Ophthalmic kit and method for lens insertion

An ophthalmic kit for intraocular lens implantation, comprising:

• a foldable intraocular lens having a normally unfolded configuration and foldable to a relatively compact folded configuration wherein the lens is conditioned for insertion into a patient's eye through a small corneal incision in the eye and the folded lens stores elastic strain energy for unfolding the lens within the eye,
• a lens insertion device having a normally anterior end insertable into the patient's eye through said incision and an opposite posterior end and including a pair of lens gripping jaws movable away from one another to positions and toward one another to closed positions, and jaw closing means mounted directly on said insertion device for moving said jaws from their open positions to their closed positions,
• a handling case for holding said insertion device and lens until needed for lens implantation comprising a tray, and supporting means on the tray removably supporting said insertion device and said foldable lens in storage positions on the tray wherein (a) said jaws occupy their open positions, (b) said lens is positioned between the jaws with the lens in its normally unfolded configuration, and (c) said jaw closing means are accessible for closing said jaws about the lens in a manner to fold the lens to its compact folded configuration while said insertion device and lens remain on the tray, and wherein said insertion device and lens are removable from said tray with said jaws closed and gripping said lens in its folded configuration,
• yieldable lens hold-down means on said tray over said lens supporting means which yieldably engage said lens between said laterally opposite lens portions to yieldably hold the lens downwardly against said lens supporting means and which hold-down means is retracted upwardly from the lens during closure of said jaws, whereby closure of said jaws folds said laterally opposite lens portions upwardly away from said tray relative to said lens mid portion during closure of said jaws,
• means on said tray for moving said jaws upwardly away from said tray relative to said lens supporting means during closure of the jaws to aid upward folding of said laterally opposite lens portions relative to said lens mid portion during closure of the jaws,
• the folded lens is ejectable from the insertion device through said anterior end of the device into a patient's eye following insertion of said anterior end of the device into the eye,
• said jaws have confronting concave inner surfaces and opposite outer sides, and said inner concave surfaces are generally cylindrically curved about axes extending lengthwise of the respective jaws and form a passage coaxial with a longitudinal axis of the insertion device and opening through said anterior and posterior ends of said insertion device when said jaws are closed,
• said jaws are movable between their open and closed positions parallel to a jaw plane containing said longitudinal axis, and said supporting means includes lens supporting means supporting said lens in its unfolded configuration on said tray with the lens disposed in a lens plane of said tray and with one side of the lens facing normally upward away from the tray, and means supporting said insertion device on said tray in a position such that (a) said jaw plane and lens plane substantially parallel one another, (b) said jaws have longitudinal edges adjacent said tray, (c) said lens plane intersects said concave jaw surfaces between said jaw plane and said jaw edges, and (d) a third plane transverse to said lens plane and jaw plane and containing said longitudinal axis substantially bisects said lens, whereby the lens has laterally opposite edge portions at opposite sides of said third plane and an intervening mid portion between said laterally opposite edge portions.

An ophthalmic kit for intraocular lens implantation, comprising:

