In summary, investigation of the relative effects of excimer laser repetition rate on the overall corneal ablation metrics revealed no measurable difference under conditions typical of clinical refractive procedures. This study suggests that increases in ArF laser repetition rates for clinical applications (up to approximately 400 Hz) appear feasible.

Here we demonstrate a unique optical sensing scheme based on deep-UV photochemical perturbation in combination with difference spectroscopy. Applying a sequence of optical probing, UV-laser-induced perturbation, and repeat optical probing coupled with difference spectroscopy provides a new spectral signature. We show a selective (sevenfold difference) optical response using a fluorescence probe for binary mixtures of organic dyes, and generate complementary spectral information derived from Raman scattering of the dipeptide glycine-glycine. We further extend the methodology to fluorescence-based imaging of an organic matrix.

Dense-medium scattering is explored in the context of providing a quantitative measurement of turbidity, with specific application to corneal haze. A multiple-wavelength scattering technique is proposed to make use of two-color scattering response ratios, thereby providing a means for data normalization. A combination of measurements and simulations are reported to assess this technique, including light-scattering experiments for a range of polystyrene suspensions. Monte Carlo (MC) simulations were performed using a multiple-scattering algorithm based on full Mie scattering theory. The simulations were in excellent agreement with the polystyrene suspension experiments, thereby validating the MC model. The MC model was then used to simulate multiwavelength scattering in a corneal tissue model. Overall, the proposed multiwavelength scattering technique appears to be a feasible approach to quantify dense-medium scattering such as the manifestation of corneal haze, although more complex modeling of keratocyte scattering, and animal studies, are necessary.