Patent · US Expired

Laser beam ophthalmological surgery method and apparatus

US5480396A · kind A · utility

162Cited by
12References
18Claims
0Family size

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 9, 1994
Grant dateJan 2, 1996
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 9, 2014

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA61F2009/00897
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A laser beam ophthalmological surgery method includes the steps of generating a laser beam and splitting the generated laser beam into multiple laser beams which are simultaneously focused onto a plurality of scanners. Each scanner in turn produces a predetermined scanning pattern focused on the cornea of a patient's eye to ablate the cornea tissue and with at least two beams simultaneously scanning and ablating the cornea tissue. Scanning is controlled from a central processing unit to perform the surgical procedure, removing a laser thickness of the cornea tissue to provide a safer and more predictable surgical procedure in the reshaping of the cornea. A laser ophthalmological surgery apparatus is provided which includes a laser generating a laser beam, a beam splitter for splitting the laser beam into a plurality of laser beams, and a plurality of scanners, each positioned for receiving one of the laser beams from the beam splitter and producing a predetermined scanning pattern from the laser beam and impinging the scanning pattern upon the cornea of a patient's eye.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.