Patent ID: 8808318

Claim:
A vitrectomy probe, comprising: a tubular body defining a cutting aperture adjacent a first end of the body and a fluid passage through the body from the cutting aperture to a second end of the body; and a cutting tool disposed within the fluid passage, the cutting tool configured to allow fluid flow through the cutting tool and to reciprocate within the tubular body to move across the cutting aperture thereby cutting ophthalmic tissue that enters the cutting aperture, the cutting tool including: a body portion; a blade portion disposed at a first end of the body portion, the blade portion having a blade configured to cut material at the cutting aperture; and a transitional portion disposed between the blade portion and the body portion, the transitional portion defining an angled surface extending between the blade and body portions, the angled surface defining an angle less than 90 degrees with a longitudinal axis of the cutting tool; wherein the body portion extends only partially about an inner circumference of the tubular body; and wherein the blade portion extends only partially about a cutting end of the cutting tool adjacent the cutting aperture, the cutting tool defining an opening in the cutting end, the opening positioned opposite the blade with respect to the circumference of the cutting end and defining a second angled surface, the second angled surface defining an angle less than 90 degrees with the longitudinal axis of the cutting tool.