HK40082426A - Intraocular pseudophakic contact lens (iopcl)-based telescopic approach for treating age-related macular degeneration (amd) or other eye disorders - Google Patents

Description

IOPCL-based telescopic method for treating AMD or other ocular diseases

Technical Field

The present invention generally relates to optical systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to a telescopic intraocular artificial lens (ioclc) -based method for treating age-related macular degeneration (AMD) or other ocular diseases.

Background

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) results in macular degeneration in the retina of the eye. The retina is a paper-thin tissue at the back of the eye where the photoreceptor cells send visual signals to the brain, and the macula supports fine vision. Sharp, clear, direct vision is centered on the macula, and damage to the macula results in central blind spots of various sizes and blurred or distorted central vision. Those affected by AMD find that many everyday activities, such as driving and reading, are increasingly difficult and ultimately impossible as the disease progresses. Common difficulties and symptoms of AMD include loss of ability to drive automobiles, loss of reading ability, central vision distortion or loss, progressive reduction in contrast sensitivity, increased glare and light sensitivity, increased reading requirements for lighting, and impaired depth perception.

AMD is the leading cause of vision impairment and irreversible vision loss in the united states. AMD is more common in people 50 years of age or older, and AMD is one of the leading causes of legal blindness. Up to 1500 ten thousand americans currently suffer from some type of AMD, including both early and intermediate stages. By 2050, this number is expected to increase to nearly 2200 million. It is estimated that more than 1.96 million people worldwide suffer from various degrees of AMD, and this figure will increase to 2.88 million by 2040 years. Risk factors for the development of AMD include positive family history, smoking, hyperopia, light-colored eye population, hypertension and cardiovascular disease.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention provides a telescopic intraocular artificial lens (IOPCL) -based method for treating age-related macular degeneration (AMD) or other ocular diseases.

In a first embodiment, a system includes an intraocular artificial lens contact lens configured to be implanted in an eye and mounted on or attached to an artificial intraocular lens in the eye. The system also includes an outer lens configured to be positioned in front of the eye. The intraocular lens contact lens and the outer lens form a telescopic galilean vision system.

In a second embodiment, a method comprises forming a telescopic galileo vision system using an intraocular lens contact lens and an outer lens. The intraocular artificial lens contact lens is configured to be implanted in an eye and to be mounted on or attached to an artificial intraocular lens in the eye. The outer lens is configured to be positioned in front of the eye.

In a third embodiment, a system includes an intraocular artificial lens contact lens configured to be implanted in an eye and mounted on or attached to an artificial intraocular lens in the eye. The system also includes an outer lens configured to be positioned in front of the eye, wherein the outer lens comprises a spectacle lens or a contact lens. The intraocular lens contact lens and the outer lens form a telescopic galilean vision system. The intraocular lens contact lens includes an optical lens and haptics extending radially from the optical lens, the haptics configured for insertion under an anterior lobe of a capsule wall in an eye. The optical lens of the intraocular lens contact lens is configured to provide negative power optical power and the outer lens is configured to provide positive power optical power. The posterior surface of the haptic includes a ridge configured to capture at least one edge of the artificial intraocular lens. The haptic is flexible such that an outer portion of the haptic is configured to drive the ridge into at least one edge of the artificial intraocular lens based on surface pressure from the anterior leaflet against the outer portion of the haptic.

Other technical features may be readily apparent to one skilled in the art from the following figures, descriptions, and claims.

Drawings

For a more complete understanding of the present invention and the features thereof, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate an example Galileo vision system in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of an exemplary intraocular artificial lens contact lens for a Galileo vision system according to the present invention;

FIG. 4 illustrates a top view of an exemplary intraocular artificial lens contact lens for a Galileo vision system in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 5 illustrates a side view of an exemplary intraocular artificial lens contact lens for a Galileo vision system in accordance with the present invention;

figures 6 to 9 illustrate different cross-sectional views of an exemplary intraocular artificial lens contact lens for a galileo vision system according to the invention;

figures 10 and 11 illustrate exemplary combinations of intraocular artificial lens contact lenses and artificial intraocular lenses that may be used in a galileo vision system according to the invention;

figures 12 to 14 illustrate an exemplary coupling of an intraocular artificial lens contact lens for a galileo vision system and an artificial intraocular lens according to the present invention; and

FIG. 15 illustrates an example method for forming a Galileo vision system in accordance with this invention.

Detailed Description

Figures 1 through 15, discussed below, and the various embodiments used to describe the principles of the present invention in this patent document are by way of illustration only and should not be construed in any way to limit the scope of the invention. Those skilled in the art will understand that the principles of the invention may be implemented in any type of suitably arranged device or system.

The present invention relates to devices, systems, and techniques for treating age-related macular degeneration (AMD) or other types of ocular diseases using the galileo visual system. The galileo vision system includes an intraocular artificial lens contact lens (ioclc) that may be mounted on, attached to, or otherwise secured to an artificial intraocular lens (IOL) for each of a patient's one or more eyes. The galileo vision system also includes one or more external lenses, such as spectacles (lenses) or contact lenses, having a specially designed power system to magnify the image onto the macula(s) of a patient's eye. The IOPCL-based Galileo power method may be particularly useful for providing a customized vision system to treat early and intermediate AMD in IOL patients. For example, these patients may have lost sufficient vision to support maintaining their driving privileges. They may also actually lose their driver's license and/or ability to read normal printed matter.

