Supplementary endo-capsular lens and method of implantation

• US 20030208265A1
• Filed: 04/04/2003
• Published: 11/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Visioncrc Limited
• Original Assignee: Unisearch Limited (University Of New South Wales)
• Inventors: Erickson, Paul, Ho, Arthur, Manns, Fabrice, Parel, Jean-Marie
• Granted Patent: US 7,060,095 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/4.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/1616 Pseudo-accommodative, e.g. multifocal or enabling monovision
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/1664 for manual insertion during surgery, e.g. forceps-like instruments
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 623/905 Eye

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a supplemental endo capsular lens (SECL) and the method of inserting and embedding the SECL within either a gel or polymer, inside the capsule of the crystalline lens, during phaco-ersatz or similar surgical procedures in order to supplement the refractive power of the eye with a view to (1) correcting ametropia while (2) maintaining a useable amplitude of accommodation.

Claims

1. A method of simultaneously supplementing refractive power of an eye and increasing accommodative capacity of an eye comprising the steps of:

performing a phaco-ersatz procedure to remove a lens from the lens capsule of an eye;

introducing a fluid into the lens capsule;

inserting a compacted SECL into the lens capsule; and

positioning the SECL in the lens capsule.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein a capsulorhexis is made in the lens capsule in the step of performing a phaco-ersatz procedure, through which the lens is removed, the fluid is introduced, and the SECL is inserted.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the steps of inserting and positioning the SECL in the lens occurs prior to the step of introducing a fluid into the lens capsule.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of curing the fluid.

26. The method according to claim 1, wherein the SECL has integral alignment features.

27. The method according to claim 26, wherein the integral alignment features comprise indicia.

28. The method according to claim 1, wherein the SECL comprises a haptic.

29. The method according to claim 1, wherein the SECL comprises additional components selected from the group consisting of tints, UV blockers, blue blockers, color deficiency agents, contrast-enhancing agents and combinations thereof.

30. The method according to claim 1, wherein the polymer comprises additional components selected from the group consisting of tints, UV blockers, blue blockers, color deficiency agents, contrast-enhancing agents and combinations thereof.

31. The method according to claim 1, wherein the SECL can correct vision in a range of from about −

20 diopters to about 20 diopters.

5. A method of simultaneously supplementing refractive power of an eye and increasing accommodative capacity of an eye comprising the steps of:

performing a phaco-ersatz procedure to remove a lens from the lens capsule of an eye through a capsulorhexis;

introducing a polymer into the lens capsule through the capsulorhexis;

inserting a compacted SECL into the lens capsule through the capsulorhexis; and

positioning the SECL in the lens capsule.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising the step of curing the polymer.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein the steps of inserting and positioning the SECL in the lens occurs prior to the step of introducing a polymer into the lens capsule.

8. The method according to claim 5, wherein the polymer is a polymer gel.

9. The method according to claim 5, wherein the polymer gel is made from a material selected from the group consisting of siloxanes, hydrogels and combinations thereof.

10. The method according to claim 5, wherein the SECL is made from a material selected from the group consisting of polymethylphenylsiloxane, polyfluoropropylmethylsiloxane, hydroxyethyl methacrylate, methyl methacrylate, ethyl methacrylate, phenylethylacrylate, phenylethylmethylacrylate and combinations thereof.

11. The method according to claim 5, wherein the capsulorhexis has a diameter of less than about 1 mm.

12. The method according to claim 5, wherein the SECL is in a rolled orientation.

13. The method according to claim 5, wherein the SECL is in a rolled orientation.

14. The method according to claim 5, wherein the SECL is made from a material having a lower refractive index than the refractive index of the polymer.

15. The method according to claim 5, wherein the SECL is made from a material having a higher refractive index than the refractive index of the polymer.

16. The method according to claim 5, wherein the in situ refractive effect of the SECL is equal and opposite to the ametropia of an eye into which the SECL is implanted.

17. The method according to claim 5, wherein the SECL and the cured polymeric gel lens combine to produce emmetropia without significantly impairing accommodation.

18. The method according to claim 5, wherein the SECL has an integrated aberration control.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the aberration control can be predictably altered to affect accommodation.

20. The method according to claim 5, wherein the SECL has a predetermined degree of magnification.

21. The method according to claim 5, wherein the SECL is made from a material having a specific gravity of from about 0.9 to about 1.5.

22. The method according to claim 5, wherein the SECL has a specific gravity that is higher than the specific gravity of the polymer.

23. The method according to claim 5, wherein the SECL has a specific gravity that is lower than the specific gravity of the polymer.

24. The method according to claim 21, wherein the specific gravity of the SECL assists in the positioning of the SECL in the lens capsule.

