Universal automated keratectomy apparatus and method

Claim 2

A surgical device for making a surgical cut to the cornea of an eye, said device comprising: a base, said base comprising a single vacuum chamber adapted to engage the sclera of an eye, said vacuum chamber being connectable to a vacuum source; an insert, said insert being carried on said base, said insert having a face disposed toward said eye, said face having a surface portion shaped according to a predetermined correction, said vacuum chamber being disposed around said insert, said insert not forming part of said vacuum chamber, and whereby application of vacuum to said vacuum chamber causes the cornea of said eye to engage said surface portion; a knife having a knife edge, said knife being movable in a plane transverse to said face and adjacent to said face; said base and said insert being cooperatively shaped such that said knife edge will cut only corneal tissue of said eye directly underneath said surface portion; a drive device coupled to said knife edge for moving said knife, said drive device being operable such that only said knife and not said drive device is movable across said insert.

Claim 3

A surgical device in accordance with claim 1 wherein: said insert is transparent.

Claim 4

A surgical device in accordance with claim 1 wherein: said insert comprises a crosshair image, said crosshair image being disposed in alignment with said surface portion for aligning said insert with said eye.

Claim 5

A surgical device in accordance with claim 3 wherein: said crosshair image includes scale markings.

Claim 6

A surgical device in accordance with claim 1 wherein: said vacuum chamber comprises a suction ring said suction ring being coupleable to said vacuum source such that application of vacuum to said suction ring urges said eye into contact with said suction ring whereby the inner ocular pressure in said eye is increased thereby forcing the cornea of said eye against said shaped surface portion.

Claim 7

A surgical device in accordance with claim 1 wherein: said base includes a portion for retaining said insert in registered alignment with said base.

Claim 8

A surgical device in accordance with claim 6 wherein: said insert is transparent.

Claim 9

A surgical device in accordance with claim 7 wherein: said insert comprises scale markings, said scale markings being used to align said insert over said eye.

Claim 10

A surgical device in accordance with claim 1 further comprising: a controller, said controller being coupled to said drive device for controlling operation of said drive device by controlling application of energy to said drive device.

Claim 11

A surgical device in accordance with claim 9 wherein: said controller is operable to apply energy to said drive device such that said knife edge is advanced to a predetermined position.

Claim 12

A surgical device in accordance with claim 10 wherein: said controller is operable to apply energy to said drive device to advance said knife edge at a predetermined rate.

Claim 13

A surgical device in accordance with claim 1 comprising: at least one vacuum passage in communication at one end with said vacuum chamber and connectable at its other end to said vacuum source.

Claim 14

A surgical device in accordance with claim 1 wherein: said base includes a first registering portion; and said insert includes a second registering portion, said first registering portion being adapted to engage said second registering portion whereby said insert is maintained on said base in a predetermined position.

Claim 15

A surgical device in accordance with claim 13 wherein: said insert comprises transparent material.

Claim 16

A surgical device in accordance with claim 14 wherein: said insert comprises visible alignment markings disposed on one surface thereof and in alignment with said shaped surface portion.

Claim 17

A surgical device in accordance with claim 14 wherein: said insert comprises of acrylic plastic.

Claim 18

A surgical device in accordance with claim 16, wherein: said acrylic plastic is polymethymethacrylate.

Claim 19

A surgical device in accordance with claim 1 wherein: said drive device comprises a first drive device and a second drive device, said first drive device being adapted to move said knife edge across said insert, and said second drive device being adapted to oscillate said knife edge laterally with respect to said insert.

Claim 20

A surgical device in accordance with claim 1 wherein: said knife edge has its cutting end shaped such that the top surface of said knife edge is flat and the bottom surface of said knife edge includes a concave portion.

Claim 21

A surgical device comprising: a base, said base comprising a suction ring, said suction ring being adapted to engage the sclera of an eye to form a vacuum chamber with said eye; an insert, said insert being carried on said base, said insert having a face disposed toward said eye, said face having a surface portion formed according to a predetermined correction; a knife having a knife edge, said knife being movable in a plane transverse to and adjacent said face in said vacuum chamber; a drive device for moving said knife, said drive device being selectively operable such that only said knife is movable across said insert, said insert being stationary relative to said base; said suction ring is adapted to be coupled to a vacuum source whereby application of vacuum to said vacuum chamber from said vacuum source raises the inner ocular pressure of said eye thereby causing the cornea of said eye to be urged into contact with said surface portion; and whereby actuation of said drive device after said eye is urged into contact with said surface portion causes said knife edge to engage and cut said cornea only under said surface portion.

