Glaucoma treatment devices and methods
First Claim
1. A device for treating glaucoma in an eye, the device comprising:
- a body defining a lumen and having first and second ends and external and lumenal surfaces, said body having a length sufficient to provide fluid communication between an anterior chamber and a tear film of the eye through said lumen when said device is implanted in the eye such that;
(i) the first end is in the anterior chamber, (ii) the second end is exterior to the eye, and (iii) a portion of the external surface of the body is in contract with a sclera of the eye,wherein the lumen is circular and open from the first end to the second end and configured to maintain a desired intraocular pressure without having a porous element inside the lumen,wherein the portion of the external surface of the body that is in contact with the sclera of the eye while the device is implanted in the eye is chemically etched to provide increased friction with the sclera and includes two pairs of barbs extending in opposite lateral directions from the body,wherein a portion of the body including the second end is laterally flared and includes a surface shaped to follow an outer contour of the eye, andwherein the first end is beveled.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Devices can be implanted in an eye to treat glaucoma. The devices described herein include a body defining a lumen and having first and second ends and external and lumenal surfaces. The body has a length sufficient to provide fluid communication between the anterior chamber and tear film of the eye through the lumen when the device is implanted in the sclera. By the strategic selection of particular materials of construction, and/or by controlling the configuration and size of the lumen, in some embodiments, the device is a filterless construct. In some embodiments, a filter is included. The glaucoma treatment devices as provided herein are designed to prevent bacterial ingress and to provide the required level of outflow resistance to achieve a desired intraocular pressure. Methods of treating glaucoma wherein the device is implanted in the sclera of an afflicted eye are also described.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A device for treating glaucoma in an eye, the device comprising:
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a body defining a lumen and having first and second ends and external and lumenal surfaces, said body having a length sufficient to provide fluid communication between an anterior chamber and a tear film of the eye through said lumen when said device is implanted in the eye such that;
(i) the first end is in the anterior chamber, (ii) the second end is exterior to the eye, and (iii) a portion of the external surface of the body is in contract with a sclera of the eye,wherein the lumen is circular and open from the first end to the second end and configured to maintain a desired intraocular pressure without having a porous element inside the lumen, wherein the portion of the external surface of the body that is in contact with the sclera of the eye while the device is implanted in the eye is chemically etched to provide increased friction with the sclera and includes two pairs of barbs extending in opposite lateral directions from the body, wherein a portion of the body including the second end is laterally flared and includes a surface shaped to follow an outer contour of the eye, and wherein the first end is beveled. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for treating an eye, the method comprising:
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implanting a device in the eye, wherein the device comprises; a body defining a lumen and having first and second ends and external and lumenal surfaces, wherein the lumen is circular and open from the first end to the second end and configured to maintain a desired intraocular pressure without having a porous element inside the lumen, wherein a portion of the external surface of the body is chemically etched to provide increased friction with a sclera of the eye and includes two pairs of barbs extending in opposite lateral directions that engage the sclera to provide migration resistance, wherein, while the device is implanted in the eye;
(i) the first end is in an anterior chamber of the eye, (ii) the second end is exterior to the eye, (iii) the portion of the external surface of the body is in contract with the sclera, and (iv) aqueous humor flows from the anterior chamber of the eye to a tear film of the eye through the lumen. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification