External Device for Controlling a Laser During Laser Ablation Surgery on the Cornea and Associated Methods

Abstract

A system for controlling a device in ophthalmic refractive surgery includes a processor, a controller, a treatment laser, and a signal receiver. A remote device has a plurality of input elements. At least one input element when activated is configured to emit a discrete signal that is received by the signal receiver and is mapped to an action to be signaled by the controller. A software package is adapted to translate data from the signal receiver into a signal for directing at least the controller. A method for configuring a system for controlling a device in ophthalmic refractive surgery includes providing a remote device as above. A software package resident on a processor receives and translates signal data from the remote device into control data for a hardware element. The software package is also adapted to output a control signal correlated with the control data to the hardware element.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a schematic of an exemplary system of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side perspective view of an exemplary laser system head having a plurality of mounting locations for a remote control device.

FIG. 3 is a side perspective view of an exemplary surgeon chair having a mounting location for a remote control device.

FIG. 4 is a side perspective view of an exemplary display device having a docking station on a back side thereof.

FIG. 5 is a top/front perspective view of a footswitch embodiment of the invention.

Claims

1. A system for controlling a device in ophthalmic refractive surgery comprising: a processor;a controller in communication with the processor;a treatment laser in communication with the controller;a signal receiver in communication with the processor;a remote device in signal communication with the signal receiver having a plurality of input elements, each input element when activated configured to emit a discrete signal receivable by the signal receiver, at least one of the discrete signals mapped to an action to be signaled by the controller; anda software package resident on the processor adapted to translate data from the signal receiver into a signal for directing at least the controller.

2. The system recited in claim 1, further comprising a display device in communication with the processor, at least one of the discrete signals mapped to a control of the display device, and wherein the software package is further adapted to translate data from the at least one of the discrete signals into a control signal for the display device.

3. The system recited in claim 2, wherein the software package is adapted to direct the display device to display at least one of a patient list, a patient bed position, and an image of a patient cornea.

4. The system recited in claim 2, wherein the software package is adapted to direct the display device to display a patient list, and wherein at least one of the discrete signals is mapped to a selection of a patient, the software package further adapted to receive the patient selection and retrieve a predetermined ablation profile for the selected patient.

5. The system recited in claim 2, wherein the processor is further in communication with a camera positioned to image a patient eye, and the software package is adapted to automatically calculate and direct a display of an aligned image of a cornea of the patient eye.

6. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the controller is configured in controlling relation to a patient bed for changing a position thereof.

7. The system recited in claim 6, wherein the patient bed position is changeable between a treatment position and a corneal flap cutting position, the treatment position aligned with a treatment laser, the flap cutting position aligned with a tissue cutting laser.

8. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the mapping of at least one of the input elements is programmable by a user.

9. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the remote device is selected from a group consisting of a hand-held remote control device, a foot switch, and a joystick.

10. A method for configuring a system for controlling a device in ophthalmic refractive surgery comprising the steps of: providing a remote device having a plurality of input elements, each input element when activated configured to emit a discrete signal;electronically mapping each discrete signal to an action to be implemented by a hardware element in a refractive laser surgery system; andproviding a software package resident on a processor, the software package adapted to receive and translate signal data from the remote device into control data for the hardware element based upon the electronic mapping and to output a control signal correlated with the control data to the hardware element.

11. The method recited in claim 10, wherein at least one of the discrete signals is mapped to a control of a display device, and wherein the software package is further adapted to translate data from the at least one of the discrete signals into a control signal for the display device.

12. The method recited in claim 11, wherein the software package is adapted to direct the display device to display at least one of a patient list, a patient bed position, and an image of a patient cornea.

13. The method recited in claim 12, wherein the software package is adapted to direct the display device to display a patient list, and wherein at least one of the discrete signals is mapped to a selection of a patient, the software package further adapted to receive the patient selection and retrieve a predetermined ablation profile for the selected patient.

14. The method recited in claim 11, wherein the software package is adapted to receive an image of a patient eye from a camera and to automatically calculate and direct a display of an aligned image of a cornea of the patient eye.

15. The method recited in claim 10, wherein at least one of the discrete signals is mapped to a controller for altering a position of a patient bed.

16. The method recited in claim 15, wherein the patient bed position is changeable between a treatment position and a corneal flap cutting position, the treatment position aligned with a treatment laser, the flap cutting position aligned with a tissue cutting laser.

17. The method recited in claim 10, wherein the software package is further adapted to receive user input in order to configure the mapping of at least one of the input elements to a user-specified function.

18. The method recited in claim 10, wherein the remote device is selected from a group consisting of a hand-held remote control device, a foot switch, and a joystick.