Laser modification of intraocular lens

Abstract

A system of modifying an intraocular device located within an eye, wherein the system includes a laser assembly and a controller coupled to the laser assembly. The laser assembly outputs a pulsed laser beam having a pulse width between about 300 picoseconds and about 10 femtoseconds, and the controller directs the laser assembly to output the pulsed laser beam into the intraocular device. One or more slip zones are formed within the intraocular device in response thereto, and the slip zones are configured to modify a refractive profile of the intraocular device. A method of modifying a refractive profile of an eye having an intraocular device implanted therein, wherein the method includes determining a corrected refractive profile for the eye based on an initial refractive profile, identifying one or more locations within the intraocular device based on the corrected refractive profile, and directing a pulsed laser beam at the locations to produce the corrected refractive profile.

1 . A system for modifying an intraocular device located within an eye, the intraocular device having a refractive property, the system comprising:
 a laser assembly configured to output a pulsed laser beam having a pulse width between about 300 picoseconds and about 10 femtoseconds; and   a controller coupled to the laser assembly, the controller configured to direct the laser assembly to output the pulsed laser beam into the intraocular device, the pulsed laser beam forming one or more slip zones within the intraocular device, the one or more slip zones configured to alter the refractive property of the intraocular device.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more slip zones comprise one or more voids. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the one or more slip zones comprises a first portion and a second portion adjacent to the first portion, and wherein the first portion is displaceable with respect to the second portion. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the intraocular device is re-oriented within the eye in response to the one or more slip zones by at least one of the group consisting of a horizontal displacement, a vertical displacement, a rotation, a tilt, a displacement towards a cornea of the eye, and a displacement toward a retina of the eye. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the intraocular device comprises an optic, and wherein the one or more slip zones are within the optic. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the intraocular device comprises a support structure, and wherein the one or more slip zones are within the support structure. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the pulsed laser beam has a pulse energy less than or equal to about 800 nanojoules/pulse. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the pulsed laser beam has a pulse width between about 300 picoseconds and about 10 femtoseconds. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the pulsed laser beam has a wavelength between about 400 nm to about 3000 nm. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the intraocular device comprises an optical element and a support element, the support element coupled to the optical element and comprising at least one haptic; wherein the controller is further configured to direct the laser assembly to output the pulsed laser beam into the at least one haptic. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein each of the at least one haptic comprises a hinge coupling the at least one haptic to the optical element; and wherein the controller is further configured to direct the laser assembly to output the pulsed laser beam into the hinge of the at least one haptic. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the eye has a capsular bag for containing a natural lens, wherein the intraocular lens is located within the capsular bag, and wherein the controller is further configured to direct the laser assembly to output the pulsed laser beam into the capsular bag to the intraocular device. 
     
     
         13 . A method of modifying a refractive profile of an eye, the eye having an intraocular device implanted therein and having an initial refractive profile, the method comprising the steps of:
 determining a corrected refractive profile for the eye based on the initial refractive profile;   identifying one or more locations within the intraocular device based on the corrected refractive profile; and   directing a pulsed laser beam at the one or more locations to produce the corrected refractive profile.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the intraocular device has an initial position within the eye, and wherein the directing step comprises directing the pulsed laser beam at the one or more locations to re-orient the intraocular device from the initial position to a corrected position within the eye, the corrected position corresponding with the corrected refractive profile. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the intraocular device is re-oriented in response to the directed pulsed laser beam by at least one of the group consisting of a horizontal displacement, a vertical displacement, a rotation, a tilt, a displacement towards a cornea of the eye, and a displacement toward a retina of the eye. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the intraocular device has an initial position within the eye and a thermal threshold, and wherein the directing step comprises heating the one or more locations above the thermal threshold via the pulsed laser beam, the intraocular device re-orienting from the initial position to a corrected position within the eye based on the heating, the corrected position corresponding with the corrected refractive profile. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the intraocular device has an initial position within the eye and a viscoelasticity, and wherein the directing step comprises modifying the viscoelasticity via the pulsed laser beam, the intraocular device re-orienting from the initial position to a corrected position within the eye based on the modifying, the corrected position corresponding with the corrected refractive profile. 
     
     
         18 . A method of modifying a refractive profile associated with an eye, the eye having an intraocular device located within the eye, the method comprising the steps of:
 determining a corrected profile based on the refractive profile of the eye;   identifying one or more locations within the intraocular device based on the corrected profile; and   directing a femtosecond laser beam into the intraocular device at the one or more locations to form one or more slip zones within the intraocular device, the one or more slip zones configured to alter the refractive profile of the eye.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the intraocular device comprises a support element positioning the intraocular device in a first position within the eye, wherein the intraocular device is displaceable from the first position within the eye to a second position within the eye based on the one or more slip zones, the second position at least partially implementing the corrected profile. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the step of directing comprises directing a pulsed laser beam having a pre-determined pulse energy into the intraocular device, the pulse energy being less than or equal to about 800 nanojoules/pulse. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the step of directing comprises directing a pulsed laser beam having a pre-determined pulse width into the intraocular device, the pulse width being between about 300 picoseconds and about 10 femtoseconds. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the step of directing comprises directing a pulsed laser beam having a pre-determined wavelength into the intraocular device, the wavelength being between about 400 nm to about 3000 nm. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the intraocular device comprises an optical element; wherein the step of directing comprises directing the femtosecond laser beam into the optical element to form the one or more slip zones within the optical element. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the eye has a capsular bag for containing a natural lens, wherein the intraocular lens is located within the capsular bag, and wherein the step of directing comprises directing the femtosecond laser beam through the capsular bag into the intraocular lens. 
     
     
         25 . A system for modifying an intraocular device having a surface region and one or more subsurface regions, the surface region having a mechanical property, the system comprising:
 a laser assembly configured to output a pulsed laser beam; and   a processing unit coupled to the laser assembly, the processing unit configured to control the laser assembly to direct the pulsed laser beam at the one or more subsurface regions, the one or more subsurface regions being structurally altered in response to the pulsed laser beam while maintaining the mechanical property of the surface region.   
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein each of the one or more regions comprises a first portion and a second portion adjacent to the first portion, and wherein the first portion is translationally displaceable with respect to the second portion in response to the pulsed laser beam 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the intraocular device has an accommodative capability associated therewith, and wherein the accommodative capability is increased based on the structural alteration of the one or more regions. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the intraocular device comprises at least one haptic, the at least one haptic comprising a partially polymerized photosensitive polymeric material in the one or more regions, and wherein the polymeric material polymerizes in response to the pulsed laser beam. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the intraocular device is implanted within a capsular bag of an eye, the capsular bag having an anterior portion, and wherein the intraocular lens is displaced against the anterior portion of the capsular bag in response to the structural alteration of the one or more subsurface regions. 
     
     
         30 . A method of modifying a refractive profile associated with an eye via an intraocular device, the intraocular device comprising an optic and a support element, the method comprising the steps of:
 implanting the optic within the eye;   implanting the support element within the eye; and   directing a pulsed laser beam into both of the support element and the optic to fuse the support element to the optic, the intraocular device within the eye configured to modify the refractive profile.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the support element is partially coupled to the optic.