Fig. 1 and 2 illustrate an example galileo vision system 100 in accordance with this invention. As shown in fig. 1 and 2, the galileo vision system 100 is used in conjunction with a patient's eye 102. Depending on the circumstances, a single Galileo vision system 100 may be used for one eye 102 of the patient, or two Galileo vision systems 100 may be used for both eyes 102 of the patient. The eye 102 generally includes a cornea 104, a sclera 106, and an iris 108. For ease of illustration and explanation, the eye 102 itself is shown in cross-section in fig. 1. The cornea 104 represents the transparent front of the eye 102 through which light enters the eye 102. The sclera 106 represents the hard outer white portion of the eye 102. The iris 108 represents the component of the eye 102 that controls the size of the eye's pupil, and thus the amount of light that enters the interior of the eye 102 from the cornea 104.

The eye 102 also includes a capsular bag 110 that generally retains the natural lens of the eye 102. However, in this example, the natural lens has been removed and replaced with an artificial intraocular lens (IOL) 112. Intraocular lens 112 generally comprises an optical lens and one or more haptics. The optical lens of the intraocular lens 112 receives light entering the eye 102 and focuses the light onto the retina of the eye 102. The haptics of the intraocular lens 112 help retain the intraocular lens 112 within the capsular bag 110 so that the optic of the intraocular lens 112 is in a desired position within the eye. The eye 102 in which the natural lens has been replaced by the artificial intraocular lens 112 is commonly referred to as an "intraocular lens" eye. It should be noted that there are a wide variety of artificial intraocular lenses available for use with patients, and additional artificial intraocular lenses will certainly be developed in the future. The intraocular lens 112 shown here is for illustration only and any other suitable artificial intraocular lens now known or later developed may be used in the galilean vision system 100. Further, the intraocular lens 112 may be used herein to provide any desired optical correction or other modification to the light passing through the eye 102.

An intraocular artificial lens contact lens (IOPCL) 114 has been placed on the intraocular lens 112 or otherwise in front of the intraocular lens (possibly without contacting the uveal tissue). Intraocular lens contact lens 114 represents an additional lens that may be mounted on, attached to, or otherwise secured to intraocular lens 112. As shown therein, IOL contact lens 114 may be placed on or in front of the anterior surface of IOL 112, meaning the anterior surface of IOL 112 opposite eye 102. Light enters through the cornea 104 and passes through the pupil before entering the intraocular lens contact lens 114, which alters the light. The modified light then passes through the optical lens of the intraocular lens 112 and is again modified. The twice modified light then passes through the rest of the eye 102 to the retina at the back of the eye 102.

As described below, IOL contact lens 114 includes an optical lens and an optional mechanism for securing IOL contact lens 114 to or against IOL 112. For example, in some embodiments, the intraocular lens contact lens 114 comprises one or more haptics that extend a short distance and fit under the anterior lobe of the capsular bag 110 in the eye 102. This allows the haptic to be captured and restrained by the anterior leaflet and attached to the capsule wall of the anterior leaflet, possibly via fibrosis or re-fibrosis. The anterior leaflet represents the outer portion of the anterior side of the capsular bag 110 that remains after an opening (called a capsulorhexis) is formed in the capsular bag 110 so that the natural lens can be removed. Inserting the haptics of IOL contact lens 114 under the anterior leaflet helps secure IOL contact lens 114 in place. In some cases, the healing process in the eye 102 may cause fibrosis or re-fibrosis to occur, which may also attach the anterior leaflet to the haptic of the iol contact lens 114. In other embodiments, IOL contact lens 114 comprises one or more needles capable of piercing the lens material of IOL 112. In other embodiments, IOL contact lens 114 may be designed to mate or otherwise interface with one or more components of IOL 112 specifically designed for IOL contact lens 114. In general, any suitable mechanism(s) may be used to mount, attach, or otherwise fix intraocular lens contact lens 114 in place relative to intraocular lens 112.

An outer lens 116 is positioned in front of the eye 102. In this example, the outer lens 116 takes the form of an eyeglass lens (such as a spectacle lens) that can be held in place in front of the eye 102 (such as using a frame worn by the patient). However, the outer lens 116 may also take other forms, such as a contact lens 116' that is worn on the cornea 104 of the eye 102. Outer lens 116 and intraocular lens contact lens 114 (with or without intraocular lens 112) form Galileo vision system 100. More particularly, the galileo vision system 100 is formed using two high power optics having opposite optical powers. Intraocular lens contact lens 114 comprises a high negative power optical section implanted in eye 102. The high negative power segment of the intraocular lens contact lens 114 produces a large hyperopic refractive error in a portion of the patient's visual field while maintaining the patient's current hyperopic visual field and peripheral visual acuity. In some embodiments, the high negative power section of the intraocular lens contact lens 114 may act as the "eyepiece" of the Galilean telescope system.

