Mask configured to maintain nutrient transport without producing visible diffraction patterns

• US 8,460,374 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2005
• Issued: 06/11/2013
• 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.
• Primary Examiner(s): Willse, David H
• Application Number:
  US11/290,201
• Publication Number:
  US 20060079960A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,750 Days
• Field of Search: 623/5.12, 623/5.13, 623/FOR.104
• US Class Current: 623/5.12
• 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;

an aperture configured to transmit along an optic axis substantially all incident visible light and a portion configured to be substantially opaque to visible light and to surround at least a portion of the aperture; and

a plurality of nutrient flow paths positioned in the substantially opaque portion and extending at least partially between the anterior surface and the posterior surface, at least some of the nutrient flow paths having a hole entrance disposed on the anterior surface and a hole exit disposed on the posterior surface wherein the hole entrance and hole exit at least partially overlap to permit transmission of light, at least some of the nutrient flow paths configured to be disposed within an imaging area when the mask is implanted, the plurality of flow paths being configured to substantially eliminate diffraction patterns visible to the patient due to the transmission of visible light through the at least some of the nutrient flow paths and wherein the plurality of flow paths is configured to reduce depletion of at least one biological substance in adjacent tissue of at least one of the first corneal layer and the second corneal layer.

2. The mask of claim 1, wherein the flow paths are configured to prevent depletion of more than about 4 percent of the at least one biological substance in adjacent tissue of at least one of the first corneal layer and the second corneal layer.

3. The mask of claim 1, wherein the nutrient flow paths are configured to prevent depletion of glucose.

4. The mask of claim 1, wherein the flow paths are configured to enhance flow of the at least one biological substance between the anterior surface and the posterior surface of the mask.

5. The mask of claim 1, wherein a thickness of between about 5 micron and about 10 micron is defined between the anterior and posterior surfaces.

6. The mask of claim 1, wherein a thickness of about 8 micron is defined between the anterior and posterior surfaces.

7. The mask of claim 1, wherein each of the flow paths extends posteriorly from a hole entrance on the anterior surface, a total surface area of the hole entrances comprising about 5 percent or more of a total surface area of the anterior surface.

8. The mask of claim 1, wherein each of the flow paths extend posteriorly from a hole entrance on the anterior surface, each of the hole entrances having a perimeter of between about 20 and about 29 microns.

9. The mask of claim 1, wherein the aperture is configured as an opening extending between the anterior surface and the posterior surface.

10. The mask of claim 1, wherein the aperture has a dimension generally transverse to the optical axis, the dimension being about 2.2 millimeters or less.

11. The mask of claim 1, wherein the opaque portion is configured to be opaque to more than 99 percent of the light incident thereon.

12. The mask of claim 1, wherein the substantially opaque portion extends between an outer periphery of the mask and the optical axis, the substantially opaque portion comprising an inner region, an outer region, and a central region disposed between the inner and outer regions;

wherein the inner region or the outer region are lacking nutrient flow paths.

13. The mask of claim 12, wherein the inner region extends radially outwardly from an inner periphery by about 0.050 mm.

14. The mask of claim 12, wherein the outer region extends radially inwardly from the outer periphery by about 0.050 mm.

15. The mask of claim 14, wherein the inner region extends radially outwardly from an inner periphery by about 0.050 mm.

16. The mask of claim 1, wherein the nutrient flow paths are positioned at irregular locations.

17. The mask of claim 1, wherein at least one of size, shape, orientation, and spacing of one portion of the nutrient flow paths is different from at least one of size, shape, orientation, and spacing of another portion of the nutrient flow paths.

18. The mask of claim 1, wherein a first plurality of nutrient flow paths have a first minimum spacing from a nearest neighboring nutrient flow paths, and a second plurality of nutrient flow paths have a minimum spacing from a nearest neighboring hole that is different than the first minimum spacing.

22. The mask of claim 1, wherein the substantially opaque portion is configured to be at least partially disposed within the imaging area.

23. The mask of claim 1, wherein the substantially opaque portion includes a first area and a second area, the first area having a greater opacity than the second area, the first area located closer to the aperture than the second area.

25. The corneal inlay of claim 23, wherein the substantially opaque portion includes a first area and a second area, the first area having a greater opacity than the second area, the first area located closer to the aperture than the second area.

19. A corneal inlay comprising:

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

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

an aperture configured to transmit light therethrough and a portion configured to be substantially opaque to visible light and to surround at least a portion of the aperture, the aperture comprising an inner periphery surrounding a through-hole, the aperture producing a pin-hole effect to increase the depth of focus without employing a powered optic; and

a plurality of holes positioned in the substantially opaque portion and extending between the anterior surface and the posterior surface, the holes being substantially straight such that light can pass from the anterior surface to the posterior surface, the plurality of holes being configured to substantially eliminate diffraction patterns visible to the patient due to the transmission of visible light through the holes.

20. The corneal inlay of claim 19, wherein the plurality of holes is configured to reduce depletion of at least one biological substance in adjacent tissue of at least one of the first corneal layer and the second corneal layer.

21. 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;

an aperture configured to transmit light therethrough and a portion to be substantially opaque to visible light and to surround at least a portion of the aperture, the substantially opaque portion configured to be at least partially disposed within an imaging area; and

a plurality of holes extending linearly along an axis substantially parallel to an optic axis between the anterior surface and the posterior surface to allow some visible light to pass through the substantially opaque portion, at least some of the holes configured to be disposed within the imaging area when the mask is implanted, wherein the substantially opaque portion is configured to minimize projection of diffraction patterns onto a retina of the eye due to the transmission of visible light through the plurality of holes.

24. The corneal inlay of claim 21, wherein the substantially opaque portion is configured to be at least partially disposed within an imaging area.