초록 ▼

A high speed, high resolution, programmable laser beam modulating apparatus includes a computer connected to a high resolution micromirror array having individually addressable and movable mirrors. The computer is also connected to a pulsed laser for controlling the emission thereof. A beam homogeni

A high speed, high resolution, programmable laser beam modulating apparatus includes a computer connected to a high resolution micromirror array having individually addressable and movable mirrors. The computer is also connected to a pulsed laser for controlling the emission thereof. A beam homogenizing optic changes an ablating input beam from the laser into a homogeneous beam having a uniform cross-sectional energy density. The mirrors are movable between an “on”position for reflecting a portion of the homogeneous beam onto a cornea, and an “off”position for reflecting the beam away from the cornea. The computer is programmed to move the mirrors to the “on”position in a series of predetermined patterns, and the remaining mirrors to the “off”position, and to fire the laser during the presence of each pattern, so that corresponding patterns of tissue on the cornea are successively ablated therefrom. The ablated patterns are overlaid on each other, so that they combine to produce a contour change in the cornea and correct a refractive error thereof.

대표청구항 ▼

A surgical apparatus for receiving, modulating, and redirecting an ablating laser beam onto a target for ablating a surface thereof, comprising: a micromirror array positioned in said ablating laser beam for reflecting selected portions thereof onto said target, said micromirror array comprising a p

A surgical apparatus for receiving, modulating, and redirecting an ablating laser beam onto a target for ablating a surface thereof, comprising: a micromirror array positioned in said ablating laser beam for reflecting selected portions thereof onto said target, said micromirror array comprising a plurality of independently addressable and movable mirrors, each of said mirrors being movable between an ON position for reflecting an incident portion of said ablating laser beam onto said target, and an OFF position for reflecting said incident portion of said ablating laser beam away from said target; and means for moving a predetermined pattern of said mirrors to said ON position and the remaining mirrors to said OFF position, so as to partly reflect said ablating laser beam onto said target and ablate a corresponding pattern of material from said surface thereof.