To complete the galilean telescopic system, an external lens 116, such as a high positive power spectacle lens, contact lens or other external lens, is placed in front of the eye 102. The high positive power causes the outer lens 116 to essentially act as an objective lens for a galilean telescope system. The high positive power lens may be manufactured in any suitable manner. For example, in some cases, high positive power lenses may be manufactured with diffractive phase plates manufactured by professional spectacle manufacturers to achieve very high positive powers while maintaining minimal weight and thickness. The use of special corrective spectacles may help avoid the problems encountered in prior approaches. Furthermore, the use of specialized corrective eyeglasses may allow for subsequent adjustment of the magnification effect as the patient's vision gradually deteriorates over time due to AMD progression or other disorders. However, other techniques for fabricating the outer lens 116 may be used.

Depending on the implementation, the intraocular lens contact lens 114 may be multifocal and contain a combination of lens powers (such as a high negative power optical section and an optical section having a different optical power or no optical power). This may allow viewing with or without the complete galileo vision system 100, as desired. This means that without the outer lens 116 in place and only the intraocular lens contact lens 114 in place, the patient may be able to enjoy the benefit of increased power, such as about 1.4 to 1.6 times power. This level of magnification may be sufficient to restore approximately 20/40 of the corrected distance visual acuity (DCDVA) to a BCDVA in patients whose vision has dropped from 20/40 of the distance to the Best Corrected Distance Visual Acuity (BCDVA) of 20/60. This is sufficient to read a normal size print or to regain the patient's driver's license. With outer lens 116 in place with IOL contact lens 114, galileo vision system 100 can achieve an even greater amount of magnification. Thus, in various approaches, the patient may benefit from the normal width and magnification of his field of view (the outer lens 116 is not in place) and greater magnification (the outer lens 116 is in place).

Although often described as being used to treat both eyes 102 of a patient, this is not required. For example, a single eye 102 of a patient may be treated, and a contact lens, spectacles or other external lens 116 may be used with the eye 102 to provide a Galilean telescopic system for the eye 102. The other eye 102 of the patient may not have a contact lens, glasses or other external lens 116, or the other eye 102 may contain a different contact lens, glasses or other external lens 116 (which may be blank or non-corrective glasses). The other eye 102 of the patient may or may not contain an intraocular lens contact lens 114 and the other eye 102 is not required to contain the same type of intraocular lens contact lens 114. In general, the methods described herein can be readily customized to provide the desired correction of each patient's eye(s) 102, either individually or collectively.

The desired optical powers of the intraocular lens contact lens 114 and the outer lens 116 may be achieved in any suitable manner. For example, in some embodiments, the segmented optical power of intraocular lens contact lens 114 may be delivered in a central hole or dedicated segmented region of different optical power or shape on the posterior or anterior side of the optics of intraocular lens contact lens 114. The outer lens 116 may also have any suitable anterior and posterior surfaces that provide the desired optical power.

Although fig. 1 and 2 illustrate one example of a galileo vision system 100, various changes may be made to fig. 1 and 2. For example, any suitable intraocular lens contact lens 114 (with or without intraocular lens 112) and any suitable outer lens 116 may be used to form Galileo vision system 100.

Figures 3 to 9 illustrate an exemplary intraocular artificial lens contact lens 300 for a galilean vision system according to the invention. More particularly, fig. 3 illustrates a perspective view of an intraocular artificial lens contact lens 300, fig. 4 illustrates a top view of the intraocular artificial lens contact lens 300, and fig. 5 illustrates a side view of the intraocular artificial lens contact lens 300. Fig. 6 to 9 illustrate different cross-sectional views of an intraocular artificial lens contact lens 300. For ease of explanation, intraocular artificial lens contact lens 300 may be described as representing intraocular artificial lens contact lens 114 and as used in galileo vision system 100 of fig. 1 and 2. However, the intraocular artificial lens contact lens 300 may be used with any other suitable galileo vision system, and the galileo vision system may use any other suitable type of intraocular artificial lens contact lens.

As shown in fig. 3-5, iol contact lens 300 includes an optical lens 302 that represents the portion of iol contact lens 300 that alters the light passing through iol contact lens 300. For example, light passing through the optical lens 302 may then pass through the associated intraocular lens 112 before reaching the retina of the patient's eye 102. Optical lens 302 may be formed from any suitable material(s), such as silicone or acrylic. Optical lens 302 may also be formed in any suitable manner, such as by using a die, laser, or lathe cut manufacturing process. Different optical lenses 302 in different intraocular lens contact lenses 300 may be designed and manufactured to provide different types of optical modifications, such as when different optical lenses 302 provide different high negative power optical magnifications.

A plurality of haptics 304a-304c extend from multiple sides of optical lens 302. Haptics 304a-304c are sized and shaped such that they extend a small distance from optical lens 302 and fit under the anterior lobe of the capsular wall in the patient's eye 102 after implantation. Each haptic 304a-304c may be formed of any suitable material(s) and in any suitable manner. For example, each haptic 304a-304c may be formed of the same material(s) as optical lens 302. It should be noted that although three haptics 304a-304c are shown here, IOL contact lens 300 may comprise any number of haptics, including a single haptic. It should also be noted that although the haptics 304a-304c are angled downward (meaning that the haptics 304a-304c extend generally outward and rearward from the optical lens 302), the haptics 304a-304c may have any other suitable arrangement. Further, it should be noted that haptics 304a-304c may be coupled to optical lens 302 in any suitable manner, such as when haptics 304a-304c are integrally formed with optical lens 302 or attached to optical lens 302 or a retaining ring or other structure (integral with or attached to optical lens 302) using an adhesive or other suitable coupling mechanism.

