| abstract |
Instruments and methods are provided which permit a surgeon to implant multiple radial inserts within a patient's cornea through one or more incisions made into the cornea. Instruments provided by the invention include a corneal marker, a radial pocket-forming instrument, and a positioning instrument. In one method provided by the invention, the surgeon uses the corneal marker to mark the patient's cornea with an incision mark, radial pocket marks, and circumferential channels marks simultaneously. The surgeon forms clockwise and counter-clockwise intrastromal circumferential channels through a single incision into the cornea, and then the surgeon inserts the radial pocket-forming instrument through the incision and into one of the circumferential channels to form radial pockets beneath the radial pocket marks. The surgeon inserts radial intrastromal inserts through the incision and into the circumferential channels and positions them within the radial pockets using the positioning instrument. |