blade; and rotating or oscillating said knife edge about said visual axis so as to scrape said cornea with said knife edges until said refractive error has been substantially corrected.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 94 words

Apparatus for surgically reprofiling the corneal portion of an eye to a desired corneal radius and thus correct hyperopic refractive errors, said cornea of a given radius and having a visual axis, comprising: a profiling tool, said tool having a central pressure pad, at least one sharpened knife-edge blade that extends radially outward from said central pressure pad, said blade having a concave curve of a radius no smaller than said radius of the cornea; and means to rotate or oscillate said profiling tool so as to scrape said cornea about the visual axis.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 94 words

Apparatus for surgically reprofiling the corneal portion of an eye to a desired corneal radius and thus correct hyperopic refractive errors, said cornea of a given radius and having a visual axis, comprising: a profiling tool, said tool having a central pressure pad, at least one sharpened knife-edge blade that extends radially outward from said central pressure pad, said blade having a concave curve of a radius no smaller than said radius of the cornea; and means to rotate or oscillate said profiling tool so as to scrape said cornea about the visual axis.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 22 words

Apparatus of claim 16 including indexing means to provide indication of the axial location of said profiling tool relative to said cornea.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 250 words

Apparatus for surgically reprofiling the corneal portion of an eye of a human to change the corneal radius and thus correct hyperopic refractive errors, said cornea of a given radius and a defined visual axis, comprising a cylindrical positioning ring having resilient vacuum ring means on its bottom side for temporary attachment to a portion of the eye and surrounding the cornea to be reprofiled so as to be co-axial with the visual axis, positioning pins at a top side of said positioning ring, and vacuum means communicating with said vacuum ring means; a holding sleeve, means at the bottom of said holding sleeve to interconnect with said positioning pins, screw threads of a given pitch formed on an exterior portion of said holding sleeve; a guide sleeve having screw threads of said given pitch formed interiorly thereof for rotatable attachment with said holding sleeve; a profiling tool, said profiling tool having a central pressure pad and adapted to be rotatably received co-axially with the visual axis within said positioning ring, said holding sleeve and said guide sleeve, a collar means on said profiling tool to rotatably support said profiling tool upon said guide sleeve, said profiling tool including said central pressure pad, a plurality of sharpened knife-edge blades at the bottom of said profiling tool of shape to sculpt the desired corrective curvature in the cornea, said blades extending radially outward from said central pressure pad, said blades curved at a radius larger than said radius of the cornea.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 250 words

Apparatus for surgically reprofiling the corneal portion of an eye of a human to change the corneal radius and thus correct hyperopic refractive errors, said cornea of a given radius and a defined visual axis, comprising a cylindrical positioning ring having resilient vacuum ring means on its bottom side for temporary attachment to a portion of the eye and surrounding the cornea to be reprofiled so as to be co-axial with the visual axis, positioning pins at a top side of said positioning ring, and vacuum means communicating with said vacuum ring means; a holding sleeve, means at the bottom of said holding sleeve to interconnect with said positioning pins, screw threads of a given pitch formed on an exterior portion of said holding sleeve; a guide sleeve having screw threads of said given pitch formed interiorly thereof for rotatable attachment with said holding sleeve; a profiling tool, said profiling tool having a central pressure pad and adapted to be rotatably received co-axially with the visual axis within said positioning ring, said holding sleeve and said guide sleeve, a collar means on said profiling tool to rotatably support said profiling tool upon said guide sleeve, said profiling tool including said central pressure pad, a plurality of sharpened knife-edge blades at the bottom of said profiling tool of shape to sculpt the desired corrective curvature in the cornea, said blades extending radially outward from said central pressure pad, said blades curved at a radius larger than said radius of the cornea.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 11 words

Apparatus of claim 17 wherein said holding sleeve is substantially transparent.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 19 words

Apparatus of claim 17 wherein said pitch of said screw threads is between 35 to 50 threads per inch.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 16 words

Apparatus of claim 19 wherein said pitch of said screw threads is 40 threads per inch.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 25 words

Apparatus of claim 20 wherein said holding sleeve and said guide sleeve includes micrometer indexing means for measuring the axial movement of said profiling tool.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 41 words

Apparatus of claim 18 including a first electrical contact connected to said profiling tool, a second electrical contact connected to said human, and an electrical power circuit means connecting said first and second contacts with a visual and/or audible indicator means.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 21 words