Each of the haptics 304a-304c can include a textured surface 306 that can facilitate capture or confinement of the haptics 304a-304c by an anterior lobe of a capsule wall in the patient's eye 102. This may help, among other things, haptics 304a-304c secure IOL contact lens 300 on or in place on IOL 112. In some cases, the textured surface 306 allows the haptics 304a-304c to actually physically bond to the anterior leaflet of the capsule wall in the patient's eye 102, such as through fibrosis or re-fibrosis during healing. In other cases, the textured surface 306 may simply resist movement of the haptics 304a-304c relative to the anterior lobe of the capsule wall in the patient's eye 102.

Each textured surface 306 represents any suitable structure that facilitates restraining, capturing, or attaching the haptics 304a-304c through or to the anterior leaflet of the capsule wall. In some cases, each textured surface 306 may represent an Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM) finish, or each textured surface 306 may represent a hole formed partially or completely through the haptics 304a-304c (in which case the number and size of the holes in the textured surface 306 may vary as needed or desired). It should be noted that other forms of texture may be used herein, or no texture may be required. It should also be noted that haptics 304a-304c may be omitted if not required, such as when the IOL contact lens 300 may be held in place on the IOL 112 via surface tension, adhesive, or other techniques. Further, it should be noted that other types of haptics may be used with IOL contact lens 300, or a pin embedded in or through a protrusion of an optical lens of IOL contact lens 300 or other structure of IOL contact lens 300 may be used to secure IOL contact lens 300 to IOL 112. In general, the invention is not limited to any particular haptic design or mechanism for mounting or attaching intraocular lens contact lens 300 to intraocular lens 112.

In this example, haptics 304a-304c of IOL contact lens 300 are formed as large protrusions extending from the sides of optical lens 302, effectively forming long "wings" extending from optical lens 302. In this example, the inner portion of each haptic 304a-304c protrudes outward and downward (rearward), and in this example, the outer portion of each haptic 304a-304c protrudes outward and slightly upward (although the outer portion of each haptic 304a-304c may be flexible, as described below). However, it should be noted that other forms of the haptics 304a-304c can be used. Each of the outer portions of the haptics 304a-304c has a thickness that tapers toward the outer edges of the haptics 304a-304c, which can facilitate easier insertion of the haptics 304a-304c under the anterior leaflet of the capsule wall in the patient's eye 102. The lower surfaces of the haptics 304a-304c also include ridges 308 and the multiple ridges 308 of multiple haptics 304a-304c can be used to capture one or more edges of the underlying intraocular lens 112. This may help center IOL contact lens 300 on IOL 112. This may also help to hold IOL contact lens 300 in place on IOL 112 during the healing process or during use. Although the ridge 308 is shown here as being substantially flat or slightly curved, the ridge 308 may incorporate other features. For example, the lip may be formed by a small inward protrusion extending from the bottom or other portion(s) of the ridge 308 inward toward the central optical axis of the optical lens 302 (meaning the vertical axis passing through the center of the optical lens 302 in fig. 5).

Haptics 304a-304c may have any suitable position in IOL contact lens 300. For example, in some embodiments, the haptics 304a-304c are evenly spaced apart by about 120 °. In other embodiments, the haptics 304a-304c are unevenly spaced, such as when the haptic 304a is separated from each of the haptics 304b-304c by about 125 and the haptics 304b-304c are separated from each other by about 110 (which may be based on, for example, the position of the haptics of the intraocular lens 112 on which the intraocular lens contact lens 300 is to be placed). Further, in some cases, the intraocular lens 300 may be designed to be implanted in a particular orientation in the eye 102 of a patient, and at least one alignment mark 310 may be provided to identify the correct orientation of the intraocular lens 300 in the eye 102. In this example, a single alignment mark 310 in the form of a raised letter "R" may be used to identify the haptic 304a to be positioned to the right of the intraocular lens 112 when the surgeon or other person views the intraocular lens 112 within the eye 102. However, any other or additional alignment marks 310 or no alignment marks may be used herein.

Depending on the implementation, optical lens 302 may have any suitable optical power(s). In this example, optical lens 302 includes a first lens portion 312 and a second lens portion 314, where the two portions 312-314 of optical lens 302 may provide different levels of optical magnification. For example, the first lens portion 312 may provide a specified amount of magnification (such as a high negative power magnification), and the second lens portion 314 may provide a different amount of magnification or possibly little or no magnification. To provide a high negative power in this example, the front surface of first lens portion 312 may be convex or concave, and the back surface of first lens portion 312 may be concave. The amount of high negative power magnification here can be adjusted by changing the shape of one or more of the front and back surfaces of the first lens portion 312. For example, fig. 6-9 illustrate example cross-sections of an intraocular lens contact lens 300 taken along linebase:Sub>A-base:Sub>A in fig. 4, where different first lens portions 312base:Sub>A-312 d are shown having different shapes on their anterior surfaces. These different shapes allow different first lens portions 312a-312d to provide different amounts of high negative power magnification. As a particular example, lens portion 312a may provide an optical power of-15 diopters, lens portion 312b may provide an optical power of-20 diopters, lens portion 312c may provide an optical power of-25 diopters, and lens portion 312d may provide an optical power of-5 diopters (although these are merely example values).

