System and method for ophthalmic laser surgery employing eye tracking without eye docking

Abstract

A system and method for performing ophthalmic surgery using an ultra-short pulsed laser is provided. The system includes a laser engine configured to provide an ultra-short pulsed laser beam, optics configured to direct the laser beam to an undocked eye of a patient, an eye tracker configured to measure five degrees of freedom of movement of the undocked eye, an optical coherence tomography module configured to measure depth of the undocked eye, and a controller configured to control laser beam position on the undocked eye toward a desired laser pattern based on depth and the five degrees of freedom of movement of the undocked eye. Adaptive optics are also provided. Also disclosed are a scleral ring including fiducial markings and a compliant contact lens and fluid fillable contact lens configured to facilitate ultra-short pulsed laser surgery while reducing or eliminating eye docking requirements.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A surgical laser system for performing eye docking free laser surgery, comprising:
 a laser engine configured to provide an ultra-short pulsed laser beam;   optics configured to direct the laser beam to an undocked eye of a patient;   an eye tracker configured to measure five degrees of freedom of movement of the undocked eye of the patient;   an optical coherence tomography module configured to measure depth of the undocked eye of the patient; and   a controller configured to control laser beam position on the undocked eye of the patient toward a desired laser pattern based on depth of the undocked eye of the patient measured by the optical coherence tomography module and the five degrees of freedom of movement of the undocked eye of the patient measured by the eye tracker.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an adaptive optics device configured to compensate for wavefront error based on topography of the undocked eye measured by the optical coherence tomography module.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the laser engine is configured to deliver pulses in a range of 10 femtoseconds to 3000 picoseconds with a wavelength in a range of 400 nm to 3000 nm. 
     
     
         4 . A method for performing eye docking free laser surgery, comprising:
 providing an ultra-short pulsed laser beam;   directing the ultra-short pulsed laser beam to an undocked eye of a patient;   measuring five degrees of freedom of movement of the undocked eye of the patient using an eye tracker;   measuring depth of the undocked eye of the patient using an optical coherence tomography module; and   controlling a position of the ultra-short pulsed laser beam on the undocked eye of the patient toward a desired laser pattern based on depth of the undocked eye of the patient measured by the optical coherence tomography module and the five degrees of freedom of movement of the undocked eye of the patient measured by the eye tracker.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising compensating for wavefront error using adaptive optics based on topography of the undocked eye measured by the optical coherence tomography module. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the ultra-short pulsed laser beam comprises pulses provided at a pulsewidth in a range of 10 femtoseconds to 3000 picoseconds at a wavelength in a range of 400 nm to 3000 nm. 
     
     
         7 . An system comprising:
 a scleral ring configured to fit over a cornea of a patient, the scleral ring comprising an exterior circular ring formed with a circular opening therein;   
       wherein the scleral ring comprises at least one fiducial marking discernible from a distance by an eye tracking device. 
     
     
         8 . A surgical laser system configured to deliver an ultra-short pulsed laser beam to a patient's eye comprising:
 a lens configured to fit over an anterior surface of the patient's eye and substantially cover the cornea, the lens comprising a relatively flat anterior surface and a curved posterior surface;   wherein the lens is configured to receive an ultra-short pulsed laser beam and facilitate performance of ocular surgery by providing an index of refraction closer to that of ocular tissue than air.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the lens comprises at least one fiducial marking. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the lens comprises a support element provided at the base of the lens to support the lens on the eye of the patient. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the lens comprises at least one edge formed adjacent the anterior surface and forming a cavity, the at least one edge configured to enable docking of the lens to a patient interface. 
     
     
         12 . A surgical laser system configured to deliver an ultra-short pulsed laser beam to a patient's eye comprising:
 a lens configured to fit over an anterior surface of the patient's eye and substantially cover the cornea, the lens comprising a relatively flat anterior surface and a chamber configured to maintain fluid in association with the patient's eye;   
       wherein the lens is configured to deliver an ultra-short pulsed laser beam to the eye of the patient and facilitate performance of ocular surgery by providing an index of refraction closer to that of ocular tissue than air. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the lens is configured to receive fluid via a first fluid opening and disperse fluid via a second fluid opening, wherein reversing fluid flow from the chamber provides a level of suction maintaining the lens on the eye of the patient. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the lens comprises at least one fiducial marking. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the lens comprises a support element provided at the base of the lens to support the lens on the eye of the patient. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the lens comprises at least one edge formed adjacent the anterior surface and forming a cavity, the at least one edge configured to enable docking of the lens to a patient interface.