METHOD FOR TREATING INITIAL KERATOCONE STAGE CASES USING EXCIMER LASER SURGERY APPROACH Russian patent published in 2007 - IPC A61F9/01 

FIELD: medicine.

SUBSTANCE: method involves determining keratoconus vertex by carrying out computer-aided keratotopographic examination. The operation is carried out by applying Epi-LASIK techniques. Epithelium is temporarily removed by peeling it with blade from stromal bed as pedicle flap. To do it, microkeratome head is used fixed on vacuum ring and provided with clamping plate placed in front of the blade. The vacuum ring is set on cornea with some 1-1.5 mm large deviation towards cone vertex. When forming the flap, balanced salt solution is continuously fed into blade operation zone. Flap displacement and return to its original place is carried out by means of cannula having lateral openings for continuously supplying balanced salt solution. Ablation is carried out with computer-aided keratotopographic examination data being applied and laser radiation beam being concentrated on cone vertex. Soft contact lens is set on the cornea after having accomplished the operation.

EFFECT: high accuracy in carrying out ablation; maximum cornea tissue being retained; excluded keratoleukoma; achieved maximum possible vision acuity.