Thus, the first lens portion 312 of the intraocular lens contact lens 300 can be used to provide a large amount of negative power optical power. This supports the use of intraocular artificial lens contact lens 300 in galilean vision system 100, where outer lens 116 can provide a large amount of positive power optical power. Second lens portion 314 of IOL contact lens 300 may be used to provide different amounts of optical power or no optical power. For example, the front surface of the second lens portion 314 may be convex, and the rear surface of the second lens portion 314 may be concave. Thus, the central section of the optical lens 302 shown here may be used to increase the field of view, such as to the middle or near. This may be used to help treat conditions such as AMD or other vision loss disorders associated with retinal diseases.

In this particular example, first lens portion 312 is generally circular and positioned in the center of IOL contact lens 300, and second lens portion 314 is generally annular and surrounds first lens portion 312. However, each lens portion 312 and 314 may have any other suitable size, shape and location within IOL contact lens 300. In general, the size, shape, and location of lens portions 312-314 may be varied as needed or desired to provide a desired optical magnification.

The IOL contact lens 300 shown in figures 3-9 can be easily secured to the IOL 112, such as by capturing and restraining the haptics 304a-304c of the IOL contact lens 300 using the anterior lobe of the capsular wall in the eye 102. In some cases, this may also involve physical binding of the haptics 304a-304c to the anterior leaflet of the capsular wall, such as via a fibrosis or re-fibrosis mechanism. Thus, in some embodiments, IOL contact lens 300 may not need to be designed to work specifically with any particular configuration of IOL 112. In contrast, intraocular lens 112 for use with intraocular lens contact lens 300 need not have any predetermined structure provided for coupling to intraocular lens contact lens 300. Rather, IOL contact lens 300 may simply be sized such that when IOL contact lens 300 is placed on IOL 112, it may be held in place by being captured and restrained by (and possibly in conjunction with) the anterior leaflet of the capsule wall. This allows intraocular lens contact lens 300 to be used with a wide variety of intraocular lenses 112, including different types of intraocular lenses 112 and including existing intraocular lenses 112 that have been implanted in patients. There is no need to remove the existing intraocular lens 112 from the patient in order to install new intraocular lenses and intraocular lens contact lenses. It should be noted, however, that in other embodiments, the intraocular lens contact lens may also be designed to specifically mate with a particular intraocular lens.

Further, the intraocular lens contact lens 300 may be easily removed from the patient's eye 102, such as after implantation or at any suitable time prior to bonding the haptics 304a-304c to the capsule wall (assuming fibrosis or re-fibrosis holds the intraocular lens contact lens 300 in place). This allows, in particular, one intraocular lens contact lens 300 to be removed and replaced with a different intraocular lens contact lens 300 if a different optical power is required or desired.

Intraocular lens contact lens 300 may have any suitable size, shape, and dimensions. For example, intraocular lens contact lens 300 may be manufactured in a diameter range from about 4 millimeters to about 6 millimeters. Furthermore, the intraocular lens contact lens 300 may be made with a varying base curvature for its optical lens 302. Of course, the intraocular lens contact lens 300 may also be custom designed for a particular patient's eye 102, such as when one or more specific curvatures are required to provide a desired optical power in a particular patient's eye 102.

In some embodiments, intraocular lens contact lens 300 and various components of intraocular lens contact lens 300 may have the following design parameters. The diameter of the first lens portion 312 may be about 2.25 millimeters, the diameter of the second lens portion 314 may be about 4.5 millimeters, the diameter of the circle defined by the ridge 308 may be about 6.05 millimeters, and the diameter of the circle defined by the outer edges of the haptics 304a-304c may be about 7 millimeters. When viewed from the top, the straight sides of each haptic 304a-304c may taper from an interval of about 0.97 mm to about 0.63 mm, with the straight sides defining an angle of about 15 °. Optical lens 302 can have a thickness of about 0.375 millimeters along its outer edge and there can be a step of about 0.065 millimeters between the back surface of optical lens 302 and the back surfaces of haptics 304a-304c along its outer edge. Each of ridges 308 may form an angle of about 10 with respect to the central optical axis of optical lens 302, and the posterior surfaces of haptics 304a-304c may extend from optical lens 302 at an angle of about 103 with respect to the central optical axis of optical lens 302. The distance between ridge 308 and the outer edge of each haptic 304a-304c may be about 0.48 millimeters. The various corners and edges of IOL contact lens 300 may be rounded and the radii of curvature of the anterior and posterior surfaces of first and second lens portions 312-314 may be varied based on the desired optical power(s) provided by lens portions 312-314. It should be noted, however, that these dimensions and other design parameters are for illustration only and may be varied as needed or desired depending on the implementation of the intraocular lens contact lens 300.