• a foldable intraocular lens having a normally unfolded configuration and foldable to a relatively compact folded configuration wherein the lens is conditioned for insertion into a patient's eye through a small corneal incision in the eye and the folded lens stores elastic strain energy for unfolding the lens within the eye,
• a lens insertion device having an anterior end insertable into the patient's eye through said incision and an opposite posterior end and including a pair of lens gripping jaws movable away from one another to open positions and toward one another to closed positions, and jaw closing means mounted directly on said insertion device for moving said jaws from their open positions to their closed positions,
• a handling case for holding said insertion device and lens until needed for lens implantation comprising a tray and supporting means on the tray removably supporting said insertion device and said foldable lens in storage positions on the tray wherein (a) said jaws occupy their open positions, (b) said lens is positioned between the jaws with the lens in its normal unfolded configuration, and c) said jaw closing means are accessible for closing said jaws about the lens in a manner to fold the lens to its compact folded configuration while said insertion device and lens remain on the tray,
• a tubular hand piece having an open anterior end and a posterior end for removably receiving said insertion device and foldable lens in an assembled position within said hand piece wherein (a) said insertion device extends longitudinally through said hand piece with the anterior end of said insertion device projecting beyond the anterior end of the hand piece for insertion into the patient's eye, and (b) said hand piece holds said jaws closed with the lens gripped in its folded configuration between the jaws,
• a lens ejection plunger entering the posterior end of said hand piece and movable forwardly through the hand piece for ejecting the folded lens from said insertion device through said anterior end of said insertion device, and wherein
• said insertion device and lens are removable from said tray with said jaws closed and gripping said lens in its folded configuration,
• the folded lens is ejectable from the insertion device through said anterior end of the device into a patient's eye following insertion of said anterior end of the device into the eye,
• said insertion device has a longitudinal axis, and said jaws are movable between open and closed positions parallel to a jaw plane containing said axis,
• said hand piece has a side wall opening including a posterior portion through which said insertion device is insertable into said hand piece and a pair of diametrically opposed longitudinal side wall slots extending forwardly from said posterior portion of said side wall opening and having anterior end walls,
• said jaws have confronting inner sides, opposite outer sides, and radial projections along said outer sides which are located in a common jaw plane containing said longitudinal axis,
• said insertion device is insertable into said hand piece through said posterior portion of said side wall opening and is then movable forwardly in the hand piece in such a way that said jaw projections enter said hand piece slots and engage said slot end walls to position said insertion device longitudinally and rotationally in the hand piece when said injection device occupies said assembled position within the hand piece, and
• said jaw closing means comprise finger pads which are secured to the outer sides of said jaws and project externally of said hand piece through said side wall opening when said insertion device occupies said assembled position in the hand piece.

An ophthalmic kit for intraocular lens implantation, comprising:

• a foldable intraocular lens having a normally unfolded configuration and foldable to a relatively compact folded configuration wherein the lens is conditioned for insertion into a patient's eye through a small incision in the eye and the lens stores elastic strain energy for unfolding the lens within the eye,
• a lens insertion device including (a) a tubular anterior nose section having a relatively slender anterior tip portion for insertion into the patient's eye, a posterior end, and a nose section passage extending longitudinally through said nose section, (b) lens gripping jaws extending rearwardly from the posterior end of said nose section and having anterior ends secured to the posterior end of said nose section at opposite sides of said passage and posterior free ends movable toward one another to closed positions and away from one another to open positions, and (c) jaw closing means connected to said jaws and engagable by a user for closing said jaws,
• a handling case for holding said insertion device and lens until needed for lens implantation including a tray, and means on the tray removably supporting said insertion device and said foldable lens in storage positions on the tray wherein (a) said jaws occupy their open positions, (b) said foldable lens is positioned between the free ends of said jaws with the lens in its normal unfolded configuration, and (c) said jaw closing means are accessible for closing said jaws about the lens in a manner to fold the lens to its compact folded configuration while said insertion device and lens are on the tray, and wherein
• said insertion device and lens are removable from said tray with said jaws closed about and gripping said lens in its folded configuration, and
• said passage opens posteriorly between said jaws, whereby the folded lens can be inserted into the patient's eye by inserting said anterior tip portion into the eye and then ejecting the folded lens anteriorly between the jaws and through said passage into the eye.

An ophthalmic instrument for implanting a foldable intraocular lens in a patient's eye, comprising:

