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EP-4740917-A2 - OPHTHALMOLOGICAL DEVICE FOR SURGICAL TREATMENT OF A CORNEA OF AN EYE AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR CONTROLLING A PROCESSOR OF THE OPHTHALMOLOGICAL DEVICE

EP4740917A2EP 4740917 A2EP4740917 A2EP 4740917A2EP-4740917-A2

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an ophthalmological device for surgical treatment of a cornea (202) of an eye (201), the ophthalmological device (100) comprising a laser source, a focusing optics, a scanner system and an electronic circuit. The electronic circuit is configured to control a first scanner device of the scanner system to move the focal spot (S) with a first scanning speed along a line, thereby forming a scan line (130), to control a second scanner device of the scanner system to move the scan line (130) with a second scanning speed along a predetermined processing path (160), which extends inside the cornea (202), for treating the cornea (202), and to control the ophthalmological device to vary at least one of: a geometrical parameter of the scan line (130) or a physical parameter of the scan line (130), along the predetermined processing path (160).

Inventors

  • RATHJEN, CHRISTIAN
  • STEINLECHNER, Michael

Assignees

  • Ziemer Ophthalmic Systems AG

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20241216

Claims (16)

  1. An ophthalmological device (100) for surgical treatment of a cornea (202) of an eye (201) of a patient (200), the ophthalmological device (100) comprising: a. a laser source (102) configured to generate a pulsed laser beam (T); b. a focusing optics (103) configured to make the pulsed laser beam (T) converge onto a focal spot (S) in the cornea (202); c. a scanner system (104) configured to deflect the pulsed laser beam (T) to target locations in the cornea (202); and d. an electronic circuit (105) configured to: i. control a first scanner device (104a) of the scanner system (104) to move the focal spot (S) with a first scanning speed along a line, thereby forming a scan line (130), ii. control a second scanner device (104b) of the scanner system (104) to move the scan line (130) with a second scanning speed, comparatively slower than the first scanning speed, along a predetermined processing path (160), which extends inside the cornea (202) from a peripheral portion of the cornea (202) towards a center of the cornea (202) or vice versa, for treating the cornea (202), in particular for cutting a pocket (170) inside the cornea (202), and iii. control the ophthalmological device (100) to vary at least one of: a geometrical parameter of the scan line (130) or a physical parameter of the scan line (130), along the predetermined processing path (160) through the cornea (202), and iv. control the scanner system (104) and / or the focusing optics (103) to vary a depth position of the focal spot (S) within the cornea (202) along the predetermined processing path (160), and/or v. control the ophthalmological device (100) to move the scan line (130) along the at least one processing path (160), which is arranged in the cornea (202) having a predetermined distance from the outer surface (209) of the cornea (202).
  2. The ophthalmological device (100) according to claim 1, wherein the geometrical parameters of the scan line (130) comprise at least one of: a length (132) of the scan line (130), an orientation angle (β) of the scan line (130) with respect to the predetermined processing path (160), a curvature (136) of the scan line (130), a position (138) of the scan line (130) with respect to the predetermined processing path (160) or a depth (140) of the focal spot (S) in the cornea (202).
  3. The ophthalmological device (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the physical parameters of the scan line (130) comprise at least one of: a pulse energy amount (142) per pulse of the pulsed laser beam (T) or pulse interval time between pulses of the pulsed laser beam (T).
  4. The ophthalmological device (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the electronic circuit (105) is configured to control the first scanner device (104a) or a specific geometrical parameter determining device (123) of the ophthalmological device (100) to vary at least one of the geometrical parameters of the scan line (130), in particular to vary the length (132) of the scan line (130) along the predetermined processing path (160) through the cornea (202).
  5. The ophthalmological device (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the electronic circuit (105) is further configured to control the second scanner device (104b) to move the scan line (130) along the predetermined processing path (160), which extends from a first peripheral point of the cornea (220) towards a diametrically opposed arranged second peripheral point of the cornea (222) thereby crossing the center, in particular the center point or center area (210), of the cornea (210).
  6. The ophthalmological device (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the electronic circuit (105) is further configured to control the ophthalmological device (100) to vary the geometrical parameter of the scan line (130), in particular the length (132) of the scan line and / or the scan line orientation angle (β), along the predetermined processing path (160) such that the length (132) of the scan line (130) shortens, preferably continuously shortens, in the direction towards the center of the cornea (202), and / or extends, preferably continuously extends, in the direction away from the center of the cornea (202), thereby forming at least partially a triangular shaped or a trapezoidal shaped pocket (170).
