Apparatus and method for preparing an intraocular lens for insertion

An apparatus to compress an intraocular lens, comprising:

• (a) a single-piece, non-hinged chamber having an outer peripheral wall and proximal and distal ends and an internal longitudinal passageway defined by said wall and extending between the ends;
• (b) the internal longitudinal passageway having a cross-sectional area that decreases from the proximal end of the chamber to the distal end of the chamber and being shaped so as to fold an inserted lens into a smaller diameter as the lens is moved from the proximal end of the chamber to the distal end of the chamber;
• (c) the chamber wall having an open portion extending distally from the proximal end for permitting withdrawal of a gasping means that is used for pushing the intraocular lens into the chamber from the proximal end of the chamber;
• (d) wherein the chamber containing the lens is capable of being removably connected to a device adapted for pushing the folded lens through the chamber passageway and out the distal end of the chamber.

A method for deforming or compressing an intraocular lens for insertion into a patient's eye, comprising the steps of:

• (a) grasping a foldable lens with a grasping means when the lens is in an uncompressed condition;
• (b) inserting the lens into a single-piece compression chamber, which has an outer peripheral wall and proximal and distal ends and an internal longitudinal passageway defined by said wall and extending through the chamber, the passageway defining a loading area, a staging area and a distal tip, the chamber wall having an open portion extending distally from the proximal end of said compression chamber, the lens being inserted in the proximal end of the chamber;
• (c) compressing the lens by pushing it through a portion of the passageway while holding the lens with the grasping means, the internal passageway having a larger cross-sectional area at the proximal end than at the distal end, with the internal passageway being shaped so as to cause the lens to gradually compress as it is pushed through the passageway from the proximal to the distal end;
• (d) withdrawing the grasping means after the lens is in the chamber;
• (e) inserting the compression chamber into an insertion instrument which has a plunger capable of expressing the compressed lens into the eye of a patient.