Apparatus of claim 18 wherein said profiling tool includes frictional means releasably engageable with the inner periphery of said holding sleeve.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 135 words

Apparatus for surgically reprofiling the corneal portion of an eye to correct hyperopic refractive error, comprising: a positioning ring having means to be temporarily attached to and surround the eye relative to a visual axis of the cornea to be reprofiled; a holding sleeve having means at its bottom to be retained by the positioning ring, a guide sleeve rotatably connected to the holding sleeve; a contouring tool adapted to be received within the holding sleeve and supported by the guide sleeve, the contouring tool comprised of means, at its bottom end, to scrape a portion of the cornea that is within a band whose upper anterior ring is of radius greater than 1 mm from said visual axis and whose lower ring is of radius no greater than 3 mm from said visual axis.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 135 words

Apparatus for surgically reprofiling the corneal portion of an eye to correct hyperopic refractive error, comprising: a positioning ring having means to be temporarily attached to and surround the eye relative to a visual axis of the cornea to be reprofiled; a holding sleeve having means at its bottom to be retained by the positioning ring, a guide sleeve rotatably connected to the holding sleeve; a contouring tool adapted to be received within the holding sleeve and supported by the guide sleeve, the contouring tool comprised of means, at its bottom end, to scrape a portion of the cornea that is within a band whose upper anterior ring is of radius greater than 1 mm from said visual axis and whose lower ring is of radius no greater than 3 mm from said visual axis.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 83 words

Apparatus for surgically reprofiling the corneal portion of an eye to a desired corneal radius and thus correct hyperopic refractive errors, said cornea of a given radius and having a visual axis, comprising: a profiling tool, said tool having a central portion, at least one sharpened knife-edge blade that begins at the periphery of said central portion and extends outward from said central portion; and means to rotate or oscillate said profiling tool so as to scrape said cornea about the visual axis.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 83 words

Apparatus for surgically reprofiling the corneal portion of an eye to a desired corneal radius and thus correct hyperopic refractive errors, said cornea of a given radius and having a visual axis, comprising: a profiling tool, said tool having a central portion, at least one sharpened knife-edge blade that begins at the periphery of said central portion and extends outward from said central portion; and means to rotate or oscillate said profiling tool so as to scrape said cornea about the visual axis.

Claim 39

Dependent Claim 16 words

Apparatus of claim 26 wherein said knife-edge blade extends downward and outward from said central portion.

Claim 40

Dependent Claim 22 words

Apparatus of claim 27 wherein said knife-edge blade is a concave curve of radius larger than said given radius of said cornea.

Claim 41

Dependent Claim 10 words

Apparatus of claim 27 wherein said knife-edge blade is straight.

Claim 42

Independent Claim 119 words

A method of correcting hyperopic refractive error in an eye having a cornea with a visual axis and of given radius comprising the steps of: providing a tool having at least one sharpened knife-edge blade that extends outward from a central pressure pad, said blade curved at a radius larger than said radius of said cornea; initially positioning and maintaining said tool co-axially with said visual axis with said central pressure pad touching said cornea; axially advancing said tool whereby pressure of said central pressure pad forces that portion of said cornea outside said central pressure pad into contact with said sharpened knife-edge blade; and rotating or oscillating said knife-edge blade until said refractive error has been substantially corrected.

Claim 43

Independent Claim 119 words

A method of correcting hyperopic refractive error in an eye having a cornea with a visual axis and of given radius comprising the steps of: providing a tool having at least one sharpened knife-edge blade that extends outward from a central pressure pad, said blade curved at a radius larger than said radius of said cornea; initially positioning and maintaining said tool co-axially with said visual axis with said central pressure pad touching said cornea; axially advancing said tool whereby pressure of said central pressure pad forces that portion of said cornea outside said central pressure pad into contact with said sharpened knife-edge blade; and rotating or oscillating said knife-edge blade until said refractive error has been substantially corrected.

Claim 44

Dependent Claim 18 words

The method of claim 30 including the step of advancing said blade incrementally axially along said visual axis.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1997-06-06	1997-12-06	1998-06-07	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2001-06-06	2001-12-06	2002-06-07	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2005-06-06	2005-12-06	2006-06-07	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Method and apparatus for re-profiling the cornea to correct for hyperopia

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