Confocal laser eye surgery system and improved confocal bypass assembly

1. A method of operating a laser surgical system, the method comprising:

using a beam source to generate an electromagnetic beam;

propagating the electromagnetic beam from the beam source to a scanner along an optical path, the optical path comprising a first optical element that attenuates the electromagnetic beam, the first optical element being positioned between the beam source and the scanner;

focusing the electromagnetic beam to a focal point at a location within the eye;

using the scanner to scan the focal point to different locations within the eye;

propagating a portion of the electromagnetic beam reflected from the focal point location back along the optical path to the first optical element, the first optical element diverting a portion of the reflected electromagnetic radiation to a sensor;

using the sensor to generate an intensity signal indicative of an intensity of a portion of the electromagnetic beam reflected from the focal point location and propagated to the sensor via the first optical element; and

reversibly inserting a confocal bypass assembly into the optical path, diverting the electromagnetic beam along a diversion optical path around the first optical element,

wherein the confocal bypass assembly automatically exits the optical path when a power loss occurs to one or more components of the laser surgical system.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first optical element is a beam-splitter that directs a portion of the reflected electromagnetic radiation to the sensor.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the beam-splitter is stationary.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the beam-splitter is a non-polarizing beam-splitter.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the beam-splitter transmits less than 10% of the incident light.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the beam-splitter transmits less than 5% of the electromagnetic beam.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the beam-splitter transmits less than 1% of the electromagnetic beam.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein the electromagnetic beam is configured to modify tissue when the electromagnetic beam is diverted along the diversion optical path.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more components comprises the confocal bypass assembly.

10. An eye surgery system, comprising:

a light source for generating an electromagnetic beam;

an eye interface device configured to interface with an eye of a patient;

a scanning assembly supporting the eye interface device and operable to scan a focal point of the electromagnetic beam to different locations within the eye;

an optical path configured to propagate the electromagnetic beam from the light source to the focal point and also configured to propagate a portion of the electromagnetic beam reflected from the focal point location back along the optical path, the optical path comprising a first optical element that attenuates the electromagnetic beam in a direction from the light source to the scanner and that also diverts a portion of the reflected electromagnetic radiation to a sensor;

a detection assembly configured to generate an intensity signal indicative of intensity of a portion of the electromagnetic beam reflected from the focal point location; and

a confocal bypass assembly configured to reversibly divert the radiation beam along a diversion optical path around the first optical element when the confocal bypass assembly is inserted into the optical path,

wherein the confocal bypass assembly is configured to exit the optical path upon a loss of power to one or more components of the eye surgery system.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the first optical element is a nonpolarizing beam-splitter that directs a portion of the reflected electromagnetic radiation to the sensor.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the confocal bypass assembly comprises a bypass prism.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the electromagnetic beam is diverted by reversibly moving the bypass prism into the optical path, thereby diverting the electromagnetic beam along the diversion optical path.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the beam-splitter transmits less than 10% of the electromagnetic beam.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the beam-splitter transmits less than 5% of the electromagnetic beam.

16. The system of claim 14 , wherein the beam-splitter transmits less than 1% of the electromagnetic beam.

17. A method of operating a laser surgical system, the method comprising:

using a beam source to generate an electromagnetic beam;

propagating the electromagnetic beam from the beam source to a scanner along an optical path, the optical path comprising a non-polarizing first optical element that attenuates the electromagnetic beam such that less than 20% of the electromagnetic beam is propagated to the scanner and at least 80% of the electromagnetic beam is propagated to a dump, the first optical element being positioned between the beam source and the scanner;

focusing the electromagnetic beam to a focal point at a location within the eye;

using the scanner to scan the focal point to different locations within the eye;

propagating a portion of the electromagnetic beam reflected from the focal point location back along the optical path to the first optical element, the first optical element diverting a portion of the reflected electromagnetic radiation to a sensor;

using the sensor to generate an intensity signal indicative of an intensity of a portion of the electromagnetic beam reflected from the focal point location and propagated to the sensor via the first optical element; and

reversibly inserting a confocal bypass assembly into the optical path, diverting the electromagnetic beam along a diversion optical path around the first optical element.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the first optical element is a beam-splitter that directs a portion of the reflected electromagnetic radiation to the sensor.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the beam-splitter directs less than 10% of the electromagnetic beam to the scanner.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the beam-splitter directs less than 5% of the electromagnetic beam to the scanner.

21. The method of claim 19 , wherein the beam-splitter directs less than 1% of the electromagnetic beam to the scanner.