An ophthalmic surgical system for treating eye tissue by performing an anterior capsulotomy, comprising: a light source (10, LS) for generating a beam of light comprising a plurality of laser pulses, the beam of light being configured to produce dielectric breakdown at a focal point of the beam of light within the eye tissue; an imaging device for generating an image of the eye tissue from which a target portion of the eye tissue can be identified, the imaging device being an imaging device selected from a group consisting of an Optical Coherence Tomography device and a confocal microscope; a delivery system (16, L1, G1, G2) for focusing the light beam onto the eye tissue and deflecting the light beam in a pattern, the delivery system including at least one moving optical element for deflecting the light beam in the pattern and for changing the depth of a focal point of the light beam in the eye; and a controller (12, CPU) operatively coupled to the light source, the imaging device, and the delivery system, and configured to: (a) operate the imaging device to scan the eye tissue so as to generate imaging data for the lens that includes imaging data for an anterior portion of the lens; (b) use the imaging data to determine parameters of a cutting pattern for performing an anterior capsulotomy; and (c) operate the light source and the delivery system to scan the light beam in the cutting pattern, wherein the focal point of the light beam is guided by the controller based on the imaging data so that the laser pulses incise the anterior capsulotomy in the lens capsule. a light source (10, LS) for generating a beam of light comprising a plurality of laser pulses, the beam of light being configured to produce dielectric breakdown at a focal point of the beam of light within the eye tissue; an imaging device for generating an image of the eye tissue from which a target portion of the eye tissue can be identified, the imaging device being an imaging device selected from a group consisting of an Optical Coherence Tomography device and a confocal microscope; a delivery system (16, L1, G1, G2) for focusing the light beam onto the eye tissue and deflecting the light beam in a pattern, the delivery system including at least one moving optical element for deflecting the light beam in the pattern and for changing the depth of a focal point of the light beam in the eye; and a controller (12, CPU) operatively coupled to the light source, the imaging device, and the delivery system, and configured to: (a) operate the imaging device to scan the eye tissue so as to generate imaging data for the lens that includes imaging data for an anterior portion of the lens; (b) use the imaging data to determine parameters of a cutting pattern for performing an anterior capsulotomy; and (c) operate the light source and the delivery system to scan the light beam in the cutting pattern, wherein the focal point of the light beam is guided by the controller based on the imaging data so that the laser pulses incise the anterior capsulotomy in the lens capsule. (a) operate the imaging device to scan the eye tissue so as to generate imaging data for the lens that includes imaging data for an anterior portion of the lens; (b) use the imaging data to determine parameters of a cutting pattern for performing an anterior capsulotomy; and (c) operate the light source and the delivery system to scan the light beam in the cutting pattern, wherein the focal point of the light beam is guided by the controller based on the imaging data so that the laser pulses incise the anterior capsulotomy in the lens capsule.