Patent ID: 7427285

Claim:
A keratome comprising: A) a cutter head having a body and a blade assembly, 1) the blade assembly including a blade holder having a drive track and one of a guide slot or a guide bar substantially transverse to the drive track, the blade assembly further including a blade mounted to and extending outwardly from the blade holder to a blade edge substantially parallel to the guide slot or guide bar, and 2) the cutter head body defining a) a sole surface for sliding engagement with a cornea, the sole surface defining a blade opening, b) a blade holder cavity shaped to receive the blade holder in reciprocating movement, the blade holder cavity defining the other of the guide slot or guide bar, wherein the guide bar is received in the guide slot for stabilizing the blade holder in reciprocating motion in the blade holder cavity, c) a blade slot extending between the blade holder cavity and the blade opening, wherein the blade extends through the blade slot and blade opening with its blade edge positioned below the sole surface, the blade slot and blade opening sized to accommodate the blade without contact between the blade and the cutter head body, and d) an opening providing access to the drive track of the blade holder when the blade holder is received in the blade holder cavity.