Eye wall anchored fixtures

• US 20060253151A1
• Filed: 07/11/2006
• Published: 11/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ForSight VISION6, Inc.
• Original Assignee: NuLens Ltd.
• Inventors: Nun, Joshua Ben
• Granted Patent: US 7,976,520 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/219
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/00234 for minimally invasive surgery A61B17/0218, A61B17/0469, A61B17/12013, A61B17/1285, A61B17/29, A61B17/320016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0401 Suture anchors, buttons or pledgets, i.e. means for attaching sutures to bone, cartilage or soft tissue; Instruments for applying or removing suture anchors A61B17/0642 takes precedence; fixation devices for tendons or ligaments A61F2/0811
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06176 with protrusions, e.g. barbs
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/165 Non-contacting tonometers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/076 Permanent implantations telemetry using implanted circuitry A61B5/0031; implanted stimulators for therapy A61N1/3605, A61N1/362, A61N1/372
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4839 combined with drug delivery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6882 Anchoring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/0017 implantable in, or in contact with, the eye, e.g. ocular inserts

Abstract

Eye wall anchored fixtures each including at least one elongated anchor member for driven lengthwise insertion into an eye'"'"'s eye wall in a transverse direction to its thickness for supporting an intraocular device in the eye'"'"'s vitreous cavity. Fixtures are preferably anchored in circumferential incisions in a human adult eye'"'"'s pars plana preferably 3.5 mm posterior to its corneal limbus, and perpendicular to a circumferential incision. The fixtures are either generally L-shaped with a single elongated anchor member designed for withdrawal from an eye wall or self-anchoring thereinto, or generally T-shaped with a pair of oppositely directed self-anchoring elongated anchor members for sealing a throughgoing incision. Intraocular devices can be designed for intraocular drug delivery, for acquiring intraocular physiological measurements, and the like.

Claims

1. An eye wall anchored fixture for implantation in an eye having an eye wall and a vitreous cavity, the fixture comprising an L-shaped element including at least one elongated anchor member for driven lengthwise insertion into the eye wall in a transverse direction to the eye wall'"'"'s thickness, each said at least one elongated anchor member having a length in the range of about 1 mm to about 3 mm and a diameter in the range of about 100 μ

m to about 200 μ

m, and a support member mounted on said at least one elongated anchor member for supporting an intraocular device in the eye'"'"'s vitreous cavity.

2. The fixture according to claim 1 wherein said length is in the range of 2 mm±

0.50 mm.

3. The fixture according to claim 1 wherein said diameter is in the range of 150 μ

m±

10 μ

m.

4. The fixture according to claim 1 wherein said at least one elongated anchor member includes a single elongated anchor member with a self-anchoring leading end for anchoring the fixture in an eye wall on its driven lengthwise insertion there into.

5. The fixture according to claim 1 wherein said at least one elongated anchor member includes a pair of oppositely directed elongated anchor members each with a self-anchoring leading end whereby the fixture is capable of sealing a throughgoing incision in an eye wall via which it is implanted therein.

6. The fixture according to claim 1 wherein said support member is integrally formed with said intraocular device.

7. The fixture according to claim 6 wherein said intraocular device administers an intraocular drug.

8. The fixture according to claim 6 wherein said intraocular device acquires intraocular physiological measurements.

9. The fixture according to claim 1 wherein said support member includes an attachment device for supporting a discrete intraocular device in an eye'"'"'s vitreous cavity.

10. The fixture according to claim 1 wherein said support member includes a multitude of discrete drug containing capsules therealong for individually releasing their contents into an eye'"'"'s vitreous cavity.

11. The fixture according to claim 10 wherein said support member includes sealing self-anchoring fixtures at its opposite ends.

12. The fixture according to claim 10 wherein said multitude of discrete drug containing capsules are enclosed by a soft silicone sheath.

13. The fixture according to claim 10 wherein said drug containing capsules have external shells formed from self degradable biocompatible material for controlled drug release.

14. The fixture according to claim 10 wherein said drug containing capsules have external shells formed from non degradable biocompatible material intended for selective rupturing by external means.