Claims
- 1. A method of performing a laser refractive surgical procedure, comprising the steps of:
a) applying a first pharmaceutical agent to an eye, the first pharmaceutical agent suitable for reducing an adhesion of an epithelium to a Basement Membrane; b) raising an intraocular pressure of the eye having a cornea to around 80 mm Hg or higher; c) contacting the cornea with a blade; d) advancing the blade across the cornea so that the blade penetrates the epithelium so as to expose but not penetrate the Bowman's Membrane of the cornea; e) irradiating the Bowman's Membrane and underlying stromal tissue with ablative laser radiation to effect a refractive change in the cornea; and f) applying a second pharmaceutical agent to the eye, the second pharmaceutical agent suitable for invigorating the health and viability of the epithelium.
- 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the blade contains a blunt tip.
- 3. The method of claim 2 wherein the blade has a flat section and a rounded section and the blunt tip separates the flat section from the rounded section.
- 4. The method of claim 1 wherein the blade is oscillated at an oscillation frequency of approximately between 5,000 revolutions/minute and approximately 20,000 revolutions/minute.
- 5. The method of claim 4 wherein the oscillation frequency is approximately between 8,000 revolutions/minute and 14,000 revolutions/minute.
- 6. The method of claim 1 wherein the blade is advanced across the cornea at a speed of approximately between 1.0 millimeter/second and 2.0 millimeters/second.
- 7. The method of claim 6 wherein the blade is advanced across the cornea at a speed of approximately 1.5 millimeters/second.
- 8. A method of performing a laser refractive surgical procedure, comprising the steps of:
a) applying a first pharmaceutical agent to an eye, the first pharmaceutical agent suitable for reducing an adhesion of an epithelium to a Basement Membrane; b) raising an intraocular pressure of a eye having a cornea to around 80 mm Hg or higher; c) contacting the with a blade, the blade oscillated at an oscillation frequency of approximately between 5,000 revolutions/minute and 20,000 revolutions/minute, the intraocular pressure of the eye being raised to 80 mm Hg or higher; d) advancing the blade across the cornea at a speed of approximately between 1.0 millimeter/second and 2.0 millimeters/second so that the blade penetrates the epithelium so as to expose but not penetrate a Bowman's Membrane of the cornea; e) irradiating the Bowman's Membrane and underlying stromal tissue with ablative laser radiation to effect a refractive change in the cornea; and f) applying a second pharmaceutical agent to the eye, the second pharmaceutical agent suitable for invigorating the health and viability of the epithelium.
- 9. The method of claim 8 wherein the blade contains a blunt tip.
- 10. The method of claim 9 wherein the blade has a flat section and a rounded section and the blunt tip separates the flat section from the rounded section.
- 11. The method of claim 8 wherein the oscillation frequency is approximately between 8,000 revolutions/minute and 14,000 revolutions/minute.
- 12. The method of claim 8 wherein the blade is advanced across the cornea at a speed of approximately 1.5 millimeters/second.
- 13. A method of performing a laser refractive surgical procedure, comprising the steps of:
a) measuring an eye, such measurements including one of more of a wavefront analysis, a manifest refraction, a cycloplegic refraction, an anterior and posterior corneal surface shape, a location of the anterior and posterior surfaces of the natural lens, an axial length and a curvature of the retinal pole b) applying a first pharmaceutical agent to an eye, the first pharmaceutical agent suitable for reducing an adhesion of an epithelium to a Basement Membrane; c) raising an intraocular pressure of the eye having a cornea to around 80 mm Hg or higher; d) contacting the cornea with a blade; e) advancing the blade across the cornea so that the blade penetrates the epithelium so as to expose but not penetrate the Bowman's Membrane of the cornea; f) irradiating the Bowman's Membrane and underlying stromal tissue with ablative laser radiation to effect a refractive change in the cornea; and g) applying a second pharmaceutical agent to the eye, the second pharmaceutical agent suitable for invigorating the health and viability of the epithelium.
- 14. The method of claim 13 wherein the blade contains a blunt tip.
- 15. The method of claim 14 wherein the blade has a flat section and a rounded section and the blunt tip separates the flat section from the rounded section.
- 16. The method of claim 13 wherein the blade is oscillated at an oscillation frequency of approximately between 5,000 revolutions/minute and approximately 20,000 revolutions/minute.
- 17. The method of claim 16 wherein the oscillation frequency is approximately between 8,000 revolutions/minute and 14,000 revolutions/minute.
- 18. The method of claim 13 wherein the blade is advanced across the cornea at a speed of approximately between 1.0 millimeter/second and 2.0 millimeters/second.
- 19. The method of claim 18 wherein the blade is advanced across the cornea at a speed of approximately 1.5 millimeters/second.
- 20. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of placing a contact lens on the eye to assist in the retention of the second pharmaceutical agent.
- 21. The method of claim 20 wherein the contact lens is designed using the measurements taken of the eye.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/235,302, filed Sep. 5, 2002, currently co-pending, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/114,834, filed Apr. 3, 2002, currently co-pending.
Continuation in Parts (2)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
10235302 |
Sep 2002 |
US |
Child |
10454845 |
Jun 2003 |
US |
Parent |
10114834 |
Apr 2002 |
US |
Child |
10235302 |
Sep 2002 |
US |