Accommodating intraocular lens (AIOL) capsuleTechnical Field
The present invention relates to accommodating intraocular lenses (AIOLs)
Background
Commonly owned PCT International publication No. PCT/IL02/00693, entitled accommodating lens Assembly and published at PCT International publication No. WO 03/015669, 2/27/2003, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference, illustrates and describes an accommodating intraocular lens (AIOL) assembly. The AIOL assemblies each include a foot-securing (hapathics) system adapted to be securely anchored in a human eye's annular ciliary sulcus at least two spaced apart anchor points so that it may act as a reference surface for the AIOL whose diopter strength is continuously variable under its sphincter-like ciliary body control by the human eye's capsule diaphragm and in a direction opposite to the posterior direction. The fixed foot system includes a rigid flat fixed foot plate with a slidably extending telescoping fixed foot member. The AIOLs may not necessarily be made from a single element or a single material. For example, AIOLs may be in the form of capsules filled with a liquid or gel. The fixation footplate and fixation angle member are preferably self-anchoring as described in commonly owned PCT international application No. PCT/IL02/00128, entitled intraocular lens and published in PCT international publication No. WO 02/065951, 8/29, 2002, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Commonly owned PCT international application number PCT/IL2005/000456 entitled accommodating intraocular lens assemblies and accommodation measurement implants and published at 2005-11-10 in PCT international publication number WO 2005/104994, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference, illustrates and describes an AIOL assembly that permits in situ manual selection of the amount of displacement of an AIOL along the visual axis of a human eye relative to at least two spaced stationary anchor points to a desired position following implantation to ensure that the AIOL assembly assumes a non-compressed state in the human eye's ciliary body contraction state. Such in situ manual selection of displacement enables correction of capsular contraction following implantation, a natural response that persists for months after natural lens removal in the human eye, and also alters vision beyond a prescribed time with minimal clinical intervention. Such manual selection displacement can be carried out as follows: first, a discrete (discrete) fixed foot system for holding a discrete (discrete) AIOL manually movable relative thereto. Second, a haptics system with at least two haptics containing plastically deformable radiation sensitive regions for manual displacement of an integrally formed AIOL in situ.
Commonly owned PCT international application number PCT/IL2006/000406, assigned to accommodating intraocular lens (AIOL) assemblies, and discrete (discrete) elements published therefor in PCT international publication number WO 2006/103674 at 10/5/2006 illustrate and describe AIOL assemblies having the following functions: the post-implantation in situ manual selection of the amount of displacement of the AIOL along the human eye's visual axis relative to at least two spaced stationary anchor points to a desired position is permitted to ensure that the AIOL assumes a non-compressed state in a human eye's ciliary collapsed state, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. WO 2006/103674 further illustrates and describes a preferred mounting disc (plate or plate) for self-anchoring implantation in the annular ciliary sulcus of a human eye (see fig. 4).
WO 2006/103674 further illustrates and describes an AIOL comprising a shell constructed of a rigid biocompatible material and having side holes. The housing contains a pair of shape memory disc-shaped optical elements including an anterior optical element and a posterior optical element. The rear optical element is adapted to project into the front optical element, and the front optical element is adapted to project radially through the side aperture of the housing.
Commonly owned PCT international application number PCT/IL2008/000284 issued to total accommodating intraocular lenses (AIOLs) and PCT international publication No. 2008/107882 published on 12.9.2008, describe total AIOLs and discrete members used therewith for use with either a purpose-designed discrete base member implanted directly in front of the AIOL, typically during the same surgical procedure, or with a previously implanted standard problem-free IOL as a discrete base (base) member, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Alternatively, monolithic AIOLs can be designed to be used alone with discrete substrate members designed for a specific purpose. Monolithic AIOLs preferably include so-called Vertical Adjustment Mechanisms (VAMs) that allow for in-situ longitudinal displacement of their optical elements relative to their stationary anchor points. VAMs are carried out by each fixed foot containing a radiation sensitive rod for introducing localized heating.