The intraocular lens contact lens 300 may be non-invasively implanted in the patient's eye 102 and easily positioned on the intraocular lens 112. Implantation is non-invasive because IOL contact lens 300 is mounted on the anterior surface of IOL 112, which is typically easily accessible to the surgeon or other personnel during implantation. The implantation is also non-invasive in that the intraocular lens contact lens 300 may be attached to the intraocular lens 112 without the need to attach the intraocular lens contact lens 300 to anatomical structures within the patient's eye 102, such as to the pupil of the patient's eye 102. The non-invasive implantation and easy positioning of IOL contact lens 300 provides a safe and effective surgical procedure for correcting AMD or other ocular diseases.

If haptics 304a-304c of IOL contact lens 300 include ridges 308, ridges 308 may be used to center IOL contact lens 300 on the underlying IOL 112, as described above. If IOL contact lens 300 includes multiple haptics 304a-304c with associated ridges 308, ridges 308 may help to perfectly center IOL contact lens 300 on the underlying IOL 112. Such a method allows the ridges 308 of the IOLs's haptics 304a-304c to edge trap the underlying IOL 112 and perfectly align the center of the IOL's contact lens's optics with the center of the IOL's 112. This alignment helps reduce or avoid induced optical aberrations or induced prisms caused by optical center misalignment.

It should be noted that in the above example, IOL contact lens 300 may be designed such that only haptics 304a-304c of IOL contact lens 300 extend below the anterior lobe of the capsule wall in patient's eye 102. This allows the haptics 304a-304c to be captured and restrained by the anterior lobes while leaving the optical lens 302 of the IOL contact lens 300 free and generally unobstructed by surrounding tissue in the patient's eye 102.

It should also be noted that in some embodiments, a surgical tool disclosed in U.S. patent application publication No. 2019/0269555A1, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference, may be used to assist in the implantation of intraocular lens contact lens 300. For example, this tool may be used to separate at least a portion of the anterior leaflet of the patient's eye 102 from the implanted intraocular lens 112, allowing the haptics 304a-304c of the intraocular lens contact lens 300 to be inserted between the anterior leaflet and the intraocular lens 112. As another example, this tool may be used to separate the anterior leaflet of the patient's eye 102 from the implanted iol contact lens, allowing the iol contact lens to be removed (and possibly replaced).

Although fig. 3-9 illustrate one example of an intraocular artificial lens contact lens 300 for use with galileo vision system 100, various changes may be made to fig. 3-9. For example, intraocular lens contact lens 300 may include any suitable number of each of the components shown in the figures. As a particular example, although optical lens 302 is shown with two portions 312 and 314, optical lens 302 may have more than two regions (such as two or more annular regions surrounding a central region). Furthermore, the forms of haptics 304a-304c shown here are examples only, and any other suitable structure or other mechanism may be used to secure IOL contact lens 300 in place. In addition, many other features may be used at one or more locations of IOL contact lens 300. For example, one or more drug eluting materials may be placed on the top surface, side surface, or bottom surface of an optical lens in an intraocular artificial lens contact lens. In addition, the specific dimensions, diopters, optical power, and other values described above are for illustration only and do not limit the present invention to specific values.

Furthermore, the intraocular artificial lens contact lens 300 shown in fig. 3 to 9 represents one example of the type of intraocular device that can be designed or modified for use with the galileo vision system 100. However, various other intraocular devices may be designed or modified for use with the galileo vision system 100. For example, U.S. patent application publication No. 2020/0121446A1 and U.S. patent application publication No. 2019/0076237A1, both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety, disclose various intraocular artificial lens contact lenses that can be modified to include optical lenses that provide a high negative power optical power in the center, which would allow those intraocular artificial lens contact lenses to be used in galilean vision system 100. The intraocular lens contact lenses disclosed in the documents incorporated by reference above use, inter alia, needles, haptic rings or other structures to secure the intraocular lens contact lens to the intraocular lens, and any of these structures may be used with intraocular lens contact lenses in the galileo vision system.

Figures 10 and 11 illustrate an exemplary combination of an intraocular artificial lens contact lens 300 and an artificial intraocular lens 112 that may be used in a galileo vision system according to the invention. For ease of explanation, this combination may be described as being used in the galileo vision system 100 of fig. 1 and 2. However, the combination may be used in any other suitable galileo vision system, and the galileo vision system may use any other suitable combination of an intraocular artificial lens contact lens and an intraocular lens.

As shown in fig. 10 and 11, intraocular lens 112 comprises an optical lens 1002 and haptics 1004 extending from optical lens 1002. Optical lens 1002 receives light that has passed through optical lens 302 of IOL contact lens 300 and focuses the light onto the retina of eye 102. The haptics 1004 help to retain the intraocular lens 112 within the capsular bag 110 so that the optical lens 1002 is in a desired position within the eye 102. It should be noted that the forms of optical lens 1002 and haptic 1004 shown here are examples only, and other intraocular lenses may contain different optical lenses or different haptics.

