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

• US 9,700,406 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2016
• Issued: 07/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Refocus Group Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Refocus Group Incorporated
• Inventors: Williamson, Douglas C., Zdenek, Gene W., Soloway, Barrie D., Bare, Rex O., Griffis, III, Jack C., Cox, Mark A., Richardson, Peter J., Smolek, Michael K., Scherer, Andrew J., Payne, Timothy J., Jacobson, Harry R. A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Willse, David H
• Assistant Examiner(s): BLANCO, JAVIER G
• Application Number:
  US15/331,786
• Publication Number:
  US 20170035556A1
• Time in Patent Office: 263 Days
• Field of Search: 623 41, 604 8
• 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 and an insert. The body includes (i) opposing first and second free ends and (ii) multiple first portions that form the first end and part of a remainder of the body between the ends. The first portions are separated along at least about half of a total length of the body by empty space such that the first portions meet at a point between the ends and are not connected to each other between that point and the first end. The ends are wider than the remainder. The insert is configured to be placed between the first portions and to substantially fill the empty space. The first portions 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. The insert, when placed between the first portions, keeps the first portions separated and prevents the first portions from being pushed together and reducing the width of the first end.

Claims

1. A scleral prosthesis comprising:

an elongated body configured to be implanted into scleral tissue of an eye, the elongated body comprising (i) opposing first and second free ends and (ii) multiple first portions that form the first end of the body and part of a remainder of the body between the first and second ends, the first portions of the body separated along at least about half of a total length of the elongated body by empty space such that the first 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 first and second ends wider than the remainder of the body; and

an insert configured to be placed between the first portions of the body and to substantially fill the empty space;

wherein the first 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; and

wherein the insert, when placed between the first portions of the body, keeps the first portions of the body separated and prevents the first portions of the body from being pushed together and reducing the width of the first end.

2. The scleral prosthesis of claim 1, wherein, before the insert is placed between the first portions of the body, the first portions of the body are configured to be pushed together so that the first portions of the body contact one another.

3. The scleral prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the insert has a width that is wider than a width of the first portions in locations where the first portions form the remainder of the body.

4. The scleral prosthesis of claim 1, wherein, before the insert is placed between the first portions of the body, the insert has a shape complimentary to at least a substantial portion of the empty space.

5. The scleral prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the body further comprises multiple second portions that form the second end of the body and another part of the remainder of the body.

6. The scleral prosthesis of claim 5, wherein:

the first portions of the body are separated along at least half of a total length of the body; and

the second portions of the body are separated along less than a quarter of the total length of the body.

7. The scleral prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the second end of the body is integral with the remainder of the body and not divided into multiple separated portions.

8. The scleral prosthesis of claim 1, wherein:

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

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

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

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

9. 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 first portions of the body meet.

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

11. A method comprising:

obtaining a scleral prosthesis having an elongated body configured to be implanted into scleral tissue of an eye, the elongated body comprising (i) opposing first and second free ends and (ii) multiple first portions that form the first end of the body and part of a remainder of the body between the first and second ends, the first portions of the body separated along at least about half of a total length of the elongated body by empty space such that the first 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 first and second ends wider than the remainder of the body; and

placing an insert between the first portions of the body, the insert configured to substantially fill the empty space;

wherein the first 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; and

wherein the insert, when placed between the first portions of the body, keeps the first portions of the body separated and prevents the first portions of the body from being pushed together and reducing the width of the first end.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein, before the insert is placed between the first portions of the body, the first portions of the body are configured to be pushed together so that the first portions of the body contact one another.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the insert has a width that is wider than a width of the first portions in locations where the first portions form the remainder of the body.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein, before the insert is placed between the first portions of the body, the insert has a shape complimentary to at least a substantial portion of the empty space.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the body further comprises multiple second portions that form the second end of the body and another part of the remainder of the body.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein:

the first portions of the body are separated along at least half of a total length of the body; and

the second portions of the body are separated along less than a quarter of the total length of the body.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the second end of the body is integral with the remainder of the body and not divided into multiple separated portions.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein:

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

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

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

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

19. The method of claim 11, 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 first portions of the body meet.

20. A method comprising:

forming a scleral prosthesis having an elongated body configured to be implanted into scleral tissue of an eye, the elongated body comprising (i) opposing first and second free ends and (ii) multiple first portions that form the first end of the body and part of a remainder of the body between the first and second ends, the first portions of the body separated along at least about half of a total length of the elongated body by empty space such that the first 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 first and second ends wider than the remainder of the body; and

forming an insert configured to be placed between the first portions of the body and to substantially fill the empty space;

wherein the first 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; and

wherein the insert, when placed between the first portions of the body, keeps the first portions of the body separated and prevents the first portions of the body from being pushed together and reducing the width of the first end.