Lens insertion instrument
AssigneeIolab Corporation
InventorsGregory M. Smith, Ernest Aguilera, Howard Newman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An insertion tool for an intraocular lens including a disposable insertion assembly and a reusable handle. The insertion assembly includes a rigid tube with a collar about its proximal end and a lens holder which slides within the rigid tube and also includes a collar on its proximal end and a paddle on its distal end. The handle includes a hollow barrel connected to the rigid tube collar and a driver barrel inside the barrel connected to the collar of the lens holder. An actuator button slides along the outside of the barrel and extends through a slot in the side of the barrel to engage the drive barrel. A pusher rod may be placed inside the bore of the drive barrel to help hold the lens in position.
Claims21
A surgical instrument for inserting an intraocular lens into the eye comprising:
- an axially extending generally annular rigid tube having a distal end and a proximal end;
- a generally annular axially extending lens holder disposed at least partially within said rigid tube and having a distal end adapted for axially reciprocation within said rigid tube;
- said lens holder including a flexible paddle portion extending from its distal end adapted for retraction into or ejection from said rigid tube, said paddle portion extending transverse to the axis of said lens holder a distance greater than the largest transverse dimension of said rigid tube when said paddle portion is ejected from said rigid tube, and said paddle portion adapted to fold to a generally closed position when retracted into said rigid tube to hold and at least partially surround an intraocular lens;
- wherein said generally annular lens holder includes a slot extending axially along and through the wall of said lens holder from its distal end proximally;
- and
- wherein said paddle portion of said lens holder is made of a thin, plastic, flexible film.
A surgical instrument for inserting an intraocular lens into the eye comprising:
- a generally annular barrel having a distal end and having an axis and defining an axially extending hollow chamber;
- a slot extending through the wall of said generally annular barrel;
- a generally cylindrical drive barrel having a distal end disposed within the chamber of said generally annular barrel and adapted for reciprocal movement therewithin;
- actuation means disposed along the outside surface of said generally annular barrel and at least partially projecting through said slot;
- means for connecting said actuation means to said drive barrel so that as said actuation means is moved axially along said slot said drive barrel will move axially within said generally annular barrel;
- a rigid axially extending tube having a distal end and a proximal end, the proximal end being adapted for removable connection to the distal end of said generally annular barrel is substantially coaxial alignment;
- axially extending lens holder means disposed at least partially within said rigid tube adapted for reciprocation within said rigid tube and adapted for removable connection to the distal end of said drive barrel in substantially coaxial alignment;
- and
- said lens holder means including a flexible paddle portion extending from its distal end, adapted for retraction into or ejection from said rigid tube said paddle portion extending in a direction transverse to the axis of said lens holder a distance greater than the largest transverse dimension of said rigid tube when said paddle portion is ejected from said rigid tube, and said paddle portion adapted to fold to a generally closed position when retracted into said rigid tube to hold and at least partially surround an intraocular lens.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.