Figures 12 to 14 illustrate an exemplary coupling of an intraocular artificial lens contact lens 300 for a galileo vision system according to the invention with an artificial intraocular lens 112. For ease of explanation, the coupling may be described as being performed to help form the galileo vision system 100 of fig. 1 and 2. However, the coupling may involve any other suitable galileo vision system, and the galileo vision system may use an intraocular artificial lens contact lens and any other suitable coupling of intraocular lenses.

As shown in FIG. 12, IOL contact lens 300 and IOL 112 are shown in a side view with IOL contact lens 300 being moved toward IOL 112. Outer portion 1202 of each haptic 304a-304c is angled partially upward here, which facilitates coupling IOL contact lens 300 to IOL 112, as described below. IOL contact lens 300 may be moved toward IOL 112 in any suitable manner, such as when a surgeon or other person uses a tool to grasp and manipulate IOL contact lens 300.

As shown in FIG. 13, an intraocular lens contact lens 300 is placed on the anterior surface of intraocular lens 112. However, in FIG. 13, it is assumed that the outer portions 1202 of the haptics 304a-304c are not placed under the anterior leaflet of the eye 102, which is why the outer portions 1202 of the haptics 304a-304c are still angled partially upward here. This allows the ridges 308 of the haptics 304a-304c to more easily surround and capture the outer edges of the optical lens 1002 of the intraocular lens 112.

As shown in figure 14, IOL contact lens 300 has now been secured to the anterior surface of IOL 112. In FIG. 14, it is assumed that the outer portions 1202 of the haptics 304a-304c have been placed under the anterior lobe in the eye 102. The anterior leaflet applies a downward force to the outer portion 1202 of the haptics 304a-304c. Assuming that the haptics 304a-304c are flexible, this surface pressure causes the outer portions 1202 of the haptics 304a-304c to deflect and angle partially downward, which helps drive the ridge 308 (and optionally any lips or other structures on the ridge 308) into the outer edge of the optical lens 1002 of the intraocular lens 112. This helps secure IOL contact lens 300 to IOL 112 and helps align the optical axes of IOL contact lens 300 and IOL 112.

Although fig. 10 and 11 illustrate one example of a combination of an intraocular artificial lens contact lens 300 and an artificial intraocular lens 112 that can be used with the galileo vision system 100, and fig. 12-14 illustrate one example of a coupling of an intraocular artificial lens contact lens 300 and an artificial intraocular lens 112 for the galileo vision system 100, various changes can be made to fig. 10-14. For example, any other suitable mechanism (possibly including only surface tension) may be used to hold the intraocular lens contact lens on or against the intraocular lens.

FIG. 15 illustrates an example method 1500 for forming a Galileo vision system in accordance with this invention. For ease of explanation, method 1500 is described as using intraocular lens contact lens 300 and outer lens 116 as part of the formation of Galileo vision system 100. However, method 1500 may use any other suitable intraocular lens contact lens and any other suitable outer lens and may form any other suitable galileo vision system.

As shown in fig. 15, an intraocular artificial lens contact lens (ioclc) is inserted into a patient's eye at step 1502 and secured in the patient's eye at step 1504. This may include, for example, the surgeon or other personnel selecting (such as from a kit) an intraocular lens contact lens 300 that provides the desired amount of high negative optical power. This may also include the surgeon or other person making a small incision in the patient's eye 102 and inserting the intraocular lens contact lens 300 into the eye 102 through the incision. IOL contact lens 300 may be rolled, folded, or otherwise reduced in cross-sectional size to facilitate insertion of IOL contact lens 300 through a smaller incision. This may further include one or more haptics 304a-304c of the intraocular lens contact lens 300 sliding or otherwise being inserted under the anterior lobe of the capsule wall in the patient's eye 102.

An external optic is selected for the intraocular lens contact lens at step 1506 and obtained at step 1508. This may include, for example, the surgeon or other personnel selecting an appropriate outer lens 116 that provides the desired amount of high positive power optical power. This may also include the surgeon or other personnel forming the outer lens 116, or a patient otherwise obtaining the outer lens 116 with the desired amount of high positive optical power. At step 1510, the intraocular lens contact lens and external optics are used as a Galileo vision system. This may include, for example, a patient wearing an outer lens 116 (which acts as the objective lens of the galileo vision system) while having an implanted intraocular artificial lens contact lens 300 (which acts as the eyepiece of the galileo vision system).

Although FIG. 15 illustrates one example of a method 1500 for forming Galileo vision system 100, various changes may be made to FIG. 15. For example, while shown as a series of steps, various steps in FIG. 15 could overlap, occur in parallel, occur in a different order, or occur any number of times.

It may be advantageous to set forth definitions of certain words and phrases used throughout this patent document. The terms "include" and "comprise," as well as derivatives thereof, mean inclusion without limitation. The term "or" is inclusive, meaning and/or. The phrase "associated with," and derivatives thereof, may mean including, contained within, connected to, housed within, connected to, or connected to, coupled to, or coupled with, communicable with, fitted with, staggered, juxtaposed, proximate, joined to, or combined with, having a characteristic, having a relationship, or the like. When used with a list of items, the phrase "at least one of" means that different combinations of one or more of the listed items can be used and only one item in the list may be required. For example, "at least one of A, B and C" includes any combination of: A. b, C, A and B, A and C, B and C, and a and B and C.

