Method for laser cutting a corneal pocket

Abstract

A method for using a laser to create a pocket in a patient's cornea is provided. The pocket is created using a femtosecond or a nanosecond laser. The laser ablates tissue within the cornea in a specific shape. The shape of the pocket can be determined by software to custom program a three-dimensional path of the laser. A variety of corneal pocket configurations or computer programmed shapes can be used to accommodate various corneal lens shapes and sizes. An intracorneal lens can then be inserted into the pocket, in order to correct the patient's vision.

1 . A method for creating a corneal pocket and an entry channel for inserting and positioning an intracorneal lens in the corneal pocket, the method comprising:
 providing a low-energy femtosecond laser configured to create the corneal pocket and the entry channel;   positioning the laser proximate to a cornea such that it can be used to create the corneal pocket;   receiving an input for a generally curvilinear movement path and a first laser energy output in a range between approximately 0.2 microjoules and 1.5 microjoules for the laser to form the corneal pocket in the cornea and having a specific pocket shape and a thickness conforming to predefined surfaces of an intracorneal lens to be inserted into the corneal pocket;   focusing a laser beam from the laser to a predetermined depth in the range of about 220 microns to 350 microns within the cornea between an anterior surface and a posterior surface of the cornea such that the laser beam ablates corneal tissue at a focal point at the predetermined depth;   moving the laser beam in the generally curvilinear movement path in order to create the corneal pocket having the specific pocket shape and a thickness about the size of diameter of the laser beam focal point;   forming the entry channel into the corneal pocket with the laser beam, wherein the entry channel is at an obtuse angle from the corneal pocket toward an entry incision on the cornea.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising programming and operating the laser to have spot size in a range of about 0.2 to 4.0 microns. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing a laser with multiple laser beam spots. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  further comprising eliminating space between the laser beam spots. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising forming a relaxing incision in a region of the cornea outside of the corneal pocket and the entry channel in order to ease the insertion of the intracorneal lens into the corneal pocket. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the forming of the relaxing incision includes forming at least two generally arc shaped incisions that can reduce a preexisting astigmatism. 
     
     
         7 . A method for creating a corneal pocket and an entry channel for inserting and positioning an intracorneal lens in the corneal pocket, the method comprising:
 using a low-energy femtosecond laser configured to create the corneal pocket;   positioning the laser proximate to a cornea such that it can be used to create the corneal pocket;   determining a generally curvilinear movement path and an energy output in a range between approximately 0.2 microjoules and 1.5 microjoules for the laser in order to form the corneal pocket in the cornea having a specific shape and a thickness conforming to predefined surfaces of an intracorneal lens to be inserted into the corneal pocket;   configuring the laser to follow the generally curvilinear movement path using a positioning software;   focusing a laser beam from the laser to a focal point at a predetermined depth in a range of approximately 220 microns to 350 microns within the cornea between an anterior surface and a posterior surface of the cornea such that the laser beam cuts and separates corneal tissue;   operating the laser beam in the generally curvilinear movement path in order to create the corneal pocket having the specific shape and a thickness about the size of a diameter of the laser beam focal point; and   forming the entry channel into the corneal pocket with the laser beam, wherein the entry channel is at an obtuse angle from the corneal pocket toward and entry incision on the cornea.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the diameter of the laser beam focal point is the laser's spot size being in a range of about 0.2 to 4.0 microns. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising providing a laser with multiple laser beam spots. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising eliminating space between the laser beam spots. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising forming at least one arc shaped relaxing incision(s), using an energy output that is less than the determined energy output used to create the cornel pocket in a region of the cornea outside the corneal pocket and the entry channel 
     
     
         12 . A method for creating a corneal pocket and an entry channel for inserting and positioning an intracorneal lens in the corneal pocket using a low energy femtosecond laser, the method comprising:
 receiving inputs for programming a three-dimensional generally curvilinear movement path and an energy output in a range between approximately 0.2 microjoules and 1.5 microjoules for the low-energy femtosecond or a nanosecond laser configured to create the corneal pocket;   transmitting instructions for a three-dimensional generally curvilinear movement path for the laser in order to form the corneal pocket having a specific shape and thickness conforming to a predetermined intracorneal lens to be inserted;   focusing a laser beam from the laser to a focal point at a predetermined depth in a range of approximately 220 microns to 350 microns within the cornea between an anterior surface and posterior surface of the cornea such that the laser beam ablates corneal tissue at the predetermined depth using the energy output input received;   forming the entry channel into the corneal pocket with the laser beam.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising configuring the laser to have spot size in a range of about 0.2 to 4.0 microns. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising configuring the laser to emit multiple laser beam spots. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the space between the multiple laser beam spots can be eliminated before the insertion of the intracorneal lens. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising:
 forming a relaxing incision in a region of the cornea outside of the corneal pocket and the entry channel using an energy output that is less than the energy output input received to create the corneal pocket. 
 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the relaxing incision is formed in order to ease the insertion of the intracorneal lens into the corneal pocket. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the relaxing incision includes at least one arc shaped incision formed in order to correct a pre-existing astigmatism. 
     
     
         19 . A method for forming a corneal incision comprising:
 providing a low energy femtosecond laser configured to create a corneal incision;   positioning the laser proximate to the cornea such that it can be used to create a corneal incision;   determining a three-dimensional movement path for the laser in order to form the corneal incision having a specific shape wherein the movement path follows a generally curvilinear path which is determined by programming a controlling computer to create the specific shape;   moving the laser under control of the programmed computer to thereby cut and separate corneal tissue.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising focusing a laser beam from the laser to a focal point at a predetermined depth in a range of approximately 220 microns to 350 microns within the cornea between an anterior surface and posterior surface of the cornea such that the laser beam ablates corneal tissue at a focal point at the predetermined depth. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising programming and operating the laser to have spot size in a range of about 0.2 to 4.0 microns. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising providing a laser with multiple laser beam spots. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22  further comprising eliminating space between the laser beam spots.