Prosthesis (i.e. – artificial body members) – parts thereof – or ai – Eye prosthesis – Intraocular lens
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-03
2003-09-09
Willse, David H. (Department: 3738)
Prosthesis (i.e., artificial body members), parts thereof, or ai
Eye prosthesis
Intraocular lens
C623S006370
Reexamination Certificate
active
06616692
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to intraocular lens combinations. More particularly, the invention relates to intraocular lens combinations which are adapted to provide substantial benefits, such as accommodating movement and/or inhibition of posterior capsule opacification (PCO) in the eye.
The human eye includes an anterior chamber between the cornea and iris, a posterior chamber, including by a capsular bag, containing a crystalline lens, a ciliary muscle, a vitreous chamber behind the lens containing the vitreous humor, and a retina at the rear of this chamber. The human eye has a natural accommodation ability. The contraction and relaxation of the ciliary muscle provides the eye with near, intermediate and distant vision. This ciliary muscle action shapes the natural crystalline lens to the appropriate optical configuration for focusing light rays entering the eye on the retina.
After the natural crystalline lens is removed, for example, because of cataract or other condition, a conventional, monofocal IOL can be placed in the posterior chamber. Such a conventional IOL has very limited, if any, accommodating ability. However, the wearer of such an IOL continues to require the ability to view both near and far (distant) objects. Corrective spectacles may be employed as a useful solution. Recently, multifocal IOLs without accommodating movement have been used to provide near/far vision correction.
Attempts have been made to provide IOLs with accommodating movement along the optical axis of the eye as an alternative to shape changing. Examples of such attempts are set forth in Levy U.S. Pat. No. 4,409,691 and several patents to Cumming, including U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,674,282 and 5,496,366. The disclosure of each of these patents is incorporated herein by reference.
One problem that exists with such IOLs is that they often cannot move sufficiently to obtain the desired accommodation. The degree of accommodation has been closely related to the lens prescription of the individual patient. In addition, the presence of such lenses can result in cell growth from the capsular bag onto the optics of such lenses. Such cell growth, often referred to as posterior capsule opacification (PCO), can interfere with the clarity of the optic to the detriment of the lens wearer's vision.
It would be advantageous to provide IOLs adapted for accommodating movement, which can preferably achieve an acceptable amount of accommodation and/or a reduced risk of
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
New intraocular lens combinations (ILCs) have been disclosed. The present ILCs provide distance, near and intermediate vision through position, preferably axial position, changes in the eye. The present combinations preferably enhance the degree of accommodation achieved in spite of the movement and space limitations within the eye. One advantage of the present ILCs is the ability to standardize the prescription or optical power of the moving or accommodating lens of the ILC. Thus, the required amount of movement in the eye to achieve accommodation can be substantially the same for all patients. This greatly facilitates the design of the moving or accommodating lens. Further, with at least certain of the present ILCs, inhibition of PCO is obtained. The present ILCs are relatively straightforward in construction, can be implanted or inserted into the eye using systems and procedures which are well known in the art and function effectively with little or no additional treatments or medications being required.
In one broad aspect of the present invention, intraocular lens combinations (ILCs) comprise a first optic, second optic and a movement assembly. The first optic has a negative optical power and is adapted to be placed in a substantially fixed position in a mammalian eye. The second optic has a higher optical power than the first optic. The movement assembly is coupled to the second optic and is adapted to cooperate with the eye, for example, the zonules, ciliary muscle and capsular bag of the eye, to effect accommodating movement of the second optic in the eye.
Advantageously, the second optic has a high plus optical power to reduce the amount of movement, for example, axial movement, in the eye needed to provide accommodation for intermediate and near vision. The negative or minus optical power of the first optic compensates for the excess plus or positive optical power in the first optic. The use of such a compensating lens, that is the first optic having a negative optical power, can allow, for standardization of the optical power correction in the second optic. In other words, the optical power of the second optic, that is the movable optic, can be approximately equal from optic to optic, while the optical power of the first optic, that is the fixed optic, is adjusted from optic to optic to meet the specific vision correction needs (prescription) of each individual patient. Consequently, the required amount of movement of the second optic in the eye can be approximately the same for all patients.
The present ILCs provide accommodation, preferably an acceptable degree of accommodation, in spite of movement and space limitations in the eye. For example, the maximum theoretical amount of axial movement for a simple disc lens having an overall diameter of 11 millimeters (mm) and an optic diameter of 5 mm that undergoes 1 mm of compression in its diameter is about 1.65 mm. The amount of axial movement required for a plus 15 diopter optic to provide 2.5 diopters of additional power in the spectacle plane is about 2.6 mm. However, a plus 30 diopter optic requires only 1.2 mm of axial movement to provide 2.5 diopters of additional power in the spectacle plane. Thus, by increasing the plus power of the second optic, which is adapted for accommodating movement, a reduced amount of movement is needed to achieve higher or enhanced degrees of accommodation. The first or fixed optic preferably has a minus power to compensate for the excess plus power in the second optic.
The present ILCs preferably include first and second optics with optical powers which provide a net plus optical power. To illustrate, assume that the patient requires a plus 15 diopter correction. The first optic is provided with a minus 15 diopter optical power and the second optic with a plus 30 diopter optical power. The net optical power of this ILC is approximately the sum of minus 15 diopters and plus 30 diopters or plus 15 diopters, the desired prescription for the patient in question. The powers of the first and second optics are only approximately additive since the net power of the combination also depends on other factors including, but not limited to, the separation of the two optics, the magnitude of the power of each individual optic and its location in the eye and the like factors. Also, by adjusting the optical power of the first optic, the net optical power of the ILC can be adjusted or controlled even though the optical power of the second optic is standardized or remains the same, for example, at a plus 30 diopter optical power. By standardizing the optical power of the second optic, the amount of movement in the eye required to obtain a given level of accommodation is substantially the same, and preferably well within the space limitations in the eye, from patient to patient.
In one very useful embodiment, the movement assembly comprises a member including a proximal end region coupled to the second optic and a distal end region extending away from the second optic and adapted to contact a capsular bag of the eye. Such movement assembly may completely circumscribe the second optic or may be such as to only partially circumscribe the second optic.
The second optic preferably is adapted to be positioned in the capsular bag of the eye.
The first optic may be coupled to a fixation member, or a plurality of fixation members, adapted to assist in fixating the first optic in the eye. Each fixation member preferably has a distal end portion extending away from the first optic. In one embodiment, the distal end portion o
Brady Daniel G.
Glick Robert E.
Advanced Medical Optics, Inc.
Gluck Peter Jon
Stout, Uxa Buyan & Mullins, LLP
Uxa Frank J.
Willse David H.
LandOfFree
Intraocular lens combinations does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Intraocular lens combinations, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Intraocular lens combinations will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3044923