A discrete substrate member designed for a specific purpose includes an elongated substantially planar body with opposing front and back ends. The base member includes a central plunger element and wings of progressively smaller thickness so that they readily and flexibly conform to the natural curvature of the human eye capsule diaphragm when implanted. To axially align the monolithic AIOL with the discrete base member when implanted in a human eye, the plunger member should preferably be formed with an alignment element. Additionally, for alignment purposes and to also facilitate controlled anterior bulging of the AIOL, the plunger member can be formed with a rounded bulging control core, the AIOL including an optic with a posterior surface having a complementary rounded concave region. The discrete base member may be varied to meet different clinical conditions and/or optionally provide additional positive optical power (power) if so desired.
Disclosure of Invention
The present invention is directed to an accommodating intraocular lens (AIOL) capsule (Capsules) comprising the structure: there is a generally disc-shaped, resiliently elastic, compressible shape memory structure having a continuously variable diopter strength between a first preferred zero diopter strength in an uncompressed state and a second diopter strength different from its first diopter strength in a compressed state upon application of an axial compressive force in a rearward direction. The AIOL capsule includes: a capsule shell containing a front capsule disk, a back capsule disk and a capsule ring, which is used for defining a sealed cavity filled with a transparent capsule, wherein the transparent capsule is formed by filling gel or liquid with the refractive index higher than the aqueous humor of human eyes. The anterior and posterior capsule disks are preferably made of biocompatible transparent plastic containing a durometer of between about 20 and about 80 on the Shore A scale. Suitable gels have a hardness rate below the measurement range on the shore hardness scale, i.e. below the measurable value on the shore 00 scale, and are therefore measured in the penetration test using a penetrometer. To facilitate intentional anterior bulging under a relatively small compressive force generated by the human eye, AIOLs having one or more functions can be implemented.
AIOL capsules are preferably provided in unitary AIOLs similar to the aforementioned PCT international publication number WO 2008/107882 with an integrally formed rigid fixation foot system with a pair of diametrically opposed elongated generally C-shaped fixation feet for self-anchoring in the human eye's ciliary sulcus. Alternatively, in situ assemblies with fixed foot systems in human eyes, AIOL capsules may be discrete units so that they can be inserted into a human eye through a smaller incision than is the case with a whole AIOL.
The AIOL capsule may be modified to: can be used with either a discrete H-shaped base member designed for a specific purpose or a previously implanted standard problem-free IOL in a manner similar to that described in the aforementioned PCT international publication No. WO 2008/107882. In the latter case, an intermediate ciliary sulcus-fixated diopter strength intraocular lens may be implanted between a standard non-problematic IOL and an AIOL capsule of the present invention. The AIOL assemblies may be designed to have zero or positive diopter strength in a non-compressed state to meet specific clinical conditions. Positive diopter strength may be provided by either the discrete base member or by an AIOL capsule including a posterior capsule disk with a convex posterior surface. In the latter case, such an AIOL capsule may be implanted with a washer-shaped base member having a through hole through which a convex posterior surface of the AIOL capsule extends for direct contact with a capsule diaphragm of a human eye. H-shaped base members and gasket-shaped base members can also be used with monolithic AIOLs, as disclosed in the aforementioned PCT International publication No. WO 2008/107882.
The fixed foot system preferably comprises: a Vertical Adjustment Mechanism (VAM) including a biocompatible energy absorbing U-shaped clamp positioned on each haptic with a beam, the U-shaped clamp facing in an anterior direction when the AIOL assembly is implanted in a human eye. For thermal protection, the clip is preferably protected by a biocompatible silicone (gel). The clip may optionally be covered with dried biocompatible carbon applied with liquid silicone (glue).
The mounting leg system may preferably comprise a mounting plate similar to that of the aforementioned PCT international publication WO 2006/103674, except that the mounting plate of the present invention comprises a pair of juxtaposed mounting holes as opposed to a single mounting hole. The juxtaposition of mounting holes facilitates the simultaneous use of two different hand-held implantation tools for implanting the AIOL assembly in a human eye.
