Patent ID: 7892226

Claim:
A method of accessing a corneal tissue posterior to an anterior surface of a cornea, the method comprising: defining a first periphery at an anterior surface oft-he a cornea, the first periphery bounding a first cross-sectional area; defining a second periphery within stromal tissue of the cornea, the second periphery bounding a second cross-sectional area, wherein the second cross-sectional area is larger sized than the first cross-sectional area; incising stromal tissue so as to define a stromal tissue bed surface and a corresponding interior surface of a stromal tissue layer disposed anterior of the bed, the layer being radially outwardly bounded by the second periphery; and incising stromal tissue between substantial portions of the first periphery and the second periphery so as to define a peripheral edge of the layer and a corresponding peripheral wall of stromal tissue disposed radially outwardly of the peripheral edge of the layer, and such that at least some corneal tissue disposed within the peripheral edge remains radially connected to corneal tissue outside of the first and second peripheries, wherein the larger cross-sectional area of the second periphery induces interlocking engagement of the peripheral edge of the lager under the peripheral wall when the interior surface of the layer engages the bed.