Intraocular lens and method of retaining in place
AssigneeAmerican Cyanamid Company
InventorErich A. Koeniger
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Abstract
Intraocular lenses of non-rigid material are disclosed. In one embodiment, an intraocular lens of HEMA plastic or other soft plastic is cut to a size that is small for emplacing but fills the capsular bag of an eye after it has been emptied of its natural contents. The softening and expanding of a hydrophilic lens is caused by the aqueous humor uptake into the dry lens from the capsule environment. Means such as concentric grooves are also disclosed which engage the rough interior walls of the capsular bag to position and retain the lens in place.
Claims29
In an artificial intraocular lens for surgical implantation to replace a damaged natural lens in an otherwise functional eye of a patient, the improvement which comprises:
- said artificial lens having a cross sectional dimension less than that of the natural lens, and
- being composed of a dry, solid hydrophilic material capable of hydration by the natural fluid present in the eye to expand after implantation to provide an optically correct lens;
- to thus improve the vision of the patient.
In a method for the surgical implantation of an artificial intraocular lens to replace a damaged natural lens in an otherwise functional eye of a patient, the improvement which comprises:
- implanting an artificial lens having a minimum
- diameter less than that of the natural lens and being composed of a dry, solid hydrophilic material capable of hydration by the natural fluid present in the eye to expand after implantation to provide an optically correct lens;
- said implantation of the dry lens being made through an incision of minimal width corresponding substantially to the diameter of said dry lens.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.