Drawings
In order to understand the invention and to see how it may be carried out in practice, a preferred embodiment will now be described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like parts are designated by like numerals and in which:
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the anterior portion of a human eye in its ciliary body contracted state during natural near vision in the axial plane of the human body;
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the anterior portion of a human eye in a relaxed state of the ciliary body at natural distance vision in the plane of the human body axis;
figure 3 is an exploded view of an AIOL assembly including: a haptics system, an AIOL capsule and a purpose-designed H-shaped base member;
FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of a human eye containing the AIOL assembly of FIG. 3 implanted in the human eye;
FIG. 5 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 4 of the haptics system and AIOL capsule of FIG. 3 in an uncompressed state;
FIG. 6 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the AIOL capsule of FIG. 3 in a non-compressed state taken along line A-A of FIG. 4;
FIG. 7 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the AIOL capsule of FIG. 3 in a compressed state taken along line A-A of FIG. 4;
FIG. 8 is a front perspective view of a haptic system with haptics each incorporating a VAM (vertical adjustment mechanism) according to the present invention;
FIG. 9 is an exploded view of the VAM;
FIG. 10 is an enlarged front perspective view of the U-shaped clip of the VAM;
FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the VAM taken along line B-B of FIG. 8;
FIG. 12 is a plan view of the H-shaped base member of FIG. 3;
FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the H-shaped base member of FIG. 3 taken along line C-C of FIG. 12;
figure 14 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the anterior portion of a human eye illustrating the disposition of the AIOL assembly of figure 3 in the axial plane of the human eye in a human eye's ciliary body contracted state;
figure 15 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the anterior portion of a human eye illustrating the disposition of the AIOL assembly of figure 3 in the axial plane of the human eye with the human eye's ciliary body in a relaxed state;
figure 16 is a side elevational view of an AIOL capsule with a capsule shell having a rounded anterior inner surface in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view of the AIOL capsule of FIG. 16 taken along line D-D of FIG. 16;
figure 18 is a side elevational view of an AIOL capsule according to another embodiment of the invention with a capsule shell with a sealing cavity converging in an anterior direction along its longitudinal axis;
FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view of the AIOL capsule of FIG. 18 taken along line E-E of FIG. 18;
figure 20 is a side elevational view of an AIOL capsule according to another embodiment of the invention with a capsule shell with a sealing cavity converging in a posterior direction along its longitudinal axis;
figure 21 is a cross-sectional view of the AIOL capsule of figure 20 taken along the line F-F of figure 20;
figure 22 is a side view of a variation of the AIOL capsule of figure 20;
figure 23 is a cross-sectional view of the AIOL capsule of figure 22 taken along the line G-G of figure 22;
fig. 24 is a perspective view of the capsule shell of fig. 16 with an alternative rear capsule disk and gasket-shaped base member for use therewith;
figure 25 is a cross-sectional view of the capsule shell and gasket-shaped base member of figure 24 taken along line H-H of figure 24;
figure 26 is a cross-sectional view of the AIOL capsule of figure 16 with a posterior capsule plate formed with a protruding control element;
figure 27 is a cross-sectional view of the AIOL capsule of figure 20 with a posterior capsule plate formed with a protruding control element;
figure 28 is a cross-sectional view of the AIOL capsule of figure 22 with a posterior capsule plate formed with a protruding control element; and
figure 29 is a cross-sectional view of the AIOL capsule of figure 24 with a posterior capsule plate formed with protruding control elements.
Detailed Description
Fig. 1 and 2 are cross-sectional views of the front of a human eye 10, which in its natural near and distance vision conditions contains the visual axis VA in the plane of the human eye's axis, respectively. The human eye 10 contains a cornea 11 peripherally attached to a spherical outer body consisting of tough connective voxels called sclera (sclera)12 at a circular scleral corneal junction 13. The iris 14 extends inwardly into the eye 10 from an iris root 16 at a sclero-corneal junction 13 to divide the anterior portion of the eye into an anterior chamber 17 and a posterior chamber 18. The sphincter-type peripheral structure, referred to as the ciliary body 19, includes the ciliary muscle 21 of the ciliary process, which is stimulated by parasympathetic nerves. The ciliary muscle 21 is connected to zonular fibres 22, which zonular fibres 22 in turn are peripherally connected to the equatorial rim of the membrane called capsule pocket 23. The capsule bag 23 contains an anterior capsule 24 and a posterior capsule 26 overlying a natural crystalline lens 27. The iris root 16 and ciliary body 19 bound the inner surface at a portion of the sclera 12 referred to as the scleral (membrane) corneal junction 13 of the ciliary sulcus 28. The remainder of the anterior capsule 24, referred to herein as the capsule diaphragm 29, may be the remainder of the capsule after extraction of the natural lens 27 and the intact posterior capsule 26. Contraction of the ciliary body 19 allows the lens 27 to thicken the natural thickness T1 along the visual axis VS to achieve greater positive light intensity during near vision (see fig. 1). Relaxation of the ciliary body 19 tensions the zonular fibers 22, which fibers 22 pull the capsular bag 23 radially outward as indicated by arrow A, squeezing the lens 27 to reduce its thickness along the visual axis VA to T2 < T1 to achieve a lower positive optical power (see FIG. 2) at distance vision.
