Mask configured to maintain nutrient transport without producing visible diffraction patterns

• US 20050033420A1
• Filed: 05/26/2004
• Published: 02/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Healthcare Royalty Partners II LP (Toronto-Dominion Bank)
• Original Assignee: Acufocus, Inc.
• Inventors: Christie, Bruce A., Silvestrini, Thomas A., Hahnen, Kevin F.
• Granted Patent: US 7,628,810 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/5.120
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/152 for aligning
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/14 Eye parts, e.g. lenses, corneal implants; Implanting instruments specially adapted therefor; Artificial eyes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/145 Corneal inlays, onlays, or lenses for refractive correction
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/147 Implants to be inserted in the stroma for refractive correction, e.g. ring-like implants
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/15 Implant having one or more holes, e.g. for nutrient transport, for facilitating handling
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/1601 Lens body having features to facilitate aqueous fluid flow across the intraocular lens, e.g. for pressure equalization or nutrient delivery
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/1689 having plate-haptics
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/1696 Having structure for blocking or reducing amount of light transmitted, e.g. glare reduction
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/1699 Additional features not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0023 differing in porosity
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0067 Means for introducing or releasing pharmaceutical products into the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0098 radio-opaque, e.g. radio-opaque markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/007 Methods or devices for eye surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 27/02 Ophthalmic agents
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 2202/04 Lenses comprising decentered structures
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/04 Contact lenses for the eyes disinfection or sterilisation of contact lenses A61L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/046 Contact lenses having an iris pattern
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/165 with stenopaeic apertures

Abstract

A mask configured to be implanted in a cornea of a patient to increase the depth of focus of the patient includes an anterior surface, a posterior surface, and a plurality of holes. The anterior surface is configured to reside adjacent a first corneal layer. The posterior surface is configured to reside adjacent a second corneal layer. The plurality of holes extends at least partially between the anterior surface and the posterior surface. The holes of the plurality of holes are configured to substantially eliminate visible diffraction patterns.

Claims

1. A mask configured to be implanted in a cornea of a patient to increase the depth of focus of the patient, the mask comprising:

an anterior surface configured to reside adjacent a first corneal layer;

a posterior surface configured to reside adjacent a second corneal layer; and

a plurality of holes extending at least partially between the anterior surface and the posterior surface, the plurality of holes being configured to substantially eliminate diffraction patterns visible to the patient.

2. The mask of claim 1, further comprising an aperture configured to transmit along an optic axis substantially all incident light and a substantially opaque portion surrounding at least a portion of the aperture.

3. The mask of claim 1, wherein the plurality of holes comprises a first plurality of holes and a second plurality of holes, each of the holes of the first plurality being separated by a first spacing and at least one of the holes of the second plurality being separated from an adjacent hole of the first plurality by a second spacing that is different from the first spacing.

4. The mask of claim 1, wherein a non-uniform spacing is provided between a substantial number of the plurality of holes.

5. The mask of claim 4, wherein each of the holes has a substantially constant cross-sectional shape and the cross-sectional shape of a substantial number of the plurality of holes is non-uniform.

6. The mask of claim 5, wherein a substantial number of the holes comprise an elongate uniform facet located at the anterior surface of the mask, a substantial number of the facets having a non-uniform orientation.

7. The mask of claim 4, wherein a substantial number of the holes comprise an elongate uniform facet located at the anterior surface of the mask, a substantial number of the facets having a non-uniform orientation.

8. The mask of claim 4, further comprises an outer peripheral region and a hole region, wherein substantially all of the plurality of holes are located in the hole region.

9. The mask of claim 8, wherein the outer peripheral region extends from an outer periphery of the mask to a selected outer circumference of the mask, the selected outer circumference being a radial distance of about 0.05 mm from the outer periphery.

10. The mask of claim 8, further comprising an inner peripheral region, the hole region being located between the inner peripheral region and the outer peripheral region.

11. The mask of claim 10, wherein the inner peripheral region extends from an inner periphery of the mask to a selected inner circumference of the mask, the selected inner circumference being a radial distance of about 0.05 mm from the inner periphery.

12. The mask of claim 4, further comprising an inner peripheral region and a hole region, wherein substantially all of the plurality of holes are located in the hole region.

