Microfemtotomy methods and systems
Methods and systems for performing laser-assisted surgery on an eye form one or more small anchoring capsulotomies in the lens capsule of the eye. The one or more anchoring capsulotomies are configured to accommodate corresponding anchoring features of an intraocular lens and/or to accommodate one or more drug-eluting members. A method for performing laser-assisted eye surgery on an eye having a lens capsule includes forming an anchoring capsulotomy in the lens capsule and coupling an anchoring feature of the intraocular lens with the anchoring capsulotomy. The anchoring capsulotomy is formed by using a laser to incise the lens capsule. The anchoring feature can protrude transverse to a surface of the intraocular lens that interfaces with the lens capsule adjacent to the anchoring capsulotomy.
1 . A method of ophthalmic intervention, the method comprising:
determining a roll orientation to be established between a lens capsule of an eye and an intraocular lens (IOL);
creating a pattern of anchoring capsulotomies in the lens capsule by incising the lens capsule with a laser, the pattern of anchoring capsulotomies being configured to be mechanically coupled to anchoring features of the IOL, including placing the anchoring capsulotomies in locations configured to accomplish the determined roll orientation upon assembly of the IOL with the lens capsule; and
coupling the IOL to the lens capsule by mechanically engaging the anchoring features with the pattern of anchoring capsulotomies.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the anchoring features protrudes transverse to a surface of the IOL that interfaces with the lens capsule adjacent to the corresponding anchoring capsulotomy.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the anchoring capsulotomies has a shape selected from the group consisting of: a buttonhole shape, a teardrop shape, a round shape, a rectangular shape with sharp corners, a rectangular shape with rounded corners, a linear shape, a bone shape, and an elliptical shape.
4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising creating a primary capsulotomy by incising the lens capsule with the laser, wherein the primary capsulotomy defines a boundary shape selected from the group consisting of: a circular shape, an elliptical shape, a polygonal shape, an arcuate shape, and a linear shape.
5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the step of creating a pattern of anchoring capsulotomies comprises placing two or more anchoring capsulotomies at locations substantially equivalently spaced apart about the boundary shape of the primary capsulotomy.
6 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the step of creating a pattern of anchoring capsulotomies comprises placing two or more anchoring capsulotomies at locations non-homogeneously spaced apart about the boundary shape of the primary capsulotomy.
7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining an astigmatic axis of the eye; and
determining the roll orientation based at least in part upon the astigmatic axis of the eye.
8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising confirming that the IOL is at the determined roll orientation relative to the lens capsule before coupling the IOL to the lens capsule.
9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the confirming that the IOL is at the determined roll orientation comprises observing a roll orientation of a keyed feature of the IOL.
10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the confirming that the IOL is at the determined roll orientation comprises observing a roll orientation of a keyed feature of the lens capsule.
11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the keyed feature of the IOL is the relative positioning of the anchoring features.
12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein:
the pattern is bisected along a bisecting axis to result in two symmetric pattern halves; and
the bisecting axis is utilized as the keyed feature.
13 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the keyed feature of the IOL is one or more keying markers created in the IOL.
14 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the keyed feature of the lens capsule comprises one or more anatomic landmarks of the lens capsule.
15 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the keyed feature of the lens capsule comprises one or more markers created in the lens capsule.
16 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the pattern of anchoring capsulotomies is created to have a symmetry selected from the group consisting of: rotationally symmetric, rotationally asymmetric, bilaterally symmetric, and bilaterally asymmetric.
17 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the determined roll orientation correspond to a direction of natural asymmetry of contraction of the lens capsule.