Figures 3 to 5 show an AIOL component 300 comprising: for use with a haptics system 300 for self-anchoring in an AIOL capsule 200 in a human eye's ciliary sulcus 28 and a purpose-designed discrete H-shaped base member 400 for placement between the AIOL capsule 200 and a human eye's capsule pocket 23 for transferring axial compression forces therefrom to the AIOL capsule 200. Alternatively, the AIOL capsule 200 may be used with a previously implanted standard problem-free IOL. The AIOL assembly 100 has a longitudinal axis 101. when implanted in a human eye 10, the longitudinal axis 101 is intended to be parallel to, and preferably coaxial with, a human eye's visual axis VA. The AIOL capsule 200 and fixation foot system 300 are preferably preassembled using conventional assembly techniques such as gluing, welding and the like.
The AIOL capsule 200 includes a longitudinal axis 201 intended to be coaxial with the AIOL assembly longitudinal axis 101 when the AIOL assembly 100 is implanted in a human eye. The AIOL capsule 200 includes a generally disc-shaped resiliently elastic compressible shape memory structure. The AIOL capsule 200 includes a capsule housing 202 containing: an exposed front surface 203, an exposed rear surface 204 opposite and parallel to the front surface 203, and a circumferential surface 206 extending between the front surface 203 and the rear surface 204. The capsule housing 202 can project forward along the visual axis VA of the human eye when a squeezing force is applied to the rear surface 204 from a rear direction. The AIOL capsule 200 has a continuously variable diopter strength ranging between a first preferred diopter strength in a non-compressed state (see figure 6) and a second diopter strength in a compressed state (see figure 7) with an axial compression force applied as indicated by arrow C in figure 6, the second diopter strength being different than the first 0 diopter strength.
Figures 3 to 5 show a fixation foot system 300 having a longitudinal axis 301, the longitudinal axis 301 being co-axial with the AIOL assembly longitudinal axis 101 when the AIOL assembly 100 is implanted in a human eye. The fixation foot system 300 includes a tubular fixation foot body 302 having a fixation foot length L and including a fixation foot outer diameter D1. The typical dimension of the leg length L is 11 to 14 mm and the leg body outside diameter D1 is 5 to 7 mm. The mounting foot body 302 has an anterior end surface 303 defining a preferably circular aperture 304 and an opposite posterior end surface 306 through which the AIOL capsule 200 projects anteriorly upon application of an axial compression force in a posterior direction through the circular aperture 304. The fixing foot body 302 is preferably designed such that: the anchor foot bodies 302 are crushable upon application of a forcible squeezing force designated F in fig. 3, such that they temporarily and reversibly assume an elliptical shape to reduce their width for longitudinal insertion into a small corneal incision to facilitate implantation. The fixation foot system 300 is made of a suitably rigid biocompatible transparent polymer material such as PMMA (polymethylmethacrylate), or similar material.
Fig. 3 and 8-11 illustrate a fixation foot system 300 having a pair of diametrically opposed elongated generally C-shaped fixation feet 307, the pair of C-shaped fixation feet 307 extending in opposite directions in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 301. The feet 307 have a thin profile in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 301 that is sufficiently flexible to allow the C-shaped feet to encircle the foot body 302 as shown by arrow B in FIG. 3 when a suitable external force is applied by conventional ophthalmic surgical tools to facilitate insertion into the eye through a relatively small incision. Fig. 3 shows the fixing foot 307 in dashed lines to show that it surrounds the fixing foot body 302. The feet 307 have a wide profile along the longitudinal axis 301 such that the feet 307 are somewhat rigid to compressive forces along the longitudinal axis. The wide profile of the fixation foot preferably tapers from a proximal end 307A adjacent the fixation foot body 302 to a distal end 307B furthest therefrom and terminates in a forked mounting surface 308.
