Patent ID: 8876808

Claim:
A method of treating secondary cataract or glaucoma in a patient using an ophthalmic laser system comprising: a laser module, which operates to produce a beam of short pulses of radiation with high energy density at a first wavelength comprising a Q-switch; a first beam path for secondary cataract treatment and incorporating an attenuator, beam shaping optics, and means for directing the beam of short pulses at said first wavelength to an eye of a patient with secondary cataract; a second beam path for glaucoma treatment and incorporating a frequency conversion module that converts the beam of short pulses at the first wavelength to a beam of short pulses at a second wavelength, an attenuator, and means for directing the beam of short pulses at said second wavelength to an eye of a patient with glaucoma; and an extracavity deflecting means for selectively deflecting the beam of short pulses at said first wavelength into the second beam path, said extracavity deflecting means being operable between a first position in which the beam of short pulses at said first wavelength is received by and follows the first beam path and a second position in which the beam of short pulses at said first wavelength is deflected to, received by and follows said second beam path; the method comprising: operating the extracavity deflecting means to select the first or second beam path depending on whether the patient has secondary cataract or glaucoma; and operating the laser system through the selected beam path to treat the patient.