Claim 22

A surgical device comprising: a base, said base comprising a suction ring, said suction ring being adapted to engage the sclera of an eye to form a vacuum chamber with said eye; an insert, said insert being carried on said base, said insert having a face disposed toward said eye, said face having a surface portion formed according to a predetermined correction; a knife having a knife edge, said knife being movable in a plane transverse to and adjacent said face in said vacuum chamber; a drive device for moving said knife, said drive device being selectively operable such that only said knife is movable across said insert, said insert being stationary relative to said base; said suction ring is adapted to be coupled to a vacuum source whereby application of vacuum to said vacuum chamber from said vacuum source raises the inner ocular pressure of said eye thereby causing the cornea of said eye to be urged into contact with said surface portion; and whereby actuation of said drive device after said eye is urged into contact with said surface portion causes said knife edge to engage and cut said cornea only under said surface portion.

Claim 23

A device in accordance with claim 20 wherein: said base comprises a portion for receiving said insert and retaining said insert in registered alignment with said base.

Claim 24

A surgical device in accordance with claim 21 wherein: said insert is transparent.

Claim 25

A surgical device in accordance with claim 22 wherein: said insert comprises alignment markings thereon for aligning said surgical device over an eye.

Claim 26

A surgical system for corrective surgical procedures on an eye, said system comprising: a vacuum source; a controller coupled to said vacuum source to control operation thereof; a surgical device, said surgical device comprising: a base, said base having a suction ring coupleable to said vacuum source and adapted to engage the sclera of an eye, such that said suction ring and said eye form a vacuum chamber; an insert, said insert being carried on said base, said insert having a face disposed toward said eye, said face having a surface portion shaped according to a predetermined correction, said surface portion being surrounded by a flat circumferential portion; a knife having a knife edge, said knife being movable in a plane transverse to said flat circumferential portion of said face and adjacent to said face such that said knife edge will cut only corneal tissue of said eye directly underneath said surface portion; a drive device coupled to said knife for moving said knife in said plane, said drive device being operable such that only said knife is movable across said insert, said insert being stationary relative to said base; and said controller being coupled to said drive device and adapted to selectively energize said drive device whereby said drive device operates to move said knife across said insert to cut corneal tissue.

Claim 27

A surgical system for corrective surgical procedures on an eye, said system comprising: a vacuum source; a controller coupled to said vacuum source to control operation thereof; a surgical device, said surgical device comprising: a base, said base having a suction ring coupleable to said vacuum source and adapted to engage the sclera of an eye, such that said suction ring and said eye form a vacuum chamber; an insert, said insert being carried on said base, said insert having a face disposed toward said eye, said face having a surface portion shaped according to a predetermined correction, said surface portion being surrounded by a flat circumferential portion; a knife having a knife edge, said knife being movable in a plane transverse to said flat circumferential portion of said face and adjacent to said face such that said knife edge will cut only corneal tissue of said eye directly underneath said surface portion; a drive device coupled to said knife for moving said knife in said plane, said drive device being operable such that only said knife is movable across said insert, said insert being stationary relative to said base; and said controller being coupled to said drive device and adapted to selectively energize said drive device whereby said drive device operates to move said knife across said insert to cut corneal tissue.

Claim 28

A system in accordance with claim 24 wherein: said controller is operable to energize said drive device such that said drive device advances said knife edge a predetermined distance across said insert.

Claim 29

A system in accordance with claim 24 wherein: said controller is adapted to control said vacuum source to maintain a predetermined vacuum level in said vacuum chamber.

Claim 30

An insert for use in a surgical device for altering the curvature of an eye, said surgical device comprising a base portion, said base portion comprising a suction ring and a portion adapted to receive said insert, said suction ring cooperating with the eye to form a vacuum chamber, said surgical device further comprising a drive device and a knife movable by said drive device in a plane immediately below and adjacent said insert, said insert comprising: a member having top and bottom faces, said bottom face having a surface portion shaped in accordance with a predetermined desired correction, said shaped surface portion being surrounded by a flat circumferential portion, said member including at least one portion adapted to engage a corresponding second portion on said base whereby said insert will be carried on said base in predetermined alignment with said base.