The mounting plate (sheet) 308 includes: a pair of spaced apart piercing members 309 having tips 311 with a minimum tip spacing TS of at least 1 mm and preferably between about 2 mm and 3 mm and a minimum tip height TH of at least 0.5 mm such that they penetrate to a depth of slightly more than half the scleral thickness of about 1 mm thereby providing an anchoring point for the AIOL assembly 100. The mounting plate 308 includes a pair of juxtaposed handling apertures 312 to facilitate simultaneous use of two different hand-held implantation tools for implanting the AIOL assembly in a human eye. The access holes 312 preferably have a minimum access hole spacing MHS of about 1.5 millimeters on center and a diameter of about 0.5 millimeters.
Each of the securing feet 307 includes a Vertical Adjustment Mechanism (VAM)320 whereby the securing foot body 302 can be displaced longitudinally along the visual axis VS in situ relative to an anchor point of the AIOL assembly 100 to control the position of the securing foot body 302 relative to the human eye capsule diaphragm 29. The VAMs 320 can correct the position of the AIOL assembly 100 in situ should the AIOL assembly 100 be placed too late or alternatively should excessive pressure build up on the human eye's capsule diaphragm. The VAMs 320 include providing each of the securing feet 307 with a thermally deformable region 321 adjacent to the capsule body 302 for receiving localized heating from an external energy source.
Each VAM 320 includes an energy absorbing U-shaped clip 322 for clipping onto a respective securing foot 307 adjacent to the securing foot body 302. The U-shaped clip 322 includes a beam 323 extending between a pair of opposed legs 324, the clip 322 being adapted to clip onto the respective securing leg 307 such that their respective beams 323 are pre-oriented. The clip 322 should preferably be made of a low heat specialty metal such as titanium or similar metal. The clip 322 is preferably covered by a layer of dryable liquid silicon coated with biocompatible carbon black. The carbon black 326 is in turn preferably covered with a biocompatible silicone gel 327 for thermal protection. Such as in retinal laser photocoagulation (laser trabeculoplasty), or similar treatments, for example, to irradiate the clips 322 with a suitable laser to allow their respective heat-deformed zones 321 to be locally heated to a temperature slightly above 36 degrees celsius, which is normal to the human eye, but low enough so as not to damage delicate internal tissues of the human eye. Suitable laser systems include: ocu, among otherslight SL 810 nano Infrared laser coagulator) innovative Photocoagulator), commercially available from IRIDEX corporation, california, usa, website:www.iridex.com。
fig. 5 to 7 show a capsule housing 202 comprising: a generally circular front capsule disk 207 with an exposed front surface 207A and a concealed rear surface 207B, a rear capsule disk 208 having a concealed front surface 208A and an exposed rear surface 208B, and a capsule ring 209 extending between the front and rear capsule disks 207 and 208 and having opposed front and rear rims 209A and 209B. The capsule ring front rim 209A is joined to the front capsule plate 207 and its rear rim 209B is joined to the rear capsule plate 208. The anterior surface 207A constitutes the exposed anterior surface 203 of the AIOL capsule, the posterior surface 208B constitutes the exposed posterior surface 204 of the AIOL capsule, and the capsule ring 209 constitutes the circumferential surface 206 of the AIOL capsule. The front capsule disk 207, the rear capsule disk 208 and the capsule ring 209 define a sealed cavity 211. The front capsule plate 207 and capsule ring 209 join at a right angle, providing a sharp front rim 211A for the sealed cavity 211.
