Alcon Inc.
SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ABLATING OPHTHALMIC TISSUE

Abstract:

In certain embodiments, an ophthalmic surgical system for ablating tissue of an eye comprises controllable components (such as a light source and a scanner), optical elements, and a computer. The light source generates a light beam comprising pulses, where a propagation direction of the light beam defines a z-axis. The scanner directs a focal point of the light beam in an xy-plane orthogonal to the z-axis. The optical elements shape and focus the focal point of the light beam at a treatment region of the eye. The computer instructs one or more of the controllable components to generate the light beam comprising the pulses, where each pulse has a fluence greater than 1 J/cm.sup.2. An optical element of the optical elements focuses the focal point of the light beam with a spot size of less than 0.4 mm at the treatment region according to a focal spot pattern.