Claim 31

An insert for use in a surgical device for altering the curvature of an eye, said surgical device comprising a base portion, said base portion comprising a suction ring and a portion adapted to receive said insert, said suction ring cooperating with the eye to form a vacuum chamber, said surgical device further comprising a drive device and a knife movable by said drive device in a plane immediately below and adjacent said insert, said insert comprising: a member having top and bottom faces, said bottom face having a surface portion shaped in accordance with a predetermined desired correction, said shaped surface portion being surrounded by a flat circumferential portion, said member including at least one portion adapted to engage a corresponding second portion on said base whereby said insert will be carried on said base in predetermined alignment with said base.

Claim 32

An insert in accordance with claim 27 wherein: said insert is formed of transparent material.

Claim 33

An insert in accordance with claim 27 wherein: said transparent material is an acrylic plastic.

Claim 34

An insert in accordance with claim 27 wherein: said insert comprises a top surface portion said top surface portion having alignment markings thereon.

Claim 35

An insert in accordance with claim 27, comprising: a first portion adapted to engage said base to prevent rotational movement of said insert relative to said base.

Claim 36

An insert in accordance with claim 31 comprising: a second portion adapted to engage said base to prevent and movement of said insert relative to said base.

Claim 37

An insert in accordance with claim 27 wherein: said surface portion is shaped equivalent to a lenticular cut of said predetermined desired correction.

Claim 38

An insert in accordance with claim 27 wherein: said predetermined desired correction corrects for surface irregularities of the cornea.

Claim 39

An insert in accordance with claim 27 wherein: said predetermined desired correction is a prescriptive correction for astigmatism.

Claim 40

An insert in accordance with claim 27 wherein: said predetermined desired correction is a prescriptive correction for myopia.

Claim 41

An insert in accordance with claim 27 wherein: said predetermined desired correction is a prescriptive correction for hyperopia.

Claim 42

An insert for use in a surgical device for altering the curvature of an eye, said surgical device comprising a base portion, said base portion including a suction ring and a portion adapted to receive said insert, said suction ring cooperating with the eye to form a vacuum chamber, said surgical device further comprising a drive device and a knife movable by said drive device in a plane immediately below and adjacent said insert, said insert comprising: a generally cylindrical member having top and bottom faces, said bottom face having a surface portion shaped in accordance with a predetermined desired correction, said member comprising a shoulder adapted to engage a surface of said device, and a first registering portion adapted to engage a first corresponding registering portion carried by said device whereby said insert is carried on said device in a predetermined alignment.

Claim 43

An insert for use in a surgical device for altering the curvature of an eye, said surgical device comprising a base portion, said base portion including a suction ring and a portion adapted to receive said insert, said suction ring cooperating with the eye to form a vacuum chamber, said surgical device further comprising a drive device and a knife movable by said drive device in a plane immediately below and adjacent said insert, said insert comprising: a generally cylindrical member having top and bottom faces, said bottom face having a surface portion shaped in accordance with a predetermined desired correction, said member comprising a shoulder adapted to engage a surface of said device, and a first registering portion adapted to engage a first corresponding registering portion carried by said device whereby said insert is carried on said device in a predetermined alignment.

Claim 44

An insert in accordance with claim 38 wherein: said insert is formed of transparent material.

Claim 45

An insert in accordance with claim 38 wherein: said insert has a top surface portion, said top surface portion comprising alignment markings thereon.

Claim 46

An insert in accordance with claim 38, wherein: said at least one registering portion comprises a first portion adapted to engage said base to prevent rotational movement of said insert relative to said base.

Claim 47

An insert in accordance with claim 41 comprising: a second portion adapted to engage said base to prevent axial movement of said insert relative to said base.

Claim 48

An insert in accordance with claim 38 wherein: said surface portion is shaped to be the equivalent of a lenticular cut of said predetermined desired correction.

Claim 49

An insert in accordance with claim 38 wherein: said predetermined desired correction is a prescriptive correction for surface irregularities of said cornea.

Claim 50

An insert in accordance with claim 38 wherein: said predetermined desired correction is a prescriptive correction for astigmatism.

Claim 51

An insert in accordance with claim 38 wherein: said predetermined desired correction is a prescriptive correction for myopia.

Claim 52

An insert in accordance with claim 38 wherein: said predetermined desired correction is a prescriptive correction for hyperopia.

Claim 53

An insert in accordance with claim 38 comprising: a second registering portion adapted to engage a second corresponding registering portion carried on said device.

Claim 54

An insert in accordance with claim 38 wherein: said first registering portion comprises a recess and said first corresponding registering portion comprises a protruding member.