Keratorefractive system and method

Claim 2

A set of surgical instruments for performing Keratorefractive eye surgery, said Keratorefractive eye surgery for changing refraction of a cornea by making a plurality of incisions in said cornea, and said set of surgical instruments for providing precise depth of each of said plurality of incisions, said set of surgical instruments comprising: at least two knife blades for making said plurality of incisions, each of said two or more knife blades having a cutting portion of a precise fixed length, said precise fixed length of each of said at least two knife blades differing by a predetermined increment from said precise fixed length any other of said two or more knife blades; and two or more footplate assemblies, each of said two or more footplate assemblies for attachably holding one of said two or more knife blades such that said cutting portion of said one of said two or more knife blades extends from said footplate assembly by said precise fixed length, said precise fixed length for providing said precise depth of each of said plurality of incisions.

Claim 3

The set of surgical instruments of claim 1 wherein each of said at least two footplate assemblies further comprises a handle for holding and manipulating said two or more footplate assemblies.

Claim 4

The set of surgical instruments of claim 1 wherein each of said at least two footplate assemblies further comprises a first marker for indicating a range having a minimum value, and wherein said precise fixed length of each of said two or more knife blades is less than said maximum value and greater than said minimum value of said range.

Claim 5

The set of surgical instruments of claim 3 wherein said first marker further comprises a first visual identification system for visually identifying said range.

Claim 6

The set of surgical instruments of claim 4 wherein said first visual identification system farther comprises a color for visually identifying said range.

Claim 7

The set of surgical instruments of claim 3 wherein said first marker further comprises a first visual identification system for visually identifying said range and said precise fixed length of each of said at least two knife blades.

Claim 8

The set of surgical instruments of claim 6 wherein said first visual identification system further comprises a color having a plurality of shades, said color for visually identifying said range and each of said plurality of shades is for visually identifying said precise fixed length of each of said at least two knife blades.

Claim 9

The set of surgical instruments of claim 3 wherein said first marker further comprises a first visual identification system for visually identifying said precise fixed length of each of said at least two knife blades.

Claim 10

The set of surgical instruments of claim 8 wherein said visual identification system further comprises a color having a plurality of shades for visually identifying said precise fixed length of each of said at least two knife blades.

Claim 11

The set of surgical instruments of claim 8 wherein said first visual identification system further comprises a scale for visually identifying said precise fixed length of each of said at least two knife blades.

Claim 12

The set of surgical instruments of claim 1 wherein said at least two footplate assemblies further comprises a second marker for indicating a style of said cutting portion of said cutting portion of said at least two knife blades.

Claim 13

The set of surgical instruments of claim 11 wherein said second marker further comprises a second visual identification system for visually identifying said style of said cutting portion of said at least two knife blades.

Claim 14

The set of surgical instruments of claim 12 wherein said style of said cutting portion of said at least two knife blades further comprises a cutting angle.

Claim 15

The set of surgical instruments of claim 12 wherein said style of said cutting portion of said at least two knife blades further comprises a number of cutting edges.

Claim 16

The set of surgical instruments of claim 12 wherein said style of said cutting portion of said at least two knife blades further comprises a configuration of said plurality of incisions.

Claim 17

The set of surgical instruments of claim 1 wherein said at least two footplate assemblies each further comprise a footplate which straddles said cutting portion of one of said at least two knife blades, said footplate for sliding over said cornea in order to control said precise depth of each of said plurality of incisions.

Claim 18

A set of surgical instruments for performing Keratorefractive eye surgery, said Keratorefractive eye surgery for changing refraction of a cornea by making a plurality of incisions in said cornea, and said set of surgical instruments for providing precise depth of each of said plurality of incisions, each of said set of surgical instruments comprising: a knife blade for making said plurality of incisions, said knife blade having a cutting portion of a precise fixed length, said precise fixed length of said cutting portion of said knife blade differing by a predetermined increment from said precise fixed length of said cutting portion of any other knife blade of said set of surgical instruments; a footplate assembly for attachably holding said knife blade such that said cutting portion of said knife blade extends from said footplate assembly by said precise fixed length of said cutting portion, said precise fixed length of said cutting portion having a value greater than eighty-five percent of a measured thickness of a region of said cornea and less than said measured thickness of said region of said cornea, said precise fixed length for providing said precise depth of each of said plurality of incisions, said footplate assembly including a first visual identification system for visually identifying said precise fixed length of said cutting portion of said knife blade, and said footplate assembly including a second visual identification system for visually identifying a style of said cutting portion of said knife blade; and a handle for holding and manipulating said footplate assembly.

Claim 19

A set of surgical instruments for performing Keratorefractive eye surgery, said Keratorefractive eye surgery for changing refraction of a cornea by making a plurality of incisions in said cornea, and said set of surgical instruments for providing precise depth of each of said plurality of incisions, each of said set of surgical instruments comprising: a knife blade for making said plurality of incisions, said knife blade having a cutting portion of a precise fixed length, said precise fixed length of said cutting portion of said knife blade differing by a predetermined increment from said precise fixed length of said cutting portion of any other knife blade of said set of surgical instruments; a footplate assembly for attachably holding said knife blade such that said cutting portion of said knife blade extends from said footplate assembly by said precise fixed length of said cutting portion, said precise fixed length of said cutting portion having a value greater than eighty-five percent of a measured thickness of a region of said cornea and less than said measured thickness of said region of said cornea, said precise fixed length for providing said precise depth of each of said plurality of incisions, said footplate assembly including a first visual identification system for visually identifying said precise fixed length of said cutting portion of said knife blade, and said footplate assembly including a second visual identification system for visually identifying a style of said cutting portion of said knife blade; and a handle for holding and manipulating said footplate assembly.

Claim 20

The set of surgical instruments of claim 17 wherein said first visual identifications system further comprises a color having a plurality of shades for visually identifying said precise fixed length of said knife blade.

Claim 21

The set of surgical instruments of claim 17 wherein said first visual identification system further comprises a scale for visually identifying said precise fixed length of said knife blade.

Claim 22

The set of surgical instruments of claim 17 wherein said style of said cutting portion of said knife blade further comprises a cutting angle.

Claim 23

The set of surgical instruments of claim 17 wherein said style of said cutting portion of said knife blade further comprises a number of cutting edges.

Claim 24

The set of surgical instruments of claim 17 wherein said style of said cutting portion of said knife blade further comprises a configuration of said plurality of incisions.

Claim 25

The set of surgical instruments of claim 17 wherein said footplate assembly further comprises a footplate which straddles said cutting portion of said knife blade, said footplate for sliding over said cornea in order to control said precise depth of each of said plurality of incisions.

Claim 28

The method of claim 24 wherein said step of making at least one incisions in said region of said cornea using said selected surgical instrument further comprises the step of making at least one incisions in said region between said optical zone and a limbus of said cornea.

Claim 29

The method of claim 25 wherein said step of making at least one incisions in said region between said optical zone and a limbus of said cornea further comprises the step of making said at least one incisions in a first direction from said optical zone toward said limbus of said cornea.

Claim 30

The method of claim 25 wherein said step of making at least one incisions in said region between said optical zone and a limbus of said cornea further comprises the step of making said at least one incisions in a first direction from said limbus toward said optical zone of said cornea.