A system for correcting a refractive condition of an eye having a cornea, the system comprising: a laser subsystem operable to produce a non-ultraviolet, ultrashort pulsed beam having a wavelength in the range of 400nm to 3000nm; a patient interface configured to applanate the cornea during an intrastromal incision, the pulsed beam being directed through the patient interface and into the cornea; a scanner operable to direct the pulsed beam at the eye; and a controller coupled to the laser subsystem and the scanner, the controller configured to: determine an intrastromal incision pattern based on the refractive condition; and direct the scanner to intrastromally incise the pattern in the cornea with the pulsed beam, the refractive condition being corrected by the pattern intrastromally incised in the cornea following de-applanation of the cornea by the patient interface, wherein the pattern has a maximum radius of about 5 mm and a minimum radius of about 1 mm, wherein the pattern has a minimum depth from an anterior surface of the cornea of about 50 microns and a maximum depth of about 50 microns toward the anterior surface from an endothelium of the cornea, and characterized in that the pattern comprises a group of frustoconical ring incisions (72, 74) with intact corneal tissue between them, the frustoconical ring incisions (72, 74) having a cone angle alpha with respect to the applanated corneal tissue that is less than or greater than 90 degrees, wherein 0 degrees for alpha represents alignment with the applanated corneal tissue and 90 degrees for alpha represents an axis perpendicular to the applanated corneal tissue. a laser subsystem operable to produce a non-ultraviolet, ultrashort pulsed beam having a wavelength in the range of 400nm to 3000nm; a patient interface configured to applanate the cornea during an intrastromal incision, the pulsed beam being directed through the patient interface and into the cornea; a scanner operable to direct the pulsed beam at the eye; and a controller coupled to the laser subsystem and the scanner, the controller configured to: determine an intrastromal incision pattern based on the refractive condition; and direct the scanner to intrastromally incise the pattern in the cornea with the pulsed beam, the refractive condition being corrected by the pattern intrastromally incised in the cornea following de-applanation of the cornea by the patient interface, wherein the pattern has a maximum radius of about 5 mm and a minimum radius of about 1 mm, wherein the pattern has a minimum depth from an anterior surface of the cornea of about 50 microns and a maximum depth of about 50 microns toward the anterior surface from an endothelium of the cornea, and characterized in that the pattern comprises a group of frustoconical ring incisions (72, 74) with intact corneal tissue between them, the frustoconical ring incisions (72, 74) having a cone angle alpha with respect to the applanated corneal tissue that is less than or greater than 90 degrees, wherein 0 degrees for alpha represents alignment with the applanated corneal tissue and 90 degrees for alpha represents an axis perpendicular to the applanated corneal tissue. determine an intrastromal incision pattern based on the refractive condition; and direct the scanner to intrastromally incise the pattern in the cornea with the pulsed beam, the refractive condition being corrected by the pattern intrastromally incised in the cornea following de-applanation of the cornea by the patient interface, wherein the pattern has a maximum radius of about 5 mm and a minimum radius of about 1 mm, wherein the pattern has a minimum depth from an anterior surface of the cornea of about 50 microns and a maximum depth of about 50 microns toward the anterior surface from an endothelium of the cornea, and characterized in that the pattern comprises a group of frustoconical ring incisions (72, 74) with intact corneal tissue between them, the frustoconical ring incisions (72, 74) having a cone angle alpha with respect to the applanated corneal tissue that is less than or greater than 90 degrees, wherein 0 degrees for alpha represents alignment with the applanated corneal tissue and 90 degrees for alpha represents an axis perpendicular to the applanated corneal tissue.