Surgical instrument for implanting an intraocular lens

A forceps for manipulating objects, comprising:

• a pair of handles which are hingedly connected;
• a first body portion integral with a first of said handles, said first body portion being elongated and substantially tubular and being formed at its free end as a first jaw of the forceps, wherein said first jaw includes:
• a head portion;
• and,
• an arm at a free end of said head portion;
• a second body portion integral with a second of said handles, said second body portion extending within said substantially tubular first body portion and being formed at its free end as a second jaw of the forceps, said first and second jaws being longitudinally slidable with respect to each other from a predetermined minimum distance, which is greater than zero, so that an associated object which is grasped by the forceps will not be damaged when said handles are squeezed, to a predetermined maximum distance upon a manipulation of said pair of handles;
• and,
• a flange means, secured to one of said first and second body portions, for guiding an associated object in a controlled directional manner as one of said first and second jaws is retracted from the other of said first and second jaws, wherein said flange means comprises a planar flange which is substantially triangular in side elevational view and which extends approximately transversely to both said head portion and said arm, said flange being positioned near said arm.

A surgical instrument for manipulating an intraocular lens of the type having centering strands during eye surgery, comprising:

• a handle means for holding the instrument and including actuating means for manually actuating the instrument;
• a body section operably connected to said handle means, said body section including a pair of integral jaw members which are axially slidable with respect to each other, said jaw members being adapted to grasp a centering strand of an associated intraocular lens;
• and,
• a guide means for guiding the centering strand of said associated intraocular lens in a controlled directional manner as one of said jaws is retracted from the other of said jaws, said means being provided on said body section;
• and,
• means for partially retracting the iris or capsular flap of an eye during the implantation of said intraocular lens in the eye, said means for partially retracting being provided on said body section.

A microsurgical instrument adapted for manipulating an intraocular lens of the type having centering strands, comprising:

• a pair of resiliently biased handles;
• a body section operably connected to said handles, said body section including a pair of integral jaw members extending at an angle to said body section, said jaw members being axially slidable with respect to each other and being adapted to grasp a centering strand of an associated intraocular lens;
• and,
• means for partially retracting the iris or capsular flap of an eye during the implantation of said associated intraocular lens in the eye, said means for partially retracting being provided on said body section adjacent one of said jaw members.