Accommodating intraocular lens

An intraocular lens apparatus adapted to be implanted in the eye, said apparatus comprising:

• a transparent and flexible outer lens membrane;
• a transparent and relatively rigid inner support lens member located adjacent said flexible membrane, said flexible lens membrane and said support lens member being spaced apart and sealed to one another and defining a fluid chamber therebetween;
• and
• accommodation means for injecting a pressurized fluid into said fluid chamber between said outer lens membrane and said inner support lens member in response to eye muscle movement in order to resiliently deform said flexible outer lens membrane and thereby change the refractive characteristic of said intraocular lens apparatus.

An intraocular apparatus for implantation in an eye, said apparatus comprising:

• a lens assembly including inner and outer light-transmissive lens members defining a fluid-filled chamber located between said lens members, at least a portion of said outer lens member being flexible;
• and
• accommodation means for changing the shape of said chamber in response to muscle movement in the eye in order to change the overall refractive characteristics of said lens assembly, said accommodation means including fluid means for selectively changing the fluid pressure in said fluid-filled chamber in order to change the position of said outer lens member relative to said inner lens member, said fluid means further including at least one elongated hollow and generally tubular-shaped haptic member interconnected with said inner and outer lens members, said hollow haptic member including external peripheral surface thereon and an interior wall defining an interior volume, said interior volume having said fluid therein and being in fluid communication with said fluid-filled chamber, at least a portion of said hollow haptic member being contractable and expandable in response to said eye muscle movement in order to respectively force fluid into, and withdraw fluid out of, said fluid-filled chamber in order to cause a change in the position of said outer lens member relative to said inner lens member in response to said eye muscle movement.

An intraocular apparatus for implantation in an eye, said apparatus comprising:

• a lens assembly including inner and outer light-transmissive lens members defining a fluid-filled chamber located between said lens members, at least a portion of said outer lens member being flexible;
• and
• accommodation means for changing the shape of said chamber in response to muscle movement in the eye in order to change the overall refractive characteristics of said lens assembly, said accommodation means including fluid means for selectively changing the fluid pressure in said fluid-filled chamber in order to change the position of said outer lens member relative to said inner lens member, said fluid means further including an elongated generally circular hollow conduit extending circumferentially around the periphery of said inner and outer lens members, said hollow conduit including an external peripheral surface thereon and an interior wall defining an interior volume of said hollow conduit, said interior volume having said fluid therein and being in fluid communication with said fluid-filled chamber, at least a portion of said hollow conduit being contractable and expandable in order to respectively force fluid into, and withdraw fluid out of, said fluid-filled chamber in order to cause a change in the position of said outer lens member relative to said inner lens member in response to said eye muscle movement.