• a lens insertion device having an anterior end insertable into the patient's eye and an opposite posterior end and including a tubular portion at one of said ends having a longitudinal axis and a passage extending axially through said tubular portion, a pair of lens gripping jaws extending generally lengthwise of said tubular portion from one end of said tubular portion and having ends adjacent said one end of said tubular portion and opposite ends remote from said one end of said tubular portion, means supporting said adjacent jaw ends on said one end of said tubular portion at opposite sides, respectively, of said passage in said tubular portion for movement of said opposite jaw ends parallel to a jaw plane containing said axis and away from one another to open positions and toward one another to closed positions, and jaw closing means connected to said jaws for moving said jaws from their open positions to their closed positions, and wherein
• said jaws have confronting inner sides, opposite outer sides, longitudinal edges which abut one another when said laws occupy their closed positions, and inner concave surfaces between their respective jaw edges which form a jaw passage coaxial with and opening endwise to said passage in said tubular portion to form a continuous lens insertion passage through and opening through said anterior end of said lens insertion device when said jaws occupy their closed positions, and
• said jaw closing means comprises finger pads permanently secured to the outer sides of said jaws and adapted to be gripped between the user's fingers for squeezing said jaws closed and then holding said insertion device whereby an intraocular lens can be inserted into an eye by folding it with the jaws and ejecting it anteriorly through the tubular portion.

An ophthalmic instrument for implanting a foldable intraocular lens in a patient's eye, comprising:

• a lens insertion device having an anterior end insertable into the patient's eye and an opposite posterior end and including a pair of lens gripping jaws extending lengthwise of said insertion device and having anterior ends adjacent said anterior end of said insertion device and posterior ends adjacent said posterior end of said insertion device, means supporting said jaws at corresponding ends of the jaws for movement of the other ends of the jaws away from one another to open positions and toward one another to closed positions, and jaw closing means connected to said jaws for moving said jaws from their open positions to their closed positions, said jaws have confronting inner concave sides which form a passage opening through said anterior and posterior ends of said insertion device when said jaws occupy their closed positions, and opposite outer sides,
• a tubular hand piece having an open anterior end and a posterior end for removably receiving said insertion device in an assembled position within said hand piece wherein (a) said insertion device extends longitudinally through said hand piece with the anterior end of said insertion device projecting beyond the anterior end of the hand piece for insertion into the patient's eye, and (b) said hand piece holds said jaws closed,
• a lens ejection plunger entering the posterior end of said hand piece and movable longitudinally through the hand piece and said passage, and wherein
• said insertion device has a longitudinal axis, and said jaws are movable between open and closed positions parallel to a plane containing said axis,
• said jaws have radial projections along said outer sides located in said plane,
• said hand piece has a side wall opening including a posterior portion through which said insertion device is insertable into said hand piece and a pair of diametrically opposed longitudinal side wall slots extending anteriorly from said posterior portion of said side wall opening and having anterior end walls,
• said insertion device is insertable into said hand piece through said posterior portion of said side wall opening and is then movable anteriorly in the hand piece in such a way that in said assembled position, said jaw projections enter said hand piece slots and engage said slot end walls to position said insertion device longitudinally and rotationally in the hand piece, and
• said jaw closing means comprise finger pads which are secured to the outer sides of said jaws and project externally of said hand piece through said side wall opening when said insertion device occupies said assembled position in the hand piece.

An ophthalmic instrument for implanting a foldable intraocular lens in a patient's eye, comprising:

• a lens insertion device including (a) a tubular nose section having a relatively slender anterior tip portion for insertion into the patient's eye and a posterior end, and a nose section passage having a longitudinal axis and extending longitudinally through said nose section and opening anteriorly through said anterior tip portion and posteriorly through said posterior end of said nose section, (b) lens gripping jaws extending posteriorly from the posterior end of said nose section at opposite sides of said axis and having anterior ends secured to the posterior end of said nose section at opposite sides, respectively, of said nose section passage and posterior free ends movable toward one another in a plane containing said axis to closed positions and away from one another in said plane to open positions, and (c) jaw closing means connected to said jaws for engagement by a user to close said jaws,
• a tubular hand piece having an open anterior end and a posterior end and removably receiving said insertion device and foldable lens in an assembled position within said hand piece wherein (a) said insertion device extends longitudinally through said hand piece with the anterior tip portion of said insertion device projecting beyond the anterior end of the hand piece for insertion into the patient's eye, and (b) said hand piece holds said jaws closed,
• a lens ejection plunger entering the posterior end of said hand piece and movable longitudinally through the hand piece and said passage, and wherein
• said insertion device has a longitudinal axis, and said jaws are movable between open and closed positions parallel to a plane containing said axis,
• said jaws have confronting inner sides, opposite outer sides, and radial projections along said outer sides which are located in said plane,
• said hand piece has a side wall opening including a posterior portion through which said insertion device is insertable into said hand piece and a pair of diametrically opposed longitudinal side wall slots extending anteriorly from said posterior portion of said side wall opening and having anterior end walls, and said insertion device is insertable into said hand piece through said posterior portion of said side wall opening and is then movable anteriorly in the hand piece in such a way that in said assembled position, said jaw projections enter said hand piece slots and engage said slot end walls to position said insertion device longitudinally and rotationally in the hand piece, and
• said jaw closing means comprise finger pads which are secured to the outer sides of said jaws and project externally of said hand piece through said side wall opening when said insertion device occupies said assembled position in the hand piece.