The front capsule disk 207, the rear capsule disk 208 and the capsule ring 209 are made of biocompatible transparent polymer material. Suitable polymeric materials should preferably be silicon-based and have a hardness range on the Shore a scale of between about 20 and 80. Suitable silicon-based polymeric materials are commercially available from NuSil Technology LLC (NuSil technologies, inc.) (www.nusil.com). The cavity 211 is filled with a biocompatible transparent capsule made of a gel or liquid fill. Suitable gels are preferably silicone-based and have a hardness rate below the 00 Shore durometer measurement range and are therefore only measurable by penetrometer puncture. Suitable silicone-based gels are commercially available from NuSil technologies, Inc. (U.S.)www.nusil.com)。
The front capsule plate 207 and the capsule ring 209 are preferably made as a single bowl-shaped capsule shell 212, and the rear capsule plate 208 is back-mounted on the bowl-shaped capsule shell 212 to seal the cavity 211. The rear rim 209B preferably extends outwardly to provide an annular flange 213 for abutment against the rear end face 306 of the stationary foot body on the assembly of the AIOL capsule 200 and the stationary foot system 300. The anterior capsule tray 207 preferably includes: for receiving a forwardly projecting thin circular region 214 of the inner layer and a thick support ring 216 attached to the front rim 209A of the capsule ring. The thin circular area 214, which functions as the main light aperture of the AIOL capsule, has a diameter D2 in the range of 3.5 to 5.5 mm. The thin circular region 214 has a thickness typically in the range of 20 to 60 microns.
The rear capsule disk 208 includes a central capsule-filled displacement member 217 with a peripheral annular flange 218 for back-side mounting onto the annular flange 213. The capsule filling displacement member 217 and the flange 218 have a front surface 217A and 218A, respectively, for constituting the front surface 208A of the rear capsule disk, and the capsule filling displacement member 217 and the peripheral annular flange 218 have a rear surface 217B and 218B, respectively, for constituting the rear surface 208B of the rear capsule disk. The flange 218 is capable of undergoing repeated back and forth flexing to allow the capsule filling displacement member 217 to reciprocate relative to the capsule ring 209 to cause repeated forward bulging. In the non-compressed state of the AIOL capsule in the absence of an axially compressive force C, the capsule filling displacement member 217 and flange 218 have co-planar anterior surfaces 217A and 218A (see figure 6). The rear capsule plate 208 has a stepped rear surface 208B with a rear surface 217B of the capsule filling displacement member, which stepped rear surface 208B projects rearwardly relative to a rear surface 218B of the flange plate. The posterior surface 217B of the capsule filling displacement mechanism acts as the AIOL capsule posterior surface 204 upon counter-applied axial compression forces. Fig. 7 shows the forward deflection of the support ring 216 and the flange 218 from their undeflected position upon application of an axial compression force C to the rear surface 217 of the capsule filling displacement member, as an example of the separation of the rear surface 217B of the capsule filling displacement member from a dashed reference line.
Figures 12 and 13 show a base member 400 having a longitudinal axis 401 which may be coaxial with the longitudinal axis 101 of the AIOL assembly when implanted in a human eye. The base member 400 includes a substantially elongated planar body 402 with opposing major front and back surfaces 403, 404 of the planar body 402. The base member 401 is preferably made of a flexible biocompatible transparent polymer (bulk) material to allow for foldable insertion into a human eye through a small incision and to conform to the natural curvature of the human eye capsule diaphragm where the human eye is implanted. Suitable polymeric materials include, for example, HydroxyEthyl methacrylate (HEMA), or similar products.
The body 402 has opposite anterior 406 and posterior 407 ends defining an imaginary circle 408 having a diameter of about 13 to 15 millimeters that substantially conforms to the natural curvature of the human eye's diaphragm and extends substantially to the opposite location of the human eye's ciliary sulcus 28. The body 402 contains a central plunger member 409 coaxial with the longitudinal axis 401. The central plunger member 409 has a front face 411 and a rear face 412. The anterior face 411 should preferably be concave with respect to the surrounding main anterior surface 403, thus effectively creating a generally circular concave area for receiving the capsule filling displacement member posterior surface 217B, ensuring proper alignment between the AIOL capsule 200 and the base member 400. The rear working surface 412 should preferably be convex to provide up to about 18 diopters (Diopter strength). The front end 406 includes a first pair of spaced apart wings 413 and the rear end 407 includes an opposing pair of spaced apart wings 414 that extend radially from the plunger member 409, thereby providing the base member 400 with a generally H-shape in the top view of fig. 12.
