Intra-ocular lens
First Claim
1. As an article of manufacture, an optically finished intra-ocular lens element having a generally circular periphery about its optical axis, and a mounting adapter for said lens element, said adapter comprising circumferentially continuous ring-body means is substantial conformance with and in generally registering adjacency to the periphery of said lens element, said body means including (a) first retaining means engaging said lens element at least at diametrically opposed locations and in retaining overlap over one axial side of said periphery and (b) second retaining means engaging said lens element at least at diametrically opposed locations which are angularly interlaced with said first-mentioned locations and which are in retaining overlap over the other axial side of said periphery, and first and second pluralities of lens-positioning feet integral with said ring body and radially outwardly extending therefrom in angularly spaced and interlaced relation, the feet of at least one of said pairs being flexibly compliant to permit transient resilient inward bending to facilitate operative insertion via an iris opening.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention contemplates improved techniques for making lens implants for use in ophthalmological surgery, the lens being a replacement for a cataract-clouded natural lens, and the replacement being installed in the pupil at the iris as the operative step following removal of the cataracted lens. The lens produced by the inventive method features adapter structure assembled to an intra-ocular lens element and having first and second pluralities of radially outward stabilizing feet, the feet of one plurality being in angularly spaced and interlaced relation with the feet of the other plurality; and the respective pluralities of stabilizing feet are on opposite sides of the iris, enabling the iris to retain and position the implanted lens. At least two diametrically opposed feet are resiliently compliant and have openings for removable engagement with a manipulative tool.
144 Citations
32 Claims
- 1. As an article of manufacture, an optically finished intra-ocular lens element having a generally circular periphery about its optical axis, and a mounting adapter for said lens element, said adapter comprising circumferentially continuous ring-body means is substantial conformance with and in generally registering adjacency to the periphery of said lens element, said body means including (a) first retaining means engaging said lens element at least at diametrically opposed locations and in retaining overlap over one axial side of said periphery and (b) second retaining means engaging said lens element at least at diametrically opposed locations which are angularly interlaced with said first-mentioned locations and which are in retaining overlap over the other axial side of said periphery, and first and second pluralities of lens-positioning feet integral with said ring body and radially outwardly extending therefrom in angularly spaced and interlaced relation, the feet of at least one of said pairs being flexibly compliant to permit transient resilient inward bending to facilitate operative insertion via an iris opening.
- 10. As an article of manufacture, a single unitary flexibly compliant mounting-adapter element having capability of assembly to another such mounting-adapter element for iris-stabilized mounting of an intra-ocular lens element of circular peripheral contour, comprising a circumferentially continuous centrally open inner-rim body formation of inner diameter less than the outer diameter of the lens element and for axial-retaining abutment with one axial side of the rim of the lens element, a pair of lens-positioning feet integral with diametrically opposed quadrant regions of said body formation and radially outwardly extending therefrom, and foot-engaging means integrally formed with opposed remaining quadrant regions of said body formation, each said foot-engaging means being at a radius greater than such lens-element outer radius and including means having interlocking engagement with one lens-positioning foot of another such mounting-adapter element when the latter is assembled to the other axial side of the lens element and when lens-positioning feet of the two such mounting-adapter elements are in quadrant-staggered interlace.
- 15. In combination, a hypodermic needle, and an intra-ocular lens-and-mount assembly pre-assembled to said needle, the mount of said assembly including flexibly compliant apertured iris-stabilizing feet projecting radially outward of generally diametrically opposed regions of said lens-and-mount assembly, said feet being resiliently bent to one axial side of said assembly, and said needle passing through an aperture of each of said feet and generally diametrically across said axial side of said assembly.
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19. The method of operatively installing a pre-assembled intra-ocular lens and its mount at an iris opening, such mount having diametrically opposed and apertured resiliently compliant radially projecting lens-positioning feet to be stabilized by and behind the iris, each of said feet having an aperture for manipulative-tool engagement, which method comprises selecting a saline-solution syringe having a hypodermic-needle discharge orifice, assembling the pre-assembled lens and mount to the hypodermic needle with the needle passing transverse to the lens axis by transiently resiliently deforming said feet to permit needle insertion on a diametrical alignment through both apertures, manipulating the pre-assembly via the syringe so as to place first one and then the other deformed foot behind the iris, removing the needle from the iris-engaged pre-assembly, and discharging syringe solution to fill the eye cavity during at least a part of such manipulation.
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20. In combination, a manipulable tool having an elongate end along which an intra-ocular lens-and-mount assembly is pre-assembled, the mount of said assembly including flexibly compliant apertured iris-stabilizing feet projecting radially outward of generally diametrically opposed regions of said lens-and-mount assembly, said feet being resiliently bent to one side of said assembly, and said elongate end passing through an aperture of each of said feet and generally diametrically across said axial side of said assembly and retaining the resiliently bent condition of said feet, whereby insertion of said feet via an iris opening is facilitated by the thus-retained condition of said feet, and whereby longitudinal removal of said elongate end by retraction from said apertures will allow the resilient compliance of said feet to assume a more radially outwardly directed and iris-stabilized position.
- 21. An intra-ocular lens-implant kit, comprising a package containing an intra-ocular lens and mount in assembled relation, said mount including flexibly compliant apertured iris-stabilizing feet projecting radially outward of generally diametrically opposed regions of said assembled lens and mount, and a disposable mount-engageable manipulable tool having an elongate end of sufficient length and reduced section as to be retractably enterable in generally diametrically aligned apertures of said feet when said feet are resiliently bent to one axial side of said assembled lens and mount.
- 24. As an article of manufacture, a single unitary mounting-adapter element having capability of assembly to an optically finished intra-ocular lens element of circular peripheral contour, comprising a blank formed from relatively thin flexibly compliant sheet plastic material, said blank comprising a circumferentially continuous centrally open body in substantial conformance with and for generally registering adjacency to the periphery of the lens element, the contour of the central opening of said body being characterized by at least four angularly spaced tabs separated by cutaway regions extending at least to the locus of the lens-periphery diameter, and at least four iris-stabilizing lens-positioning feet extending radially outwardly of said body at angularly spaced locations.
Specification