Confocal laser eye surgery system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10123696-B2
Application number	US-201414576593-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 19, 2014
Priority date	Mar 26, 2014
Publication date	Nov 13, 2018
Grant date	Nov 13, 2018

Abstract

A laser surgery system includes a light source, an eye interface device, a scanning assembly, a confocal detection assembly and preferably a confocal bypass assembly. The light source generates an electromagnetic beam. The scanning assembly scans a focal point of the electromagnetic beam to different locations within the eye. An optical path propagates the electromagnetic beam from a light source to the focal point, and also propagates a portion of the electromagnetic beam reflected from the focal point location back along at least a portion of the optical path. The optical path includes an optical element associated with a confocal detection assembly that diverts a portion of the reflected electromagnetic radiation to a sensor. The sensor generates an intensity signal indicative of intensity the electromagnetic beam reflected from the focal point location. The confocal bypass assembly reversibly diverts the electromagnetic beam along a diversion optical path around the optical element.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A laser-based eye surgery system for treating and imaging an eye using different electromagnetic radiation beam paths, the system comprising:
a beam-splitter for separating electromagnetic radiation beams, configured to receive a first electromagnetic radiation beam, and to output a first portion of the first electromagnetic radiation beam which is less than 20% of the first electromagnetic radiation beam in a first direction and to output a second portion of the first electromagnetic radiation beam in a second direction which is different from the first direction, the beam-splitter further configured to receive a second electromagnetic radiation beam traveling in a third direction which is opposite the first direction, and to output a first portion of the second electromagnetic radiation beam which is greater than 80% of the second electromagnetic radiation beam to a fourth direction;
a laser delivery system configured and disposed to receive the first portion of the first electromagnetic radiation beam that has been output by the beam-splitter and to deliver it to a target in the eye, without receiving the second portion of the first electromagnetic radiation beam, and configured and disposed to receive a reflected electromagnetic radiation beam from the eye and to deliver it to the beam-splitter as the second electromagnetic radiation beam traveling in the third direction;
a moveable bypass assembly for directing electromagnetic radiation beams;
control electronics configured to control a movement of the moveable bypass assembly; and
a sensor for imaging the eye, disposed to receive the first portion of the second electromagnetic radiation beam that has been output by the beam-splitter to the fourth direction;
wherein the control electronics is configured to move the moveable bypass assembly when the laser-based eye surgery system is in a high power level treatment mode to a first position where the bypass assembly directs the first electromagnetic radiation beam to bypass the beam-splitter and to enter the laser delivery system from the bypass assembly at a treatment power level and further directs the second electromagnetic radiation beam to bypass the beam-splitter, and wherein the control electronics is further configured to move the moveable bypass assembly when the laser-based eye surgery system is in a low power level imaging mode to a second position where the bypass assembly is out of beam paths of the first and second electromagnetic radiation beams as they enter the beam-splitter such that the beam-splitter directs the first electromagnetic radiation beam to enter the laser delivery system at an imaging power level which is less than the treatment power level.

2. The laser-based eye surgery system of claim 1 , further comprising one or more wave plates to enable confocal imaging of the target in the eye.

3. The laser-based eye surgery system of claim 1 , further comprising one or more wave plate angles for imaging ocular structures of the target in the eye to compensate for birefringence effects in the imaged ocular structures.

4. The laser-based eye surgery system of claim 1 , wherein the moveable bypass assembly comprises a bypass prism.

5. The laser-based eye surgery system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a beam expander configured to increase a diameter of the electromagnetic radiation beam from the light source; and
an attenuator configured to provide the electromagnetic radiation beam from the beam expander to the beam-splitter in the low power imaging mode, and to provide the electromagnetic radiation beam from the beam expander to the moveable bypass assembly in the high power treatment mode.

6. An eye surgery system, comprising:
an eye interface device configured to interface with an eye of a patient;
a scanning assembly mechanically coupled to the eye interface device and operable to scan a focal point of an electromagnetic radiation beam to different locations within the eye;
a light source configured to generate the electromagnetic radiation beam;
an optical path configured to propagate the electromagnetic radiation beam from the light source to the focal point and also configured to propagate a portion of the electromagnetic radiation beam reflected from the focal point location back along the optical path, the optical path comprising a first optical element disposed in the propagation path from the light source to the focal point,
the first optical element being configured to receive a first electromagnetic radiation beam, and to output a first portion which is less than 20% of the first electromagnetic radiation beam in a first direction toward the focal point and output a second portion of the first electromagnetic radiation beam in a second direction which is different from the first direction, the first optical element further configured to receive a second electromagnetic radiation beam from the focal point traveling in a third direction which is opposite the first direction, and to output a first portion which is greater than 80% of the second electromagnetic radiation beam to a fourth direction;
a detection assembly configured to receive the first portion of the second electromagnetic radiation beam that has been output by the beam-splitter to the fourth direction, and in response to the received first portion of the second electromagnetic radiation beam to generate an intensity signal indicative of an intensity of the received first portion of the second electromagnetic radiation beam reflected from the focal point location; and
a bypass assembly configured to be reversibly inserted into the optical path to divert the first electromagnetic radiation beam along a diversion optical path around the first optical element, the bypass assembly being configured to be moved to a first position in the optical path wherein the bypass assembly directs the first electromagnetic radiation beam to bypass the first optical element and delivers the first electromagnetic radiation beam to the eye of the patient at a treatment power level, and wherein the bypass assembly is further configured to be moved to a second position out of the optical path where the bypass assembly is out of beam paths that pass through the first optical element such that the first optical element delivers the first electromagnetic radiation beam to the eye of the patient at an imaging power level which is less than the treatment power level.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the bypass assembly comprises a bypass prism.

8. The eye surgery system of claim 6 , wherein the first optical element comprises a beam-splitter.

9. The eye surgery system of claim 6 , further comprising:
a beam expander configured to increase a diameter of the electromagnetic radiation beam from the light source; and
an attenuator configured to provide the electromagnetic radiation beam from the beam expander to the bypass assembly when the bypass assembly is in the first position, and to provide the electromagnetic radiation beam from the beam expander to the first optical element when the bypass assembly is in the second position.

10. An eye surgery system, comprising:
system control electronics;
a laser light source configured to output an electromagnetic radiation beam;
a scanning assembly operable to scan a focal point of the electromagnetic radiation beam to different locations within an eye;
an optical path configured to propagate the electromagnetic radiation beam from the laser light source to the scanning assembly and also configured to propagate a portion of a return electromagnetic radiation beam, which is at least one of scattered or reflected from the focal point, back along the optical path, wherein th

Assignees

• Optimedica Corp

Inventors

• Schuele Georg
• Bareket Noah
• Dewey David
• Hart John S
• Gonzalez Javier G
• Woo Raymond
• Teisseyre Thomas Z
• Golda Jeffrey A
• Sheehy Katrina B
• O'Meara Madeleine C
• Woodley Bruce

Classifications

• A61F9/00754

  for cutting or perforating the anterior lens capsule, e.g. capsulotomes · CPC title

• A61B3/1025

  for confocal scanning · CPC title

• A61F2009/00844

  Feedback systems · CPC title

• A61F2009/00897

  Scanning mechanisms or algorithms · CPC title

• A61F2009/00878

  Planning · CPC title