Dry polishing of intraocular lenses
AssigneeBausch & Lomb Surgical, Inc.
InventorsMadhu Ayyagari, Mahendra P. Nandu
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A process of dry polishing molded or lathe cut intraocular lenses to removing flash, sharp edges and/or surface irregularities therefrom. The process includes rotational tumbling of partially protected intraocular lenses in a dry polishing media. The process is suitable for single piece and multipiece intraocular lenses of varying composition.
Claims21
A method for dry polishing intraocular lenses comprising:
- obtaining a polishing chamber with an interior surface defining an internal area and one or more openings;
- fixing an intraocular lens container with an exterior surface and an interior surface defining an interior area filled with one or more intraocular lenses portions of which extend beyond said exterior surface for exposure thereof in said internal area of said polishing chamber;
- loading at least a portion of said internal area of said polishing chamber with a dry polishing media;
- removably sealing said one or more openings;
- and
- rotating said polishing chamber to polish said portions of said one or more intraocular lenses exposed to said internal area of said polishing chamber and said polishing media.
A method for dry polishing intraocular lenses comprising:
- obtaining a polishing chamber with an interior surface defining an internal area and one or more openings;
- placing one or more intraocular lenses within said internal area;
- loading at least a portion of said internal area of said polishing chamber with a dry polishing media;
- removably sealing said one or more openings;
- and
- rotating said polishing chamber to polish said intraocular lenses in said internal area of said polishing chamber.
An intraocular lens holder for use in conjunction with an intraocular lens dry polishing system comprising:
- a tubular body portion with one open loading end;
- one or more elongated slots in said tubular body portion extending from said open loading end to accommodate extension of intraocular lens haptics therethrough;
- retaining disks for protection of intraocular lens optics;
- and
- closure means to removably close said open loading end.
An intraocular lens dry polishing system comprising:
- an intraocular lens holder formed from a tubular body portion with one open loading end;
- one or more elongated slots in said tubular body portion extending from said open loading end to accommodate extension of intraocular lens haptics therethrough;
- retaining disks sized for placement within said tubular body portion to protect intraocular lens optics;
- closure means to removably close said open loading end;
- extended clamp means on an exterior surface of said tubular body portion;
- a polishing chamber with an open end sized to accommodate placement of said intraocular lens holder containing one or more intraocular lenses in an interior area defined by an interior surface of said polishing chamber;
- retaining means formed on said interior surface of said polishing chamber removably engageable with said extended clamp means to fix intraocular lens holder within said polishing chamber;
- polishing media filling at least a portion of said interior area of said polishing chamber;
- and
- closure means to removably close said open end of said polishing chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.