Intraocular lens system

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DESCRIPTION

Intraocular lens system.

Background of the invention

The present invention relates generally to the field of intraocular lenses (IOLs) and, more particularly, to multi-lens microincision IOLs.

The human eye works in simple terms to provide vision by transmitting light through a clear outer area called the cornea and focusing the image through the lens onto the retina. The quality of the focused image depends on a number of factors including the size and shape of the eyeball, and the transparency of the cornea and lenses.

When age or disease causes the lens to become less transparent, vision worsens due to the less light that can be transmitted to the retina. This deficiency of the lens of the eyeball is known medically as a cataract. An accepted treatment for this disease involves surgical removal of the lens and replacement of lens function with an artificial intraocular lens (IOL).

In the United States, most lenses are removed using a surgical technique called phacoemulsification. During this procedure, an opening is made in the anterior capsule and a thin phacoemulsification cutting end is inserted into the diseased lens and vibrated using ultrasound. The vibrating cutting end liquefies and emulsifies the lens so that the lens can be aspirated out of the eyeball. The damaged lens, once it has been removed, is replaced with an artificial lens.

Prior to the present invention, when a cataract or other disease required removal of the natural lens and its replacement with an artificial IOL, the IOL was a monofocal lens. Most IOLs are marketed with power increments of ± 0.5 diopters, and the ultimate power of the lenses depends on the position of the lens along the optical axis. Fixed lens increment and slight variation in lens arrangement can result in less than optimal vision. Although this situation is relatively rare, and generally not serious, some patients end up needing to wear a pair of glasses or contact lenses to achieve optimal vision. If the power of the implanted lens is incorrect, removal and exchange for a new lens is difficult due to fibrosis of the lens haptic in the capsular bag.

Various IOLs with adjustable power have been previously proposed, none of which have been commercially available. For example, US Patents Nos. 5,222,981 (Werblin) and 5,358,520 (Patel), propose the use of a second or even a third optic that can be implanted and attached to the previously implanted primary optic in such a way that match the overall optical power of the multi-lens system. US Patents 5,628,798 and 5,800,533 (Eggleston, et al.) Disclose an adjustable threaded IOL in which the optic arrangement can be adjusted along the visual axis. US Patent No. 4,575,373 (Johnson) discloses an IOL having an optic and an outer ring and connections between the optic and the outer ring made of a heat-shrinkable plastic. The connections are heated with a laser to adjust the power of the IOL. US Patent Nos. 4,919,151 and 5,026,783 (Grubbs, et al.), Disclose a lens made of a polymer that swells or otherwise changes its shape. The lens is implanted or applied to the capsular bag and selectively polymerized in such a way as to adjust the power of the optics. US Patent No. 5,571,177 (Deacon, et al.) Discloses an IOL having a haptic with frangible stiffeners. Once implanted in the eyeball, the stiffeners are selectively cut or heated above their tg (glass transition temperature) by laser radiation, causing the haptic to stiffen in order to change and adjust the lens arrangement. in the capsular bag. Multi-lens designs and adjustable screw-in designs are not optimized for reducing or eliminating posterior capsule opacification (PCO). Also, several of these lenses cannot be implanted through a very small incision (less than 2 millimeters).

DE-44 03 326 C1 (Koch) describes an infraocular lens construction that presents two intraocular lenses aligned along a common optical axis. Each of the intraocular lenses is provided with an optical compensation section adapted to correct astigmatism with a linear orientation. An annular support structure retains each of the lenses for relative rotation to each other about the common optical axis when implanted. The ring has a pair of inwardly facing grooves along the inner edge thereof for mounting respective haptics therein for relative rotation of the lenses relative to each other. The lenses have markings that indicate a preferred linear orientation of the lenses relative to one another about the axis when the lens structure is implanted. Each lens is made of foldable polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), silicone, hydrogel or acrylate, and each optical compensation section has a cylindrical or toric optical effect.

Therefore, a need continues to exist for a secure and stable intraocular lens system that provides lens power adjustment. Said lens system can be used in cataract or transparent lens replacement surgery.

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Brief summary of the invention

The present invention improves upon prior art by providing a two or three component lens system according to the appended claims. The first component is an annular support component that is implanted in the capsular bag after cataract surgery. The first component is a non-optical component and does not correct for any refractive errors. The first component may comprise features that help reduce or eliminate PCO. The second component is an optical component that can comprise all of the corrective optical power of the lens system. The second component has a pair of tabs to lock the second component to the first component. The third component is optional and is similar to the second component and comprises some optical power to correct for any residual optical errors not corrected by the second component. The second and third components can also be implanted in such a way that they can move relative to each other, thus allowing their adaptation.

Accordingly, an objective of the present invention comprises providing a safe and biocompatible intraocular lens.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a safe and biocompatible intraocular lens that is easily implanted in the posterior chamber of the eyeball. Yet another objective of the present invention comprises providing a safe and biocompatible intraocular lens that is stable in the posterior chamber.

Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide a safe and biocompatible adjustable lens system.

Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide a safe and biocompatible lens system that can be implanted through a small incision.

Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide a safe and biocompatible lens system that helps reduce the incidence of PCO.

Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide a safe and biocompatible lens system for use in cataract and / or transparent lens replacement surgery. These and other advantages and objects of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description and the appended claims.

Brief description of the drawings

Figure 1 is an enlarged perspective view of the first component of the lens system of the present system.

Figure 2 is an enlarged plan view of the first component of the lens system of the present system.

Figure 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the first component of the lens system of the present system taken along line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the second component of the lens system of the present system.

Figure 5 is an enlarged plan view of the second component of the lens system of the present system.

