Intraocular lens injector

An intraocular lens injector comprising:

• an injector body having a bore defined by an interior wall, the bore extending from a proximal end of the injector body to a distal end of the injector body along a longitudinal axis, the injector body further comprising:
• a proximal portion of the injector body having a first height with a first tapered wall and a second tapered wall which, together, taper the height of the proximal portion of the injector body to a second height smaller than the first height;
• a nozzle with an opening at the distal end of the injector body;
• a compartment located between the proximal portion of the injector body and the nozzle;
• an interface located between the proximal portion of the injector body and the compartment, wherein the interface has a third height substantially equal to the second height;
• wherein the compartment further comprises:
• a receiving surface configured to house an intraocular lens (IOL) having an optic, a leading haptic, and a trailing haptic;
• and
• a contoured ramp located between the receiving surface and the interface;
• and
• a tapered delivery passage located between the nozzle and the compartment, the tapered delivery passage having a first size at a proximal end near the compartment and a reduced size at a distal end near the nozzle;
• and
• a plunger slideable through the bore, from the proximal portion of the injector body, through the interface, through the compartment, through the tapered delivery passage, and into the nozzle, the plunger further comprising:
• a plunger rod that is substantially straight from a proximal end of the plunger rod to a distal end of the plunger rod with a downward bend near the distal end of the plunger rod;
• a plunger tip comprising:
• a first protrusion on a top of the plunger tip,
• a second protrusion on a bottom of the plunger tip, and
• at least one groove between the first protrusion and the second protrusion,
• wherein, as the plunger tip slides through the proximal portion of the injector body, the downward bend in the plunger rod interacts with the second tapered wall and causes the plunger tip move vertically upward towards the first tapered wall such that the second protrusion on the bottom of the plunger tip engages a bottom surface of the trailing haptic after traversing the interface and entering the compartment,
• wherein, as the plunger tip further slides through the compartment, the contoured ramp causes the plunger tip to be vertically displaced upward such that the at least one groove of the plunger tip captures the trailing haptic of the IOL, wherein, as the plunger tip further slides through the compartment after capturing the trailing haptic of the IOL, the at least one groove of the plunger tip and the first protrusion on the top of the plunger tip act together to fold the trailing haptic of the IOL over the optic of the IOL in the form of a partially folded IOL;
• wherein, as the plunger tip further slides through the compartment, the plunger tip advances the partially folded IOL into the tapered delivery passage;
• and
• wherein the reduced size of the delivery passage folds the leading haptic of the IOL onto the partially folded IOL.