25. The method according to claim 5, wherein the polymer has a specific gravity of from about 0.9 to about 1.5.

32. A method of simultaneously supplementing refractive power of an eye and increasing accommodative capacity of an eye comprising the steps of:

performing a phaco-ersatz procedure to remove a lens from the lens capsule of an eye through a capsulorhexis;

introducing a polymer gel into the lens capsule through the capuslorhexis, said polymer gel made from a material selected from the group consisting of siloxanes, hydrogels and combinations thereof;

inserting a SECL into the lens capsule through the capsulorhexis, said SECL made from a material selected from the group consisting of polymethylphenylsiloxane, polyfluoropropylmethylsiloxane, hydroxyethyl methacrylate, methyl methacrylate, ethyl methacrylate, phenylethylacrylate, phenylethylmethylacrylate and combinations thereof;

positioning the SECL in the lens capsule; and

curing the polymer gel.

33. The method according to claim 32, wherein the steps of inserting and positioning the SECL in the lens capsule occur prior to the step of introducing the polymer gel into the lens capsule.

34. A device for simultaneously supplementing refractive power of an eye and increasing accommodative capacity of an eye comprising an amount of fluid introduced into a substantially empty lens capsule of an eye, and a compacted SECL introduced into the lens capsule through the capsulorhexis and positioned in situ in the fluid to achieve the desired refractive power and accommodative capacity.

35. The device according to claim 34, wherein the fluid introduced into the lens capsule is cured after the SECL is positioned in the lens capsule.

36. The device according to claim 34, wherein the fluid is introduced through a capsulorhexis in the lens capsule, and the SECL is introduced into the lens capsule through the capsulorhexis.

54. The device according to claim 34, wherein the specific gravity of the fluid is from about 0.9 to about 1.5.

55. The device according to claim 34, wherein the SECL has integral alignment features.

56. The device according to claim 55, wherein the integral alignment features are integral indicia.

57. The device according to claim 34, wherein the SECL comprises a haptic.

58. The device according to claim 34, wherein the SECL comprises additional components.

59. The device according to claim 58 wherein the additional components are selected from the group consisting of tints, UV blockers, blue blockers, color deficiency agents, contract enhancement tints, and combinations thereof.

60. The device according to claim 34, wherein the SECL is convex.

61. The device according to claim 34, wherein the SECL can correct vision in a range of from about −

20 diopters to about 20 diopters.

37. A device for simultaneously supplementing refractive power of an eye and increasing accommodative capacity of an eye comprising an amount of polymer inserted into an empty lens capsule of an eye, and a SECL positioned in situ in the polymer to achieve the desired refractive power and accommodative capacity.

38. The device according to claim 37, wherein the polymer is cured

39. The device according to claim 37, wherein the polymer is a polymer gel.

40. The device according to claim 37, wherein the polymer is introduced through a capsulorhexis in the lens capsule, and the SECL is introduced into the lens capsule through the capsulorhexis.

41. The device according to claim 37, wherein the polymer is made from a material selected from the group consisting of siloxanes, hydrogels and combinations thereof.

42. The device according to claim 37, wherein the SECL is made from a material selected from the group consisting of polymethylphenylsiloxane, polyfluoropropylmethylsiloxane, hydroxyethyl methacrylate, methyl methacrylate, ethyl methacrylate, phenylethylacrylate, phenylethylmethylacrylate and combinations thereof.

43. The device according to claim 37, wherein the SECL is made from a material having a lower refractive index than the refractive index of the polymer.

44. The device according to claim 37, wherein the SECL is made from a material having a higher refractive index than the refractive index of the polymer.

45. The device according to claim 37, wherein the in situ refractive effect of the SECL is equal and opposite to the ametropia of an eye into which the SECL is implanted.

46. The device according to claim 38, wherein the SECL and the cured polymer combine to produce emmetropia without significantly impairing accommodation.

47. The device according to claim 37, wherein the SECL has an integrated aberration control.

48. The device according to claim 47, wherein the aberration control can be predictably altered to affect accommodation.

49. The device according to claim 37, wherein the SECL has a predetermined degree of magnification.

50. The device according to claim 37, wherein the SECL is made from a material having a specific gravity of from about 0.9 to about 1.5.

51. The device according to claim 37, wherein the specific gravity of the SECL is higher than the specific gravity of the polymer.

52. The device according to claim 37, wherein the specific gravity of the SECL is lower than the specific gravity of the polymer.

53. The device according to claim 50, wherein the specific gravity of the SECL assists in the positioning of the SECL in the lens capsule.

62. A device for simultaneously supplementing refractive power of an eye and increasing accommodative capacity of an eye comprising:

a polymer gel injected into an evacuated lens capsule through a capsulorhexis, said polymer gel made from a material selected from the group consisting of siloxanes, hydrogels, and combinations thereof; and

a SECL inserted through the capsulorhexis into the lens capsule and positioned within the polymer gel, said SECL made from a material selected from the group consisting of polymethylphenylsiloxane, polyfluoropropylmethylsiloxane, hydroxyethyl methacrylate, methyl methacrylate, ethyl methacrylate, phenylethylacrylate, phenylethylmethylacrylate and combinations thereof.