The description in this patent document should not be read as implying that any particular element, step, or function is an essential or critical element that must be included in the claim scope. Furthermore, no claim is intended to be implied by reference to 35u.s.c.112 (f) any appended claim or claim element unless the exact word "means for. The use of terms in the claims, such as (but not limited to) "mechanism," "module," "device," "unit," "component," "element," "member," "device," "machine," "system," "processor," "processing device," or "controller," and the like, is understood to be, and is intended to refer to structures known to those of skill in the relevant art that are further modified or enhanced by features of the claims themselves, and is not intended to refer to 35u.s.c.112 (f).

While the present invention has been described with respect to certain embodiments and generally associated methods, alterations and permutations of these embodiments and methods will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the above description of example embodiments does not define or constrain this disclosure. Other changes, substitutions, and alterations are also possible without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure, as defined by the following claims.

Claims (20)

1. A system, characterized in that the system comprises:

an intraocular artificial lens contact lens configured to be implanted in an eye and to be mounted on or attached to an artificial intraocular lens in the eye; and

an outer lens configured to be positioned in front of the eye;

wherein the intraocular artificial lens contact lens and the outer lens form a telescopic Galileo vision system.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the external lens comprises one of a spectacle lens and a contact lens.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the intraocular lens contact lens comprises an optical lens configured to provide a negative power optical power; and

the outer lens is configured to provide a positive power optical magnification.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the optical lens of the intraocular lens contact lens is configured to provide an optical power of about-5 diopters to about-25 diopters.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the intraocular lens contact lens comprises:

an optical lens; and

a haptic extending radially from the optical lens and configured to be inserted under an anterior lobe of a capsular wall in the eye.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein an anterior surface of the haptic is configured to contact an inner capsular wall surface at the anterior leaflet, the anterior surface of the haptic comprising a textured surface.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the posterior surface of the haptic comprises a ridge configured to capture at least one edge of the artificial intraocular lens.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the haptic is flexible such that an outer portion of the haptic is configured to drive the ridge into the at least one edge of the intraocular lens based on surface pressure from the anterior leaflet against the outer portion of the haptic.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the intraocular lens contact lens comprises an optical lens;

the optical lens includes a central portion configured to provide negative power optical magnification; and

the optical lens further includes an annular portion surrounding the central portion and configured to provide optical power of different optical power optical powers or no optical power.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the central portion of the optical lens comprises a convex front surface or a concave front surface and a concave back surface; and

the annular portion of the optical lens includes a convex front surface and a concave rear surface.

11. A method, comprising:

forming a telescopic galileo vision system using an intraocular lens contact lens and an outer lens;

wherein the intraocular artificial lens contact lens is configured to be implanted in an eye and to be mounted on or attached to an artificial intraocular lens in the eye; and

wherein the outer lens is configured to be positioned in front of the eye.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the outer lens comprises one of: spectacle lenses and contact lenses.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the intraocular lens contact lens comprises an optical lens configured to provide a negative power optical power; and

the outer lens is configured to provide a positive power optical magnification.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the outer lens functions as an objective lens in the telescopic galilean vision system; and

the optical lens of the intraocular lens contact lens functions as an eyepiece in the telescopic galilean vision system.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the intraocular lens contact lens comprises:

an optical lens; and

a haptic extending radially from the optical lens and configured to be inserted under an anterior lobe of a capsular wall in the eye.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the posterior surface of the haptic comprises a ridge configured to capture at least one edge of the artificial intraocular lens.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the haptic is flexible such that an outer portion of the haptic is configured to drive the ridge into the at least one edge of the intraocular lens based on surface pressure from the anterior lobe against the outer portion of the haptic.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the intraocular lens contact lens comprises an optical lens;

the optical lens includes a central portion configured to provide negative power optical magnification; and

the optical lens further includes an annular portion surrounding the central portion and configured to provide optical power of different optical power optical powers or no optical power.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the central portion of the optical lens comprises a convex front surface or a concave front surface and a concave back surface; and

the annular portion of the optical lens includes a convex front surface and a concave rear surface.

20. A system, characterized in that the system comprises:

an intraocular artificial lens contact lens configured to be implanted in an eye and to be mounted on or attached to an artificial intraocular lens in the eye; and

an outer lens configured to be positioned in front of the eye, the outer lens comprising at least one of: spectacle lenses and contact lenses;

wherein the intraocular artificial lens contact lens and the outer lens form a telescopic Galileo vision system;

wherein the intraocular lens contact lens comprises an optical lens and haptics extending radially from the optical lens, the haptics configured for insertion under an anterior lobe of a capsule wall in the eye;

wherein the optical lens of the intraocular artificial lens contact lens is configured to provide negative optical power;

wherein the outer lens is configured to provide a positive power optical magnification;

wherein a posterior surface of the haptic comprises a ridge configured to capture at least one edge of the artificial intraocular lens; and

wherein the haptic is flexible such that an outer portion of the haptic is configured to drive the ridge into the at least one edge of the artificial intraocular lens based on surface pressure from the anterior leaflet against the outer portion of the haptic.