System and methods for depth detection in laser-assisted ophthalmic procedures

Abstract

Embodiments of this invention relate to systems and methods for automatic depth (or Z) detection before, during, or after laser-assisted ophthalmic surgery. When performing ophthalmic laser surgery, the operator (or surgeon) needs to make accurate and precise incisions using the laser beam. With the automatic depth detection systems and methods, the same laser used for the surgical procedure may be used for depth measurement of the surgical incisions. The surgical laser system may include a laser delivery system for delivering a pulsed laser beam to photoalter an eye, a mirror to transmit at least a portion of reflected light of the pulsed laser beam, a lens positioned to focus the transmitted reflected lighted on to a detector, (such as a CCD), and a depth encoder configured to automatically detect depth according to one or more of color, intensity, or shape of the focused spot on the CCD.

1 . An ophthalmic surgical laser system comprising:
 a laser delivery system for delivering a pulsed laser beam to a target in a subject's eye;   a mirror positioned to transmit at least a portion of collected plasma light of the pulsed laser beam;   a lens positioned to focus the transmitted collected light onto a detector; and   a Z-position encoder operatively coupled to the detector to determine a depth of the target in the subject's eye.   
     
     
         2 - 5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the lens is an L2 lens. 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the target is at least one of an aqueous humor, a lens capsule, and a lens of the subject's eye. 
     
     
         9 - 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the target is at least one of an aqueous humor, a lens capsule, and a lens of the subject's eye. 
     
     
         12 . A system for measuring a treatment depth of a target laser beam applied to an eye comprising:
 a laser delivery system for delivering a pulsed laser beam to a subject's eye;   a mirror positioned to transmit at least a portion of collected plasma light from the pulsed laser beam;   a lens positioned to focus the transmitted collected plasma light onto a detector; and   a Z-position encoder operatively coupled to the detector to determine the treatment depth of the pulsed laser beam.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the detector is a CCD. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the detector is a photodiode. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the detector is a quadrant detector. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the mirror has a 10% or less transmission rate. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the lens is an L2 lens. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the collected light focused on the detector includes color, shape, and intensity. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the focused collected light indicates whether the depth has reached at least one of an aqueous humor, a lens capsule, and a lens of the subject's eye.