| United States Patent | 5,807,379 |
| L'Esperance, Jr. | Sept. 15, 1998 |
Abstract
The invention contemplates a method for making a disposable element adapted for selective placement in the path of laser beam delivery to the cornea. The element carries a membrane of uniform thickness which is opaque to the laser-beam and which is subject to ablation when exposed to the laser beam. The central area of the uniform thickness membrane is then selectively exposed to the laser-beam so as to cause full depth removal at one locality in the central area and essentially zero depth removal at another area, so as to provide an article which, when interposed the cornea and an ablative laser beam, will, during a given laser-beam course of exposure will require greater or lesser time to locally ablate the membrane and thus permit laser-beam exposure past the membrane and into correspondingly localized ablating impingement with the cornea. Stated in other words, the article so manufactured will provide a varying spot size at the cornea on illumination with a laser-beam of uniform intensity profile.
| Inventors: | L'Esperance, Jr.; Francis A. (Englewood, NJ). |
| Assignee: | VISX, Incorporated (Santa Clara, CA). |
| Appl. No.: | 468,895 |
| Filed: | Jun. 6, 1995 |
| Continuation-in-part of Ser No. 146,045, Jan. 20, 1988, Pat. No. 5,507,741, which is a division of Ser. No 74,580, Jul. 17, 1987, abandoned, which is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 891,285, Jul. 31, 1986, Pat. No. 4,732,148, which is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 778,801, Sept. 23, 1985, abandoned, which is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 742,225, Jun. 6, 1985, abandoned, which is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 552,983, Nov. 17, 1983, abandoned, and a continuation-in-part of Ser No. 748,358, Jun. 24, 1985, Pat. No. 4,665,913. |
| Intl. Cl. : | A61N 5/06 |
| Current U.S. Cl.: | 606/5; 219/121.6; 219/121.73; 264/1.38; 264/400; 264/482; 606/10; 606/13; 606/3 |
| Field of Search: | 606/2, 3-6, 10-13; 623/4, 5; 264/1.36-1.38, 1.7, 2.7, 400, 405, 482, 340; 219/121.6, 121.67, 121.68, 121.69, 121.73, 121.78, 121.8, 121.85 |
| 4,307,046 | Dec., 1981 | Neefe | 219/121.6 |
| 4,563,565 | Jan., 1986 | Kampfer et al. | 219/121.69 |
| 4,642,439 | Feb., 1987 | Miller et al. | 219/121.72 |
| 4,665,913 | May, 1987 | L'Esperance | |
| 4,669,466 | Jun., 1987 | L'Esperance | |
| 4,676,790 | Jun., 1987 | Kern | 623/5 |
| 4,678,422 | Jul., 1987 | York | 623/5 |
| 4,732,148 | Mar., 1988 | L'Esperance | |
| 4,770,172 | Sept., 1988 | L'Esperance | |
| 4,773,414 | Sept., 1988 | L'Esperance | |
| 4,842,782 | Jun., 1989 | Portney et al. | 264/1.38 |
| 5,188,631 | Feb., 1993 | L'Esperance | |
| 5,219,343 | Jun., 1993 | L'Esperance | |
| 5,240,553 | Aug., 1993 | Jones | 264/400 |
Primary Examiner: Shay; David M.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Townsend and Townsend and Crew LLP