Implantable ocular pump to reduce intraocular pressure

• US 20040111050A1
• Filed: 08/07/2003
• Published: 06/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Glaukos Corporation
• Original Assignee: Glaukos Corporation
• Inventors: Gharib, Morteza, Tu, Hosheng, Haffner, David, Smedley, Gregory
• Application Number:
  US10/636,797
• Publication Number:
  US 20040111050A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/9
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/0017 implantable in, or in contact with, the eye, e.g. ocular inserts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00781 Apparatus for modifying intraocular pressure, e.g. for glaucoma treatment drainage implants in general A61M27/002

Abstract

A trabecular pump is implantable in the eye to reduce intraocular pressure. The pump drains aqueous humor from the anterior chamber into outflow pathways, such as Schlemm'"'"'s canal. A feedback system includes an intraocular pump and a pressure sensor in communication with the pump, for regulating intraocular pressure.

Claims

1. An apparatus for transporting aqueous humor from the anterior chamber of an eye, the apparatus comprising:

an inlet that receives aqueous humor from the anterior chamber;

an outlet that outputs aqueous humor to a location outside the anterior chamber;

a pump that pumps aqueous humor from the inlet to the outlet, the pump comprising a pair of substantially one-way valves that are spaced to provide a fluid chamber therebetween.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the volume of said fluid chamber changes in response to a variation in intraocular pressure, to drive the pump.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the location outside the anterior chamber is Schlemm'"'"'s canal.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a power source coupled to the pump.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said power source is mechanical.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said pump is driven at least partially by changes in intraocular pressure that result from at least one of blinking and arterial pulse.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said sensor is electrically coupled to said pump.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensing is performed by a sensor in communication with the micropump.

7. A method of pumping aqueous humor from the anterior chamber of an eye to a location outside the anterior chamber, said method comprising:

providing a fluid chamber having an inlet that receives aqueous humor from the anterior chamber;

changing the volume of the fluid chamber such that the aqueous humor is pumped from the inlet end to an outlet located outside the anterior chamber.

8. An apparatus for transporting aqueous humor from the anterior chamber of an eye, comprising:

an inlet that receives aqueous humor from the anterior chamber;

an outlet that outputs aqueous humor to a location outside anterior chamber;

a pump that pumps aqueous humor from the inlet to the outlet;

a sensor that senses intraocular pressure and provides a signal indicative of the sensed intraocular pressure, said pump responsive to said signals to regulate flow through the pump.

10. A method of regulating intraocular pressure, the method comprising:

implanting a micropump in the eye such that said pump pumps fluid from the anterior chamber to a location outside the anterior chamber;

sensing intraocular pressure;

using the sensed intraocular pressure to adjust a flow of the fluid through the pump.