System and method for increasing the depth of focus of the human eye

• US 8,343,215 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2008
• Issued: 01/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Healthcare Royalty Partners II LP (Toronto-Dominion Bank)
• Original Assignee: Acufocus, Inc.
• Inventors: Blanco, Ernesto, Miller, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Willse, David H
• Assistant Examiner(s): BLANCO, JAVIER G
• Application Number:
  US12/182,056
• Publication Number:
  US 20090021692A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,617 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 623/5.11
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/145 Corneal inlays, onlays, or lenses for refractive correction
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/15 Implant having one or more holes, e.g. for nutrient transport, for facilitating handling
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/1613 having special lens configurations, e.g. multipart lenses; having particular optical properties, e.g. pseudo-accommodative lenses, lenses having aberration corrections, diffractive lenses, lenses for variably absorbing electromagnetic radiation, lenses having variable focus
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/1659 having variable absorption coefficient for electromagnetic radiation, e.g. photochromic lenses
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/1699 Additional features not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0098 radio-opaque, e.g. radio-opaque markers
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2323/34 Use of radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 2202/20 Diffractive and Fresnel lenses or lens portions
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 2202/22 Correction of higher order and chromatic aberrations, wave front measurement and calculation
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/04 Contact lenses for the eyes disinfection or sterilisation of contact lenses A61L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/042 Simultaneous type
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/044 Annular configuration, e.g. pupil tuned
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/046 Contact lenses having an iris pattern
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/12 Polarisers
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/16 Shades; shields; Obturators, e.g. with pinhole, with slot G02C5/003 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/165 with stenopaeic apertures

Abstract

A method and apparatus for increasing the depth of focus of the human eye is comprised of a lens body, an optic in the lens body configured to produce light interference, and a pinhole-like optical aperture substantially in the center of the optic. The optic may be configured to produce light scattering or composed of a light reflective material. Alternatively, the optic may increase the depth of focus via a combination of light interference, light scattering, light reflection and/or light absorption. The optic may also be configured as a series of concentric circles, a weave, a pattern of particles, or a pattern of curvatures. One method involves screening a patient for an ophthalmic lens using a pinhole screening device in the lens to increase the patient'"'"'s depth of focus. Another method comprises surgically implanting a mask in the patient'"'"'s eye to increase the depth of focus.

Claims

1. A method for implanting a mask in a cornea comprising an epithelial sheet, a Bowman'"'"'s membrane, and a stroma, the stroma having a top layer, the method comprising:

creating a flap in a portion of the cornea;

creating a depression in the top layer of the stroma by completely removing a portion of the stroma from the cornea, the depression being of sufficient depth and width to accommodate a mask, the mask comprising a centrally located pinhole-like optical aperture and a structure surrounding the aperture, the structure further having varying degrees of opacity, each of the varying degrees of opacity preventing transmission of a substantial portion of visible light incident on the structure;

placing the mask in the depression; and

placing the flap over the mask,

wherein the mask increases the depth of focus of the eye and a curvature of the cornea is not substantially changed after placing the mask.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the mask is configured to produce light interference.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the mask is configured to produce light scattering.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the mask is configured to produce reflection.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the mask is configured to block visual aberrations.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

placing a contact lens over at least a portion of the cornea until the epithelial sheet has grown over the hinged Bowman'"'"'s membrane.

7. A method for implanting an ophthalmic device in a cornea comprising an epithelial sheet, a Bowman'"'"'s membrane, and a stroma, the stroma having a top layer, the method comprising:

creating a channel in the stroma by completely removing a portion of the stroma from the cornea, the channel being in a plane parallel to the cornea'"'"'s surface; and

placing an ophthalmic device in the channel, the ophthalmic device comprising a mask comprising a centrally located pinhole-like optical aperture and a structure surrounding the aperture, the structure further having varying degrees of opacity, each of the varying degrees of opacity preventing transmission of a substantial portion of visible light incident on the structure,

wherein the mask increases the depth of focus of the eye and a curvature of the cornea is not substantially changed after implanting the mask.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the mask is configured to produce light interference.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the mask is configured to produce light scattering.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the mask is configured to produce light reflection.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the mask is configured to block visual aberrations.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising threading the mask into the channel.

13. The method of claim 7, further comprising injecting the mask into the channel.

14. A method for implanting a mask in a cornea, the mask configured to increase the depth of focus of the human eye, the cornea comprising an epithelium sheet, the method comprising:

forming a corneal flap, the corneal flap comprising substantially the outermost 20% of the cornea;

placing a mask on a portion of the cornea exposed by the flap, the mask configured to provide an optical effect whereby the depth of focus of the human eye is increased, the mask comprising a centrally located pinhole-like optical aperture and a structure surrounding the aperture, the structure further having varying degrees of opacity, each of the varying degrees of opacity preventing transmission of a substantial portion of visible light incident on the structure; and

placing the corneal flap over the mask,

wherein a curvature of the cornea is not substantially changed after implanting the mask.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the mask is configured to produce light interference.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the mask is configured to produce light scattering.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the mask is configured to produce light reflection.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the mask is configured to block visual aberrations.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

placing a contact lens over a portion of the cornea until the epithelial sheet has grown over the hinged corneal flap.

20. A method for implanting an ophthalmic device in a cornea comprising a stroma, the method comprising:

creating a pocket in the stroma, the pocket being of sufficient size to accommodate an ophthalmic device, the ophthalmic device comprising a mask configured to provide an optical effect whereby the depth of focus of the human eye is increased, the mask comprising a centrally located pinhole-like optical aperture and a structure surrounding the aperture, the structure further having varying degrees of opacity, each of the varying degrees of opacity preventing transmission of a substantial portion of visible light incident on the structure; and

placing the ophthalmic device in the pocket,

wherein a curvature of the cornea is not substantially changed after implanting the mask.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the mask is configured to produce light interference.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the mask is configured to produce light scattering.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the mask is configured to produce light reflection.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the mask is configured to block visual aberrations.