Ocular mask having selective spectral transmission

• US 9,848,979 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2016
• Issued: 12/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acufocus, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Acufocus, Inc.
• Inventors: Vilupuru, Abhiram S., Christ, Marie Dvorak
• Primary Examiner(s): Willse, David H
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHIPMON, TIFFANY P
• Application Number:
  US15/377,891
• Publication Number:
  US 20170189167A1
• Time in Patent Office: 378 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/102 for optical coherence tomography [OCT]
• 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 2/1451 Inlays or onlays
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/15 Implant having one or more holes, e.g. for nutrient transport, for facilitating handling
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/16 Intraocular lenses
• 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 2250/0036 differing in thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0053 differing in optical properties
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/04 Eye-masks ; Devices to be worn on the face, not intended for looking through; Eye-pads for sunbathing eye-bandages A61F13/12; protective face-masks A41D13/11; protectors for shampooing A45D
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/165 with stenopaeic apertures

Abstract

A mask is provided that is configured to increase the depth of focus of a patient. The mask can include an aperture configured to transmit along an optical axis substantially all visible incident light. The mask can further include a portion surrounding at least a portion of the aperture. The portion may be configured to be substantially opaque to visible electromagnetic radiation and be substantially transparent to electromagnetic radiation transmitted from an ocular examination device (e.g., substantially transparent to at least some non-visible electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength between about 750 nm and about 1500 nm).

Claims

1. An ophthalmic device comprising:

an implantable mask configured to increase the depth of focus of an eye of a human patient when the mask is implanted in an eye of the human patient, the mask comprising an aperture configured to transmit along an optical axis substantially all visible incident light; and

a pair of support structures extending from the mask;

wherein the ophthalmic device is configured to be substantially opaque to visible light and to be substantially transparent to at least some non-visible electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength between about 750 nm and about 1500 nm to facilitate examining ocular tissue posterior to the mask.

2. The ophthalmic device of claim 1, further comprising a lens body.

3. The ophthalmic device of claim 2, wherein the mask is attached to an anterior surface of the lens body.

4. The ophthalmic device of claim 1, wherein the mask comprises a curvature.

5. The ophthalmic device of claim 1, wherein the mask is planar.

6. The ophthalmic device of claim 1, wherein the structure comprises at least one dye capable of absorbing electromagnetic radiation.

7. The ophthalmic device of claim 6, wherein the at least one dye comprises a first dye that absorbs a first range of electromagnetic radiation wavelengths, and a second dye that absorbs a second range of electromagnetic radiation wavelengths.

8. The ophthalmic device of claim 1, wherein the mask comprises a plurality of holes.

9. The ophthalmic device of claim 8, wherein the plurality of holes are interspersed in an irregular pattern.

10. A method of examining an eye of a human patient having an implantable pinhole device disposed therein, comprising:

directing electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength between about 750 nm and about 1500 nm toward a portion of the pinhole device that is substantially non-transmissive to light in the visible range, the pinhole device being configured to increase the depth of focus of the eye of the human patient when the pinhole device is implanted in the eye of the human patient, the pinhole device comprising an aperture configured to transmit along an optical axis substantially all visible light, the pinhole device being fixated in the eye; and

viewing into the eye using at least a portion of the electromagnetic radiation that is transmitted through the portion of the pinhole device that is substantially non-transmissive to light in the visible range.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the pinhole device is fixated in the ciliary sulcus of the eye.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising providing an optical coherence tomography device to direct the electromagnetic radiation.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising simultaneously transmitting electromagnetic radiation through the aperture and the portion of the pinhole device that is substantially non-transmissive to light in the visible range.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the pinhole device comprises a lens body.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the portion of the pinhole device that is substantially non-transmissive to light in the visible range is a mask.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the pinhole device comprises a curvature.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the pinhole device is planar.