Patent ID: 6063073
Filing Date: 2000-05-16
Classification: A61F

Abstract:
A method of modifying the curvature of a patient's live cornea, comprising the steps of:separating a layer of said live cornea from the front of said live cornea; moving said separated layer to expose an internal surface of said live cornea underneath said separated layer;positioning a blank, having an opening therein, on said internal surface of said live cornea;directing a laser beam (a) through said opening onto said internal surface of said live cornea to ablate a portion of said internal surface, or (b) onto a portion of said blank to ablate said portion of said blank, or both (a) and (b), while leaving an unablated portion of said blank on said internal surface of said live cornea; andrepositioning said separated layer of said live cornea back over said internal surface of said live cornea and said unablated portion of said blank, so that the shape of the internal surface and said unablated portion of said blank influences the shape of said repositioned separated layer of said live cornea.