  7. The ophthalmological device (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the electronic circuit (105) is further configured to control the scanner system (104) such that the scan line orientation angle (β) with respect to the predetermined processing path (160) is kept constant during movement of the scan line (130) along the predetermined processing path (160), in particular the scan line orientation angle (β) remains at 90° with respect to the predetermined processing path (160).
  8. The ophthalmological device (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the electronic circuit (105) is further configured to control the scanner system (104) to move the scan line (130) along a plurality of predetermined processing paths (160), which are arranged at least partially next to each other, thereby forming a plurality of resulting pockets (170) in the cornea (202).
  9. The ophthalmological device (100) according to claim 8, wherein the electronic circuit (105) is further configured to control the ophthalmological device (100), in particular the second scanner device (104b), to move the scan line (130) along the plurality of predetermined processing paths (160) having varying lengths (160), and / or having a different orientation with respect to the eye (201) such that the plurality of resulting pockets (170) have different geometrical extensions.
  10. The ophthalmological device (100) according to one of the claims 8 or 9, wherein the electronic circuit (105) is further configured to control the ophthalmological device (100), in particular the second scanner device (104b), to move the scan line (130) along the plurality of predetermined processing paths (160), which are arranged such that the plurality of resulting pockets (170) are at least partially connected with each other, and / or wherein the electronic circuit (105) is further configured to control the ophthalmological device (100) to vary one of the geometrical parameters of the scan line (130) such that the plurality of resulting pockets (170) are at least partially connected with each other, thereby forming a connected pocket (171).
  11. The ophthalmological device (100) according to claim 10, wherein the electronic circuit (105) is further configured to control the ophthalmological device (100), in particular the second scanner device (104b), to move the scan line (130) along the plurality of predetermined processing paths (160), which are arranged around the center of the cornea (202), such that the connected pocket (171) has at least partially a circular shape.
  12. The ophthalmological device (100) according to one of the claims 10 or 11, wherein the electronic circuit (105) is further configured to control the ophthalmological device (100) to move the scan line (130) along the plurality of predetermined processing paths (160), which are arranged around the center of the cornea (202) and wherein the processing paths (160) end prior of reaching the center area of the cornea (210) such that the resulting connected pocket (171) has at least partially a circular ring shape.
  13. The ophthalmological device (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the electronic circuit (105) is further configured to control the ophthalmological device (100) to move the scan line (130) along the at least one processing path (160), which is arranged in the cornea (202) having a predetermined constant, distance from the outer surface (209) of the cornea (202), thereby following the outer contour of the cornea (202) towards the center of the cornea (202).
  14. The ophthalmological device (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the ophthalmological device (100) further comprises a patient interface (120), the patient interface (120) comprising a contact body (121) and one or more suction elements configured to fix the contact body to the cornea (202) for contacting the cornea (202) in a contacting zone where the contact body is in contact, preferably in applanating contact, with the outer surface (209) of the cornea (202), and wherein the electronic circuit (105) is further configured to control the scanner system (104) to move the scan line (130) along the predetermined processing path (160) at least partially inside the contact zone.
  15. The ophthalmological device (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the electronic circuit (105) is further configured to control the scanner system (104) to move the scan line (130) along at least one predetermined access path (160), which extends from the outer surface (209) of the cornea (202) into the cornea (202) thereby connecting the surrounding with the at least one pocket (170) enabling access to the pocket (170).
  16. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer program code for controlling a processor (106) of an ophthalmological device (100), which comprises a laser source (102) configured to generate a pulsed laser beam (T), a focusing optics (103) configured to make the pulsed laser beam (T) converge onto a focal spot (S) in the cornea (202), a scanner system (104) configured to deflect the pulsed laser beam (T) to target locations in the cornea (202), whereby the computer program code is configured to control the processor (106) such that the processor (106): directs a fist scanner device (104a) of the scanner system (104) to move the focal spot (S) with a first scanning speed to target locations along a line, thereby forming a scan line (130), and directs a second scanner device (104b) of the scanner system (104) to move the scan line (130) with a second scanning speed, comparatively slower than the first scanning speed, along a predetermined processing path (160), which extends inside the cornea (202) from a peripheral portion of the cornea (202) towards a center of the cornea (202) or vice versa, for treating the cornea (202), in particular for cutting a pocket (170) inside the cornea (202), and and directs the ophthalmological device (100) to vary at least one of: a geometrical parameter of the scan line (130) or a physical parameter of the scan line (130), along the predetermined processing path (160) through the cornea (202).

