Patent ID: 8343215

Claim:
A method for implanting a mask in a cornea comprising an epithelial sheet, a Bowman's membrane, and a stroma, the stroma having a top layer, the method comprising: creating a flap in a portion of the cornea; creating a depression in the top layer of the stroma by completely removing a portion of the stroma from the cornea, the depression being of sufficient depth and width to accommodate a mask, the mask comprising a centrally located pinhole-like optical aperture and a structure surrounding the aperture, the structure further having varying degrees of opacity, each of the varying degrees of opacity preventing transmission of a substantial portion of visible light incident on the structure; placing the mask in the depression; and placing the flap over the mask, wherein the mask increases the depth of focus of the eye and a curvature of the cornea is not substantially changed after placing the mask.