Bi-radial patient interface

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024350317-A1
Application number	US-202418756268-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 27, 2024
Priority date	Feb 1, 2013
Publication date	Oct 24, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

To improve the precision of ophthalmic surgical procedures by reducing corneal wrinkling, a patient interface for an ophthalmic system can include an attachment portion, configured to attach the patient interface to a distal end of the ophthalmic system; a contact portion, configured to dock the patient interface to an eye; and a contact element, coupled to the contact portion, configured to contact a surface of a cornea of the eye as part of the docking of the patient interface to the eye, and having a central portion with a central radius of curvature Rc and a peripheral portion with a peripheral radius of curvature Rp, wherein Rc is smaller than Rp.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 .- 28 . (canceled)

29 . A contact element of a patient interface for an ophthalmic system with a distal surface and a proximate surface opposite the distal surface, the proximate surface for interfacing with an eye, the contact element comprising:
a transparent central portion with a central radius of curvature on the proximate surface; a transparent peripheral portion with a peripheral radius of curvature on the proximate surface, the central radius of curvature on the proximate surface smaller than the peripheral radius of curvature on the proximate surface; and an edge structure where the transparent central portion and the transparent peripheral portion meet; wherein the distal surface of the contact element includes a curvature across at least part of the transparent central portion and the transparent peripheral portion with a third radius of curvature that is larger than that of the transparent central portion.

30 . The contact element of claim 29 , wherein the contact element is most narrow at an apex of the transparent central portion.

31 . The contact element of claim 29 , wherein the contact element is made of a hydrogel.

32 . The contact element of claim 31 , wherein the edge structure is a region of the contact element and the hydrogel spans at least across the transparent peripheral portion, the edge structure, and the transparent central portion.

33 . The contact element of claim 31 , wherein the hydrogel includes a blend of fluorosilicone and hydrophilic monomers.

34 . The contact element of claim 31 , wherein the hydrogel includes between 50-70% water content.

35 . The contact element of claim 31 , wherein the hydrogel includes above 70% water content.

36 . The contact element of claim 29 , further comprising a stepped-feature at a peripheral edge of the contact element.

37 . The contact element of claim 36 , wherein the stepped-feature is shaped to interface with a suction ring.

38 . A method of docking a patient interface to an eye, comprising:
obtaining a contact element coupled to a contact portion of a patient interface, the contact element comprising a transparent central portion with a central radius of curvature on an eye-facing surface, a transparent peripheral portion with a peripheral radius of curvature on the eye-facing surface, the central radius of curvature on the eye-facing surface smaller than the peripheral radius of curvature on the eye-facing surface, the contact element further comprising an edge structure where the transparent central portion and the transparent peripheral portion meet; and docking the patient interface to the eye.

39 . The method of claim 38 , wherein obtaining the contact element coupled to the contact portion comprises coupling the contact element to the contact portion of the patient interface.

40 . The method of claim 38 , wherein docking the patient interface to the eye comprises:
coupling the patient interface to a surgical laser system, the patient interface including the contact element; causing the contact element to contact the eye; and invoking a suction port of a contact portion of the patient interface to immobilize the eye relative to the surgical laser system.

41 . The method of claim 40 , wherein coupling the patient interface to the surgical laser system comprises:
attaching a proximal end of the patient interface to a distal end of an objective of the surgical laser system, the contact element disposed on a distal end of the patient interface; and aligning the objective with the eye using a gantry.

42 . The method of claim 38 , wherein docking the patient interface to the eye comprises causing the contact element to contact the eye and invoking a suction port of a contact portion to fix the contact element against the eye prior to coupling a surgical laser system to the contact portion, the contact portion including the contact element, a suction ring, and the suction port.

43 . A surgical system comprising:
a patient interface configured to be coupled to a surgical laser system, the patient interface comprising:
an attachment portion for interfacing with the surgical laser system; and
a contact portion for interfacing with an eye, the contact portion including a contact element that comprises:
a transparent central portion with a central radius of curvature on an eye-facing surface;
a transparent peripheral portion with a peripheral radius of curvature on the eye-facing surface, the central radius of curvature on the eye-facing surface smaller than the peripheral radius of curvature on the eye-facing surface; and
an edge structure where the transparent central portion and the transparent peripheral portion meet;

wherein a patient interface-facing surface of the contact element opposite the eye-facing surface includes a curvature across at least part of the transparent central portion and the transparent peripheral portion with a third radius of curvature that is larger than that of the transparent central portion.

44 . The surgical system of claim 43 , further comprising the surgical laser system, the surgical laser system including a laser beam-generating device and one or more optical elements to guide the laser beam to the patient interface.

45 . The surgical system of claim 43 , further comprising a depth-imaging system configured to provide depth information of the eye.

46 . The surgical system of claim 45 , the depth-imaging system comprising at least one of an optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging system, a Scheimpflug imaging system, or a slit-lamp system.

47 . The surgical system of claim 43 , further comprising a video-imaging system configured to display a front video image of the eye.

48 . The surgical system of claim 43 , further comprising a fixation light source positioned to project a fixation light beam through the patient interface.

Assignees

• Alcon Inc

Inventors

• Goldshleger Ilya
• Dong Jeremy
• Juhasz Tibor
• Lummis Wesley William
• Raksi Ferenc

Classifications

• A61F2009/00851

  Optical coherence topography [OCT] · CPC title

• A61B3/103

  for determining refraction, e.g. refractometers, skiascopes · CPC title

• A61B3/107

  for determining the shape or measuring the curvature of the cornea · CPC title

• A61B3/1173

  for examining the eye lens · CPC title

• A61B3/14

  Arrangements specially adapted for eye photography · CPC title