Scleral prosthesis for treating presbyopia and other eye disorders and related devices and methods

• US 9,504,559 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2015
• Issued: 11/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Refocus Group Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Refocus Group Incorporated
• Inventors: Jacobson, Harry R. A., Griffis, Jack C. III, Cox, Mark A., Williamson, Douglas C., Zdenek, Gene W., Richardson, Peter J., Smolek, Michael K., Soloway, Barrie D., Bare, Rex O., Scherer, Andrew J., Payne, Timothy J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Blanco, Javier
• Application Number:
  US14/975,152
• Publication Number:
  US 20160166377A1
• Time in Patent Office: 347 Days
• Field of Search: 623/4.1, 604/8
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/083 Clips, e.g. resilient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/10 for applying or removing wound clamps, e.g. containing only one clamp or staple A61B17/076 takes precedence; containing multiple wound clamps A61B17/068; Wound clamp magazines containers, packaging elements or packages specially adapted for particular articles or with special means for dispensing contents B65D83/00, B65D85/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/14 Eye parts, e.g. lenses, corneal implants; Implanting instruments specially adapted therefor; Artificial eyes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/147 Implants to be inserted in the stroma for refractive correction, e.g. ring-like implants
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/148 Implantation instruments specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/1624 having adjustable focus; power activated variable focus means, e.g. mechanically or electrically by the ciliary muscle or from the outside
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/00 Particular material properties of prostheses classified in groups A61F2/00 - A61F2/26 or A61F2/82 or A61F9/00 or A61F11/00 or subgroups thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0023 operated at different temperatures whilst inside or touching the human body, heated or cooled by external energy source or cold supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/009 magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/0017 implantable in, or in contact with, the eye, e.g. ocular inserts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00781 Apparatus for modifying intraocular pressure, e.g. for glaucoma treatment drainage implants in general A61M27/002
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/0051 Ocular inserts, ocular implants

Abstract

A scleral prosthesis includes an elongated body configured to be implanted into scleral tissue of an eye. The elongated body includes opposing first and second ends. Multiple portions form the first end of the body and part of a remainder of the body between the first and second ends. The first and second ends are wider than the remainder of the body. The multiple portions of the body are separated by empty space such that the multiple portions meet at a point between the first and second ends of the body and are not connected to each other between that point and the first end of the body. The second end of the body is integral with the remainder of the body and not divided into multiple separated portions.

Claims

1. A scleral prosthesis comprising:

an elongated body configured to be implanted into scleral tissue of an eye;

wherein the elongated body comprises opposing first and second ends;

wherein multiple portions on opposite sides of the body form the first end of the body and part of a remainder of the body between the first and second ends, the first and second ends wider than the remainder of the body;

wherein the multiple portions of the body are separated along at least half of a total length of the body by empty space such that the multiple portions meet at a point between the first and second ends of the body and are not connected to each other between that point and the first end of the body; and

wherein the second end of the body is integral with the remainder of the body and not divided into multiple separated portions.

2. The scleral prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the remainder of the body that is smaller in width than the first and second ends extends between the first and second ends along at least about 70% of the total length of the body.

3. The scleral prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the multiple portions of the body are biased so that they maintain separation from one another without external interference but are configured to be pushed towards each other in order to reduce a width of the first end.

4. The scleral prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the first and second ends project substantially perpendicular beyond one or more sides of the remainder of the body.

5. The scleral prosthesis of claim 1, wherein opposing sides of the remainder of the body are substantially parallel along at least a substantial portion of the total length of the body.

6. The scleral prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the empty space tapers from a first larger width adjacent the first end to a smaller width and then expands to a second larger width adjacent the point where the multiple portions of the body meet.

7. The scleral prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the body comprises at least one magnetic material.

8. A system comprising:

a scleral prosthesis comprising;

an elongated body configured to be implanted into scleral tissue of an eye;

wherein the elongated body comprises opposing first and second ends;

wherein multiple portions on opposite sides of the body form the first end of the body and part of a remainder of the body between the first and second ends, the first and second ends wider than the remainder of the body;

wherein the multiple portions of the body are separated along at least half of a total length of the body by empty space such that the multiple portions meet at a point between the first and second ends of the body and are not connected to each other between that point and the first end of the body; and

wherein the second end of the body is integral with the remainder of the body and not divided into multiple separated portions; and

an insert configured to be placed between the multiple portions of the body.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the remainder of the body that is smaller in width than the first and second ends extends between the first and second ends along at least about 70% of the total length of the body.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the multiple portions of the body are biased so that they maintain separation from one another without external interference but are configured to be pushed towards each other in order to reduce a width of the first end.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the first and second ends project substantially perpendicular beyond one or more sides of the remainder of the body.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein opposing sides of the remainder of the body are substantially parallel along at least a substantial portion of the total length of the body.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the empty space tapers from a first larger width adjacent the first end to a smaller width and then expands to a second larger width adjacent the point where the multiple portions of the body meet.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the insert tapers from a first larger width configured to be placed adjacent the first end to a smaller width and then expands to a second larger width configured to be placed adjacent the point where the multiple portions of the body meet.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the first larger width is wider than the second larger width.

16. The system of claim 8, wherein:

the multiple portions of the body include a right portion and a left portion;

the right portion includes a first ridge extending inwardly from the right portion towards the left portion;

the left portion includes a second ridge extending inwardly from the left portion towards the right portion; and

the ridges are configured to engage with slots of the insert.

17. The system of claim 8, wherein at least one of the body and the insert comprises at least one magnetic material.

18. A method comprising:

obtaining an elongated body configured to be implanted into scleral tissue of an eye;

wherein the elongated body comprises opposing first and second ends;

wherein multiple portions on opposite sides of the body form the first end of the body and part of a remainder of the body between the first and second ends, the first and second ends wider than the remainder of the body;

wherein the multiple portions of the body are separated along at least half of a total length of the body by empty space such that the multiple portions meet at a point between the first and second ends of the body and are not connected to each other between that point and the first end of the body; and

wherein the second end of the body is integral with the remainder of the body and not divided into multiple separated portions; and

placing an insert between the multiple portions of the body.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the remainder of the body that is smaller in width than the first and second ends extends between the first and second ends along at least about 70% of the total length of the body.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the multiple portions of the body are biased so that they maintain separation from one another without external interference but are configured to be pushed towards each other in order to reduce a width of the first end.