A system for photoaltering a region of a material, the region having a first and second portions and a periphery, the system comprising: a laser configured to produce a pulsed laser beam; a controller configured to select at least a first pattern and a second pattern, the first pattern having a first maximum acceleration associated with the second portion, the second pattern having a second maximum acceleration associated with the second portion, the second maximum acceleration being less than the first maximum acceleration; and a scanner operable in response to the controller to: scan the pulsed laser beam in the first portion of the region with the first pattern, wherein the first pattern comprises scanning the pulsed laser beam in a spiral pattern beginning from the periphery of the region; and scan the pulsed laser beam in the second portion of the region with the second pattern, wherein the second pattern comprises scanning the pulsed laser beam in a raster pattern, wherein at least some of the second portion of the region overlaps at least some of the first portion of the region to form a third portion of the region, and wherein the scanner is operable in response to the controller to scan the pulsed laser beam in the second portion by blanking the pulsed laser beam while scanning the pulsed laser beam with the second pattern in the third portion. a laser configured to produce a pulsed laser beam; a controller configured to select at least a first pattern and a second pattern, the first pattern having a first maximum acceleration associated with the second portion, the second pattern having a second maximum acceleration associated with the second portion, the second maximum acceleration being less than the first maximum acceleration; and a scanner operable in response to the controller to: scan the pulsed laser beam in the first portion of the region with the first pattern, wherein the first pattern comprises scanning the pulsed laser beam in a spiral pattern beginning from the periphery of the region; and scan the pulsed laser beam in the second portion of the region with the second pattern, wherein the second pattern comprises scanning the pulsed laser beam in a raster pattern, wherein at least some of the second portion of the region overlaps at least some of the first portion of the region to form a third portion of the region, and wherein the scanner is operable in response to the controller to scan the pulsed laser beam in the second portion by blanking the pulsed laser beam while scanning the pulsed laser beam with the second pattern in the third portion. scan the pulsed laser beam in the first portion of the region with the first pattern, wherein the first pattern comprises scanning the pulsed laser beam in a spiral pattern beginning from the periphery of the region; and scan the pulsed laser beam in the second portion of the region with the second pattern, wherein the second pattern comprises scanning the pulsed laser beam in a raster pattern, wherein at least some of the second portion of the region overlaps at least some of the first portion of the region to form a third portion of the region, and wherein the scanner is operable in response to the controller to scan the pulsed laser beam in the second portion by blanking the pulsed laser beam while scanning the pulsed laser beam with the second pattern in the third portion.