13. The mask of claim 12, wherein the inner peripheral region extends from an inner periphery of the mask to a selected inner circumference of the mask, the selected inner circumference being a radial distance of about 0.05 mm from the inner periphery.

14. The mask of claim 4, wherein a wall thickness is defined as the shortest distance between adjacent holes, the wall thickness being no less than about 20 microns.

15. The mask of claim 1, wherein each of the holes has a substantially constant cross-sectional shape and the cross-sectional shape of a substantial number of the holes is non-uniform.

16. The mask of claim 15, wherein a substantial number of the holes comprise an elongate uniform facet located at the anterior surface of the mask, a′

substantial number of the facets having a non-uniform orientation.

17. The mask of claim 1, wherein a substantial number of the holes comprise an elongate uniform facet located at the anterior surface of the mask, a substantial number of the facets having a non-uniform orientation.

Wavefront

18. The mask of claim 1, wherein at least one of the holes generates a wavefront that is substantially destructively interfered with by a wavefront generated by another hole.

19. The mask of claim 1, wherein a first hole is configured to rotate a first wavefront of light by a first amount and a second hole is configured to rotate a second wavefront by a second amount different from the first amount such that the first wavefront is substantially destructively interfered with by the second wavefront.

Tortuous path

20. The mask of claim 1, wherein at least one of the holes extends along a transport axis and is configured to substantially prevent propagation of light from the anterior surface to the posterior surface through the at least one hole.

21. The mask of claim 20, wherein at least one of the holes has a transverse size that is less than a thickness of the mask and is formed along the transport axis at an angle with respect to an optic axis of the mask that substantially prevents propagation of light from the anterior surface to the posterior surface through the at least one hole.

22. The mask of claim 20, wherein the transport axis of at least one hole is formed at an angle with respect to an optic axis of the mask that is large enough to prevent the projection of most of the an anterior end of the hole from overlapping a posterior end of the hole.

23. The mask of claim 22, wherein the angle is at least about forty degrees.

24. The mask of claim 20, wherein the at least one hole is configured to transport nutrients across the mask to prevent substantial nutrient depletion in adjacent tissue of at least one of the first corneal layer and the second corneal layer.

25. The mask of claim 1, wherein at least one of the holes extends along a non-linear path that substantially prevents propagation of light from the anterior surface to the posterior surface through the at least one hole.

26. The mask of claim 25, wherein the at least one hole is configured to substantially prevent nutrient depletion in adjacent tissue of at least one of the first corneal layer and the second corneal layer.

27. The mask of claim 25, further comprising a first mask layer and a second mask layer, the first mask layer comprising the anterior surface and a first hole portion extending along a first transport axis, the second mask layer comprising the posterior surface and a second hole portion extending along a second transport axis, the first and second transport axes not being collinear.

Materials (tortuous path)

28. The mask of claim 25, wherein the holes are formed in an open cell foams material.

29. The mask of claim 25, wherein the holes are formed in an expanded solid material.

More on nutrient depletion

30. The mask of claim 1, wherein the at least one hole is configured to substantially prevent nutrient depletion in adjacent tissue of at least one of the first corneal layer and the second corneal layer.

31. The mask of claim 30, wherein the holes are configured to prevent depletion of more than about 4 percent of at least one biological substance in adjacent tissue of at least one of the first corneal layer and the second corneal layer.

32. The mask of claim 30, wherein the holes are configured to prevent depletion of glucose.

33. The mask of claim 1, wherein the holes also are configured to enhance nutrient flow between the anterior surface and the posterior surface of the mask.

34. A mask configured to be implanted in a cornea of a patient to increase the depth of focus of the patient, the mask comprising:

a body having an anterior surface configured to reside adjacent a first corneal layer and a posterior surface configured to reside adjacent a second corneal layer, the body being formed of a substantially opaque material having a relatively high water content and being capable of substantially maintaining natural nutrient flow between the first corneal layer and the second corneal layer, the body being configured to substantially eliminate diffraction patterns that are visible to the patient.

35. The mask of claim 34, wherein the material is capable of maintaining at least about ninety-six percent of the natural nutrient flow from the first corneal layer to the second corneal layer.