An ophthalmic method of inserting into a patient's eye through a corneal incision in the eye a foldable intraocular lens which has a normal unfolded configuration and is foldable into a compact folded configuration wherein the lens stores elastic strain energy for unfolding the lens, said method comprises the steps of:

• providing a lens insertion instrument including (a) a lens insertion device having a slender anterior tip portion for insertion into a patient's eye through a corneal incision in the eye, a posterior end, and lens gripping jaws which are movable between open positions and closed positions and have confronting concave inner sides which form a passage opening through said tip portion and said posterior end of said device when the jaws are closed, (b) a hand piece having anterior and posterior ends for receiving said insertion device in an assembled position in the hand piece wherein said anterior tip portion of the device projects beyond the anterior end of the hand piece, and (c) a plunger movable longitudinally through the hand piece and said passage when said insertion device occupies said assembled position in the hand piece,
• storing said lens in its unfolded configuration and said insertion device on a tray with said jaws of the device straddling the unfolded lens,
• closing said jaws about said lens to fold the lens to its folded configuration and confine the lens in said passage just prior to insertion of the lens into a patient's eye and while said insertion device and lens are on said tray, removing said insertion device from said tray and placing the device in said assembled position in said hand piece all while said jaws remain closed and confine the folded lens in said passage,
• inserting said tip portion of said insertion device into the patient's eye through said corneal incision, and
• moving said plunger anteriorly through said passage to push the folded lens forwardly through said passage in the tip portion and into the parent's eye.

An ophthalmic kit for intraocular lens implantation, comprising:

• a foldable intraocular lens having a normally unfolded configuration and foldable to a relatively compact folded configuration wherein the lens is conditioned for insertion into a patient's eye through a small corneal incision in the eye and the folded lens stores elastic strain energy for unfolding the lens within the eye,
• a lens insertion device having an anterior end insertable into the patient's eye through said incision and an opposite posterior end and including a pair of lens gripping jaws movable away from one another to open positions and toward one another to closed positions, and jaw closing means mounted directly on said insertion device for moving said jaws from their open positions to their closed positions,
• a handling case for holding said insertion device and lens until needed for lens implantation comprising a tray, and supporting means on the tray removably supporting said insertion device and said foldable lens in storage positions on the tray wherein (a) said jaws occupy their open positions, (b) said lens is positioned between the jaws with the lens in its normal unfolded configuration, and (c) said jaw closing means are accessible for closing said jaws about the lens in a manner to fold the lens to its compact folded configuration while said insertion device and lens remain on the tray, and wherein
• said insertion device and lens are removable from said tray with said jaws closed and gripping said lens in its folded configuration,
• said jaws have confronting inner concave sides which form a passage opening through said anterior and posterior ends of said insertion device when said jaws are closed,
• said lens when gripped in its folded configuration between said jaws is positioned within said passage and is ejectable anteriorly through said passage into the patient's eye after insertion of said anterior end of the device into the eye, and
• said jaws have confronting inner longitudinal edges with mating formations which interengage when the jaws are closed to coaxially align the jaws relative to one another.