Iris assembly for a prosthetic eye device
First Claim
1. A method for making an iris assembly for a prosthetic eye device, comprising the steps of:
- obtaining a photographic image of an iris portion of a natural eye;
storing the photographic image;
adjusting the stored photographic image such that the image replicates the iris portion of the natural eye;
printing the adjusted photographic image;
curing the printed photographic image;
trimming the cured photographic image to form an iris member;
shaping the trimmed iris member;
impregnating the shaped iris member with an adhesive solution;
curing the impregnated iris member;
assembling together a backside surface of the cured iris member to a frontside surface of an iris button with an adhesive solution therebetween, and placing a cornea molding material proximate a frontside surface of the cured iris member;
molding together the cured iris member, iris button and cornea molding material to form a molded iris assembly;
curing the molded iris assembly;
allowing the cured iris assembly to cool; and
cleaning and polishing the cooled iris assembly, wherein the cleaned and polished iris assembly yields an accurate reproduction of the iris portion of the natural eye.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An iris assembly for a prosthetic eye comprising a button having a frontside surface. An iris member is joined to the button frontside surface and has an iris image disposed thereon. The iris image is provided using digital image capture, storage, enhancement, and printing techniques, and is provided onto a suitable substrate. A cornea piece is made from a clear material, and is joined to the iris member frontside surface. Prior to joining, the iris member is encapsulated with a clear protective film thereover that operates to protect the iris image from unwanted smudging or other type of distortion during the step of joining the cornea piece. The iris assembly yields an accurate reproduction of the iris portion of a patient'"'"'s natural eye in a manner that is both time efficient and cost effective.
43 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method for making an iris assembly for a prosthetic eye device, comprising the steps of:
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obtaining a photographic image of an iris portion of a natural eye;
storing the photographic image;
adjusting the stored photographic image such that the image replicates the iris portion of the natural eye;
printing the adjusted photographic image;
curing the printed photographic image;
trimming the cured photographic image to form an iris member;
shaping the trimmed iris member;
impregnating the shaped iris member with an adhesive solution;
curing the impregnated iris member;
assembling together a backside surface of the cured iris member to a frontside surface of an iris button with an adhesive solution therebetween, and placing a cornea molding material proximate a frontside surface of the cured iris member;
molding together the cured iris member, iris button and cornea molding material to form a molded iris assembly;
curing the molded iris assembly;
allowing the cured iris assembly to cool; and
cleaning and polishing the cooled iris assembly, wherein the cleaned and polished iris assembly yields an accurate reproduction of the iris portion of the natural eye. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for making an iris assembly for a prosthetic eye device, comprising the steps of:
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obtaining a photographic image of an iris portion of a natural eye with a digital camera and a plurality of flash elements;
storing the obtained photographic image in a memory portion of a computer;
adjusting the stored photographic image such that the image replicates the iris portion of the natural eye;
printing the adjusted photographic image on archival paper using archival ink;
curing the printed photographic image;
trimming the cured photographic image to form an iris member;
shaping the trimmed iris member to a convex shape;
impregnating the shaped iris member with a mixture of methyl methacrylic monomer and polymer having a syrup-like viscosity;
curing the impregnated iris member;
assembling together a backside surface of the cured iris member to a frontside surface of an iris button with a mixture of methyl methacrylic monomer and polymer having a syrup-like viscosity therebetween, and placing a cornea molding material comprising a malleable mixture portion of methacrylic monomer and polymer having the consistency of modeling clay proximate a frontside surface of the cured iris member;
molding together the cured iris member, iris button and cornea molding material to form a molded iris assembly;
curing the molded iris assembly under a pressurized steam heat;
allowing the cured iris assembly to cool; and
cleaning and polishing the cooled iris assembly, wherein the cleaned and polished iris assembly yields an accurate reproduction of the iris portion of the natural eye. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification