Intraoperative estimation of intraocular lens power

• US 7,988,291 B2
• Filed: 07/07/2009
• Issued: 08/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alcon Incorporated
• Original Assignee: WaveTec Vision Systems, Inc. (Alcon Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ianchulev, Tsontcho
• Primary Examiner(s): Stultz; Jessica T
• Application Number:
  US12/499,079
• Publication Number:
  US 20100030225A1
• Time in Patent Office: 756 Days
• Field of Search: 351/212, 606/107
• US Class Current: 351/212
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/0033 characterised by user input arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/1015 for wavefront analysis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/103 for determining refraction, e.g. refractometers, skiascopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/13 Ophthalmic microscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/16 Intraocular lenses
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/0017 implantable in, or in contact with, the eye, e.g. ocular inserts

Abstract

Apparatus for performing intraocular implant surgery, including surgical apparatus for performing intraocular implant surgery, an autorefraction device associated with the surgical apparatus, wherein the autorefraction device is configured to perform autorefraction on the aphakic eye to provide one or more aphakic refraction measurements, and a processor connected to the autorefraction device, wherein the processor is configured to process the aphakic refraction measurements and provide the user of the apparatus with information regarding the power of the intraocular lens.

Claims

1. Apparatus for performing intraocular implant surgery, comprising:

a surgical apparatus for performing intraocular implant surgery;

an autorefraction device associated with the surgical apparatus, wherein the autorefraction device is configured to perform autorefraction on the aphakic eye following extraction of the native lens, to provide one or more aphakic refraction measurements; and

a processor connected to the autorefraction device, wherein the processor is configured to process the aphakic refraction measurements and provide the user of the apparatus with information regarding the power of the intraocular lens, and wherein the processor uses a predictive model that provides a relationship between the autorefraction measurements and the power of the intraocular lens.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a display for providing the user of the apparatus with the information regarding the power of the intraocular lens.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the autorefraction device is attached to or integrated with the surgical apparatus.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the surgical apparatus is a surgical microscope and the autorefraction device comprises an autorefraction device configured to be moved into place for making refraction measurements following extraction of the native lens using the surgical microscope.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the autorefraction device is a portable autorefraction device that is configured to be used with the surgical apparatus while the patient is in a surgical position following surgical extraction of the lens.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the autorefraction device comprises a retinoscope.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the autorefraction device comprises a wavefront-based autorefraction device.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the autorefraction device comprises an apparatus for measuring the aphakic dioptric state, the deficiency of the ocular system, or both the aphakic dioptric state and the deficiency of the ocular system.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the autorefraction device comprises or works in combination with an external lens, contact lens, intraocular lens, or other component with refractive or medium properties positioned along the optical axis along an autorefraction measurement trajectory.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the surgical apparatus comprises a surgical microscope that includes an ocular piece or display for centration and positioning and a control for XYZ movement, and wherein the autorefraction device is positioned and configured so that the control can adjust the position of the autorefraction device relative to the eye.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the power of the intraocular lens comprises one or both of a spherical power and a cylindrical power.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the surgical apparatus is a surgical microscope.