Description

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSRE The present disclosure relates to an ophthalmological device for surgical treatment of a cornea of an eye of a patient and to a computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer program code for controlling a processor of the ophthalmological device for surgical treatment of the cornea of the eye of the patient. The present disclosure relates in particular to an ophthalmological device comprising a laser source, focusing optics, a scanner system and an electronic circuit, which is configured to control the ophthalmological device. BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE For the purposes of working on eye tissue by means of a laser beam, a work region is scanned by laser pulses by virtue of the pulsed laser beam being deflected in one or more scan directions by means of suitable scanner systems and converged onto a focal spot by a focusing optical module. In general, movable mirrors and / or moveable lens systems are conventionally used to deflect the light beams and/or the laser pulses, for example femtosecond laser pulses, said movable mirrors being pivotable about one or two scan axes, for example by way of galvano scanners, piezo scanners, polygon scanners, or resonance scanners. Further scan components, such as divergence modulators or z-modulators, are known for positioning and moving the focal spot in the eye tissue with respect to further scan axes. US patent US 7,621,637 B2 describes exemplarily an apparatus for working on eye tissue, said apparatus having a base station with a laser source for producing laser pulses and a scanner, arranged in the base station, with movable deflection mirrors for deflecting the laser pulses in a scan direction. The deflected laser pulses are transferred via an optical relay system from the base station to an application head, the latter passing over a work region according to a scan pattern by means of a mechanically moved projection optical unit. According to US 7,621,637, in the application head, the deflection in the scan direction, which is much faster in comparison with the mechanical movement, is overlaid onto the mechanical movement of the projection optical unit and consequently onto the scan pattern thereof. A fast scanner system in the base station facilitates a fine movement of the laser pulses (micro-scan), which is overlaid on the scan pattern of the (mechanically) movable projection optical unit that covers a large work region, for example the entire eye. For processing or creating a pocket in the eye tissue, ophthalmological devices are known, such as scalpels devices or laser systems. The conventional available scanner systems enable to create a pocket within the cornea e.g. for removing a lenticule or for inserting a lens or for inserting cornea material. Further, a pocket within the cornea might be used for inserting pigment material, which might amend the visual appearance of an iris color of the eye. The known cutting patterns are not well suited for forming pockets as the known cutting patterns lack the desired precision and individuality required for up to date applications. In addition, the cornea of an eye may already comprise pigment material, which has been inserted in the cornea by surgery. It is in particular challenging to create a pocket within the cornea for removing such pigment material if required or if desired. Using conventional ophthalmological devices for the above-mentioned procedures might result in dangerous and harmful consequences for a patient's eye. SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE It is an object of the present disclosure to provide an ophthalmological device for surgical treatment of a cornea of an eye of a patient, which addresses at least some of the disadvantages of the known ophthalmological devices. In particular, it is an object of the present disclosure to provide an alternative and / or an improved ophthalmological device, which is in particular configured for cutting or forming at least one pocket inside the cornea of the eye of the patient. According to the present disclosure, these objects are addressed by the features of the independent claims. Moreover, further advantageous embodiments emerge from the dependent claims and the description. An ophthalmological device for surgical treatment of a cornea of an eye of a patient is specified. The ophthalmological device comprises preferably a laser source, focusing optics, a scanner system and an electronic circuit. The laser source is in particular configured to generate a pulsed laser beam. The focusing optics is configured to make the pulsed laser beam converge onto a focal spot in the cornea of the eye of the patient and the scanner system is preferably configured to deflect the pulsed laser beam to target locations in the cornea. The scanner system may comprise only one scanner assembly arranged in one housing, which provides the required functionalities. In another embodiment, the scanner system