36. The mask of claim 34, further comprising an aperture substantially surrounded by the body and configured to transmit from the anterior surface to the posterior surface along an optic axis substantially all of the incident light.

Methods

37. A method of making a mask, comprising:

configuring a body to have an anterior surface capable of residing adjacent a first layer of a cornea of a patient and a posterior surface capable of residing adjacent a second layer of the cornea;

configuring a peripheral portion of the body to be substantially opaque to incident light;

configuring a central portion of the body to be transparent along an optic axis to substantially all of the incident light; and

configuring the body with a transport structure capable of substantially maintaining natural nutrient flow from the first layer to the second layer without producing visible diffraction patterns.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the body is configured to maintain transport of at least ninety-six percent of natural glucose flow.

39. The method of claim 37, wherein configuring the body with a transport structure further comprises forming a plurality of holes in the body and configuring the holes to substantially prevent propagation therethrough of light from the anterior surface to the posterior surface.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein forming the plurality of holes further comprises forming a substantial number of the holes with a transverse size that is less than a thickness of the mask and with a transport axis at an angle with respect to an optic axis of the mask such that the propagation of light from the anterior surface to the posterior surface through the holes is substantially prevented.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein at least one of the hole is formed along a transport axis that forms an angle with respect to the optic axis that is large enough to prevent the projection of most of the an anterior end of the hole from overlapping the posterior end of the hole.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the angle is greater than about forty degrees.

43. The method of claim 39, wherein forming the plurality of holes further comprises drilling the plurality of holes.

44. The method of claim 39, wherein forming the plurality of holes further comprises forming a substantial number of the plurality of holes along a non-linear transport axis.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein forming the substantial number of the plurality of holes along a non-linear transport axis further comprises:

providing a first mask layer comprising the anterior surface and a first hole portion extending along a first transport axis;

providing a second mask layer comprising the posterior surface and a second hole portion extending along a second transport axis; and

coupling the first mask layer with the second mask layer such that the first transport axis and the second axis are not collinear.

46. A method of making a mask, comprising:

providing a body having an anterior surface configured to reside adjacent a first layer of a cornea of a patient, a posterior surface to reside adjacent a second layer of the cornea, an outer periphery, and an inner periphery;

generating a plurality of non-uniform locations for forming a plurality of holes between the anterior surface and the posterior surface;

modifying a subset of locations among the plurality of locations to maintain a performance characteristic of the mask; and

forming a hole in the body at locations corresponding to the subset of locations, the holes configured to substantially maintain natural nutrient flow from the first layer to the second layer without producing visible diffraction patterns.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the subset of location is modified to maintain the structural integrity of the mask.

48. The method of claim 47, further comprising defining an outer band that extends between the outer periphery and a selected outer circumference of the mask, the selected outer circumference being a radial distance of about 0.05 mm from the outer periphery.

49. The method of claim 48, further comprising defining an inner band that extends between the inner periphery and a selected inner circumference of the mask, the selected inner circumference being a radial distance of about 0.05 mm from the inner periphery.

50. The method of claim 47, further comprising defining an inner band that extends between the inner periphery and a selected inner circumference of the mask, the selected inner circumference being a radial distance of about 0.05 mm from the inner periphery.

51. The method of claim 46, wherein the subset of locations is modified so that a dimension corresponding to a wall thickness defined as the shortest distance between adjacent locations is no less than about 20 microns.

52. The method of claim 46, wherein the subset of locations is modified to maintain an optical characteristic of the mask.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein the optical characteristic is opacity.

54. The method of claim 46, wherein the subset of location is modified to maintain nutrient transport of the mask.

55. The method of claim 54, wherein the subset of location is modified to maintain glucose transport.

56. The method of claim 55, wherein modifying further comprises equalizing optical density in a first region of the body compared with a second region of the body.

57. The method of claim 56, wherein equalizing further comprise comparing a first areal density of locations in the first region with a second areal density of locations in the second region and adding at least one location to the plurality of location based on the relative areal density of the first and second locations.

58. The method of claim 56, wherein equalizing further comprise comparing a first areal density of locations in the first region with a second areal density of locations in the second region and removing at least one location from the plurality of location based on the relative areal density of the first and second locations.

59. The method of claim 56, wherein the first region and the second region are wedges of substantially equal area.