초록 ▼

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for causing the optical center of the eye to align "HIGH point" of the anterior surface of the cornea. In accordance with one aspect of the invention relating to corneal ablation procedures, the HIGH point of the eye is used as the pole of a spherical surface whic

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for causing the optical center of the eye to align "HIGH point" of the anterior surface of the cornea. In accordance with one aspect of the invention relating to corneal ablation procedures, the HIGH point of the eye is used as the pole of a spherical surface which is fitted approximately to a portion of the anterior surface of the cornea within a "bounded region." For corneal ablation procedures, the "bounded region" comprises a generally inverted-cup shaped region of the anterior surface of the eye bounded at its periphery by a plane which is substantially perpendicular to a local z-axis. During the operation local high points which project above the spherical surface are ablated. According to another aspect of the invention relating to radial keratotomy procedures, a pair of incisions in the plane of a "great circle" are formed in the cornea to weaken and flatten it. As used herein, a "great circle" is formed by a plane containing the HIGH point and parallel to the local z-axis. The "bounded region" for radial keratotomy procedures is defined absolutely in terms of a circle projected onto the corneal surface which is centered about an axis passing through the HIGH point and parallel to the z-axis.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A method for diagnosing and analyzing the cornea of an eye, said method being performed with the aid of a computer system including a graphic display device, said method comprising the steps of:running a topological modeling computer program on said computer system;readin

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A method for diagnosing and analyzing the cornea of an eye, said method being performed with the aid of a computer system including a graphic display device, said method comprising the steps of:running a topological modeling computer program on said computer system;reading into said computer system data representing sampled points on a corneal topography map of the surface of the cornea of the eye, said map being of the type produced by a corneal topography scanning machine;utilizing said data in said computer program, to produce a surface model of at least a complete working area of said cornea which closely represents the surface of the cornea in three dimensions as a smooth, free-form surface such that any portion of the surface on said surface model can be manipulated in said computer system in the same manner as an actual surface; anddisplaying at least a portion of said surface model on said graphic display device.