Fig. 14 and 15 show: an AIOL assembly 100 for implantation in a human eye and operation between its non-compressed state when the human lens is in a retracted state and its compressed state when the human lens is in a relaxed state, respectively.
Fig. 16 and 17 show: the AIOL capsule 230 is similar in structure to the AIOL capsule 200 and like parts are therefore identified with like numerals. The AIOL capsule 230 may also be used with an H-shaped base member 400. The AIOL capsule 230 includes a capsule shell 231 adapted to be sealed with the posterior capsule plate 208 to form a sealed chamber 232. The capsule shell 231 has a rounded front inner surface 231A provided with a sealed cavity 232 adjacent to the rounded front rim 232A of the front capsule disk 207 to facilitate forward bulging.
Fig. 18 and 19 show: similar in structure to the AIOL capsule 235 of the AIOL capsule 200 and therefore like components are identified with like numerals. The AIOL capsule 235 may also be used with an H-shaped base member 400. The AIOL capsule 235 includes a capsule shell 236 adapted to be sealed by the posterior capsule plate 208 to form a sealed cavity 237. Capsule shell 236 has an angled front inner surface 236A providing a sealed cavity 237 of conical cross-section converging in a forward direction along longitudinal axis 201. The seal cavity 237 contains a generatrix 238 at an angle α of 45 ° ± 10 ° to the longitudinal axis 201.
Fig. 20 and 21 show: the AIOL capsule 240 is similar in structure to the AIOL capsule 200 and like parts are therefore identified with like numerals. The AIOL capsule 240 may also be used with an H-shaped base member 400. The AIOL capsule 240 differs from the AIOL capsule 200 in that: the capsule 240 includes a sealed cavity 241 with a conical section converging in a rearward direction along the longitudinal axis 201, facilitating forward bulging. This sealed cavity configuration is realized by an AIOL capsule 240, the AIOL capsule 240 comprising: a capsule shell 242 with an additional converging tubular wall 243, the tubular wall 243 extending from the juncture between its front capsule disk 207 and the capsule ring 209. The converging tubular wall 243 terminates at a rear rim 244, recessed along the longitudinal axis 201 with respect to the capsule rear rim 209B. A disc-shaped rear capsule plate 246 is mounted on the rear rim 244 on the back side rather than on the annular flange 213 and extends in a rear direction along the longitudinal axis 201 away from the rear rim 209B of the capsule ring. The converging tubular wall 243 may bulge inwardly toward the longitudinal axis 201 as indicated by arrow D upon application of the axial compressive force C to facilitate forward bulging.
Fig. 22 and 23 show: the AIOL capsule 250 is similar in structure to the AIOL capsule 200 and like parts are therefore identified with like numerals. The AIOL capsule 250 may also be used with an H-shaped base member 400. The AIOL capsule 250 differs from the AIOL capsule 240 in that: the rear rim 244 of the former converging tubular wall 243 projects distally of the capsule ring rear rim 209B in a rearward direction along the longitudinal axis 201. A thin disc shaped rear capsule plate 246 is mounted on the rear rim 244. The converging tubular wall 243 may be convex inwardly toward the longitudinal axis 201, as indicated by arrow D, to facilitate forward bulging when an axial compressive force C is applied.
Figures 24 and 25 show the capsule shell 231 with the rear capsule disc 260 and the washer-shaped base member 430 used herein instead of the base member 400. The rear capsule disk 260 comprises a front surface 260A and a rear surface 260B mounted back to the capsule shell 231, the rear surface 260B containing a central convex face 261 and a circular flange 262 that directly contacts the capsule diaphragm of the human eye. The washer-type base member 430 includes a central large through hole 431 through which a central raised surface 261 may extend.
Fig. 26 to 29 show: the rear capsule disks 208, 246 and 260 may optionally additionally form a projection control element 270 for centrally projecting forward. The typical height of the raised control elements 270 relative to their front surfaces is between about 0.4 mm and about 0.6 mm. Such protrusion control elements 270 preferably should have the same refractive index as the other optical elements to avoid deviations at their interfaces. The bulge control elements 270 may have a spherical shape, a flattened bell shape, and the like.
While the invention has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments, it will be appreciated that many variations, modifications, and other applications of the invention can be made within the scope of the appended claims.