Figure 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the first component of the lens system of the present system taken along line 6-6 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is an enlarged plan view of the third component of the lens system of the present system.

Figure 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the third component of the lens system of the present system taken along line 8-8 of Figure 2.

Figure 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the third component of the lens system of the present system with the second component installed on the first component.

Detailed description of the invention

As can best be seen in Figures 1, 4 and 7, the lens system 10 of the present invention substantially comprises a first component 12, or base, a second component 14, or optical, and optionally may comprise a third component 16 , or secondary optical 16. The first component 12 is substantially annular and, as best seen in FIG. 3, has a substantially "I" shaped cross section. Said "I" shape constitutes an anterior channel 19 and a posterior channel 18 circumferential in the inner diameter of component 12. Said construction can be easily molded and provides the necessary flexibility to allow component 12 to enter the eyeball through an incision of less than 2 millimeters. Component 12 is made with straight sharp outer edges 11 to help prevent PCO. Component 12 is

ES 2 319 802 T3 preferably made with any appropriate overall diameter, for example, between approximately

8.0 millimeters and 12.0 millimeters, a suitable inside diameter, for example between about

6.0 millimeters and 8.5 millimeters and is made of a soft collapsible material such as a soft acrylic material.

Alternatively, component 12 can be made of a material that is more rigid relative to the optical component or less rigid relative to the optical component 14. By way of example, component 12 can be made of rubber elastomeric materials, such as butyl rubber, rubber latex, natural rubber, neat rubber rubber, neoprene rubber, acrylonitrile rubber, rubber butadiene-styrene, ethylene-propylene-diene monomer rubber, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene rubber (ABS), epichlorohydrin rubber, ethylene chlorosulfonated rubber (Hypalon), silicone rubber and siloxane elastomers, such as poly (dimethylsiloxane), polyurethane rubber, viton rubber, ethylene-butylene rubber, isobutylene rubber, and polyphosphazene elastomers, such as poly (bis-trifluoroethoxyphosphazene) oli (dimethylphosphazene) and poly (phenylmethylphosphazene). Preferably, the base component 12 can be made to be opaque, such as by tinting or texturing the front and / or rear surfaces of the base component 12, or the base component can be relatively light. Base component 12 may also comprise a chromophore to block ultraviolet and / or blue and / or green light, such chromophore (s) being well known in the art.

As can best be seen in Figures 4 to 6, the second component 14 is substantially circular with an optic 15 having a diameter, for example, between about 4.0 millimeters and 7.0 millimeters. The optic 15 presents a progressive variation section being relatively thick in the middle zone and presents a relatively thin, or sharp edge, which is joined with a plurality of haptics 24 that form a piece with the optic 15 in such a way that they provide the component Optical 14 has an overall length between approximately 8.0 millimeters and 10.0 millimeters and is preferably made of a soft, pliable material such as a soft acrylic material. The second component 14 may also comprise a chromophore to block ultraviolet and / or blue and / or green light, said chromophore (s) being well known in the art, but unlike the base component 12, the second component 14 is optically clear. Haptics 24 are attached to the optic by relatively wide junction areas 26 seen in plan, but relatively thin in cross-section. Furthermore, the haptics 24 comprise outwardly protruding coupling ends 32. Said construction makes it possible to avoid the rotation of the second component 14 inside the first component 12 and makes it possible to maintain the stability of the optical part 14 in the plane perpendicular to the axis. optical 28, while allowing some flexibility along the optical axis 28. The joining zones 26 may also comprise positioning or manipulation holes 30.

As can best be seen in Figures 7 to 8, the third component 16 is substantially circular with an optic 34 having a diameter, for example, between about 4.0 millimeters and 7.0 millimeters. The third component 16 comprises a plurality of haptics 36 that form a piece with the optic 34 in such a way as to provide the third component 16 with an overall length between approximately 8.0 millimeters and 10.0 millimeters and is preferably made of a soft collapsible material such as a soft acrylic material. The third component 16 may also comprise a chromophore to block ultraviolet and / or blue and / or green light, said chromophore (s) being well known in the art, but unlike the base component 12, the third component 16 is optically clear. Haptics 36 are attached to optic 34 by relatively wide junction areas 38 seen in plan, but relatively thin in cross-section. Furthermore, the haptics 36 comprise outwardly projecting coupling ends 40. Said construction makes it possible to prevent the rotation of the third component 16 inside the first component 12 and to maintain the stability of the third component 16 in the plane perpendicular to the optical axis. 28, while allowing some flexibility along the optical axis 28. In general, the third component 16 has a construction similar to that of the second component 14 with the exception, as can be better seen in Figures 6 and 8, that the third component has less optical power than the second component 14 and, therefore therefore, it is substantially thinner than the second component 14. Both the second component 14 and the third component 16 can be performed to correct any of a plurality of possible refractive errors, such as astigmatism (tone), presbyopia (accommodative, pseudo-accommodative or multifocal) or customized to correct more important aberrations, such as such as refractive errors and optical corrections, therefore, they are well known in the art. As can best be seen in Figure 9, the lens system 10 is mounted by arranging the mating ends 32 or 40 of the second component 14 or the third component 16, respectively, in the posterior channel 18 of the first component 12, compressing the this way the junction zones 26 and 38 respectively and allowing both haptics 24 and 36 to fit in the channel 18. The third component 16 can be installed in a similar manner to correct for any residual refractive error not corrected by the second component 14. Preferably, the third component 16 rotates approximately 90 ° relative to the second component 14.

This description is provided for illustrative and explanatory purposes. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications can be made to the invention described above without departing from its scope.