George F Caudle

US Patent:

6497701, Dec 24, 2002

Filed:

Apr 30, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/303810

Inventors:

John Karl Shimmick - Belmont CA
George Caudle - San Jose CA
Kingman Yee - San Jose CA
Stephen J. Koons - Sunnyvale CA

Assignee:

VISX, Incorporated - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

A61B 1818

US Classification:

606 5, 606 4, 606 10, 606 17, 128898, 351206, 351237, 351246

Abstract:

A technique for laser sculpting a predetermined shape on an exposed corneal surface by ablating a sequence of consistently curved craters with individual pulses of a laser beam. An initial laser beam energy pattern is shaped by a laser beam shaping element to make a consistently curved laser beam energy pattern. The consistently curved laser beam ablates a consistently curved crater in the surface with a single pulse of the laser beam. A computer controls the position of the laser beam and scans the laser beam over the surface to sculpt the predetermined shape in an ablation zone on the exposed surface. A sequence of partially overlapping craters is distributed over the ablation zone. In some embodiments diffractive optics are used as a beam shaping element. In additional embodiments, the consistently curved crater is a uniformly curved spherical crater.

US Patent:

6592574, Jul 15, 2003

Filed:

Jul 27, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/626732

Inventors:

John Karl Shimmick - Belmont CA
Charles R. Munnerlyn - San Jose CA
George Caudle - San Jose CA
Terrance N. Clapham - Jamestown CA

Assignee:

VISX, Incorporated - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

A61B 1818

US Classification:

606 4, 606 5, 606 10, 606 12, 351206, 351211, 351212

Abstract:

Improved systems, devices, and methods measure and/or change the shape of a tissue surface, particularly for use in laser eye surgery. Fluorescence of the tissue may occur at and immediately underlying the tissue surface. The excitation energy can be readily absorbed by the tissue within a small tissue depth, and may be provided from the same source used for photodecomposition of the tissue. Changes in the fluorescence spectrum of a tissue correlate with changes in the tissues hydration.

US Patent:

6638271, Oct 28, 2003

Filed:

Aug 22, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/935509

Inventors:

Audrey Munnerlyn - Mountain View CA
George Caudle - San Jose CA

Assignee:

Visx, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

A61B 1818

US Classification:

606 5, 606 10

Abstract:

The invention improves the laser sculpting of a region of a material to a predetermined shape by improving the smoothness and accuracy of surfaces formed by the sculpting technique. The technique includes projecting plurality of partially overlapping beams toward the region. The invention includes blurring an edge of an ablation to smooth an internal portion of the ablation that is separate from the edge. The blurred edge may be formed by the partially overlapping beams. Using a computer controlled laser delivery system, the position and shape of the overlapping beams may be precisely controlled to sculpt the material to a desired shape according to a laser treatment table.

US Patent:

6768576, Jul 27, 2004

Filed:

Apr 11, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/053513

Inventors:

George Caudle - San Jose CA

Assignee:

Visx, Incorporated - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

G02F 135

US Classification:

359326, 372 21, 606 5

Abstract:

Improved devices, systems, and methods use a Non-Liner Optic (NLO) to effect a conversion of an input laser energy to an output energy. The output energy will have a wavelength which is different than the input energy, and the conversion will vary in response to both an angle of the energy relative to the NLO and a temperature of the NLO. Passive control over the angle of the NLO based on thermal expansion of a member thermally coupled to the NLO can compensate for the temperature-induced change in the conversion so as to maintain a desired output frequency, conversion efficiency, phase matching, and/or the like.

US Patent:

6816316, Nov 9, 2004

Filed:

Feb 12, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/366131

Inventors:

George Caudle - Bonne Terre MO
Herrmann Glockler - Reno NV
Wayne Brewer - Cupertino CA

Assignee:

VISX, Incorporated - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

G11B 7135

US Classification:

359637, 359618

Abstract:

Embodiments of the present invention provide methods and systems of temporally smoothing the distortion of a light beam caused by imperfections of an optical element or optical system through which the light beam passes. The optical element is moved relative to the light beam to change a position of the imperfections in the path of the light beam to distribute the distortion of the light beam caused by the imperfection without substantially changing the path of the light beam. In some embodiments, the optical element is axially symmetric with respect to its optical axis, and the distortion of the light beam is distributed by rotating the optical element around its optical axis. In some embodiments, the optical element has geometric uniformity relative to a plane or along a line in a plane, and the distortion of the light beam is distributed by moving the optical element along the plane, or along the line of symmetry in the plane.

US Patent:

6984227, Jan 10, 2006

Filed:

Dec 19, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/327486

Inventors:

Audrey Munnerlyn - Mountain View CA, US
George Caudle - San Jose CA, US

Assignee:

Visx, Incorporated - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

A61B 18/18

US Classification:

606 5, 606 10

Abstract:

The invention improves the laser sculpting of a region of a material to a predetermined shape by improving the smoothness and accuracy of surfaces formed by the sculpting technique. The technique includes projecting plurality of partially overlapping beams toward the region. The invention includes blurring an edge of an ablation to smooth an internal portion of the ablation that is separate from the edge. The blurred edge may be formed by the partially overlapping beams. Using a computer controlled laser delivery system, the position and shape of the overlapping beams may be precisely controlled to sculpt the material to a desired shape according to a laser treatment table.

US Patent:

7108691, Sep 19, 2006

Filed:

Feb 12, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/367015

Inventors:

George Caudle - Bonne Terre MO, US
Vladimir Lemberg - Redwood City CA, US

Assignee:

VISX, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

A61B 18/18

US Classification:

606 10, 606 4, 351208

Abstract:

The present invention is directed to a flexible scanning beam imaging system. In specific embodiments, the scanning beam imaging system comprises a mask, and an objective lens having an objective lens focal point disposed between the mask and the objective lens. A field lens device is disposed before the mask to direct a light beam through the mask and focus the light beam at a field lens focal point. The field lens focal point is located between the field lens and the objective lens. One or more scanning mirrors are disposed at or near the objective lens focal point. As a result, the beam will be directed to different locations across the objective lens by the scanning mirror(s), and will travel from the objective lens substantially collimated and parallel toward a surface illuminated by the beam. This substantially collimated and parallel beam provides a large depth of field of the ablation pattern.

US Patent:

63311771, Dec 18, 2001

Filed:

Mar 23, 1999

Appl. No.:

9/274499

Inventors:

Audrey Munnerlyn - Mountain View CA
George Caudle - San Jose CA

Assignee:

VISX, Incorporated - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

A61B 1818

US Classification:

606 5

Abstract:

The invention improves the laser sculpting of a region of a material to a predetermined shape by improving the smoothness and accuracy of surfaces formed by the sculpting technique. The technique includes projecting plurality of partially overlapping beams toward the region. The invention includes blurring an edge of an ablation to smooth an internal portion of the ablation that is separate from the edge. The blurred edge may be formed by the partially overlapping beams. Using a computer controlled laser delivery system, the position and shape of the overlapping beams may be precisely controlled to sculpt the material to a desired shape according to a laser treatment table.