FR2578415A1 - ARTICULATED INTRA-OCULAR LENS - Google Patents

Abstract

ARTICULATED INTRA-OCULAR LENS, INTENDED TO BE IMPLANTED IN THE ANTERIOR CHAMBER, THE POSTERIOR CHAMBER OR THE CAPSULAR ENVELOPE OF THE EYE AFTER CATARACT OPERATION. THE LENS 24 INCLUDES AN OPTICAL LENS 26 AND AT LEAST ONE ELEMENT 30 FOR CENTERING THIS LENS, EXTENDING FROM THE PERIPHERY OF THE LENS 26 TO SUPPORT IT IN THE EYE AND INCLUDING A PART 32 OF ARTICULATION AND PART 34 OF CONTACT WITH THE EYE, PART 32 BEING ATTACHED TO LENS 26 AND MADE OF A MATERIAL RELATIVELY THIN IN SECTION AND HIGHLY FLEXIBLE, AND PART 34 BEING OF A MATERIAL DIFFERENT FROM THAT OF PART 32 AND BEING HIGHLY TOLERABLE FOR ITS CONTACT DOES NOT IRRIT THE EYE. APPLICATION: PERMANENT PROSTHESIS REPLACING A FAILING CRYSTALLINE.

Description

An intra-prosthetic lens is disclosed.

  eyepiece comprising an articulated fastening device.

  The use of intraocular lenses is well known and various configurations of different lenses have been proposed. Generally, such intraocular lenses comprise a central lens having an optical axis and from which centering elements of the lens extend. These centering elements serve

  to hold the lens in position in the eye and align

  with the opening of the pupil in the iris.

  The centering elements of the lens extend from the lens outwards and come into contact with parts of the eye in one or more possible positions, three in general, chosen from the anterior chamber which lies between the iris and the cornea, the posterior chamber which is behind the iris and in front of the capsular envelope (capsule or crystalloid) and a

  third position that lies within the capsule.

  The centering elements of the lens, which have

  proved capable of successfully supporting artificial

  in the human eye, belong to different

  kinds. In a type, several elements in a loop, usually

  two, three or four, formed of a flexible, small-diameter material, extend from the periphery of the lens and assume dual function

  on the one hand to ensure flexibility in retaining

  the lens in the appropriate position and, secondly, to come into contact with the eye

  support. In another type, the material of the lens itself

  even has molded and extending parts

  loop, or other support elements.

  The configurations of the existing lenses are to some extent successful but there are some difficulties and limitations. Support elements

  perform different functions. They must, in order to

  The most comfortable and successful application of intraocular lenses, be flexible enough to fit a lens to slightly varying dimensions of the eye. The lens support and support elements assume physical contact with the eye to act as a stabilizing base of the lens. When a foreign matter comes in contact with any part of the human body, there is a possibility of adverse reaction. Thus, unless the portion of the support member that comes into contact with the eye is biologically tolerable, irritation, inflammation, and other possible adverse reactions may occur. The various functions of the lens support members may not necessarily necessarily be obtained from the same material, and in the past it has been a compromise in the selection of the materials from which the lens support members are formed. The present invention provides design principles applicable to many intraocular lenses which specifically include improved lens centering elements. The lens may comprise a single

  centering element, but usually it includes several

  any lens centering elements which extend from the lens as in the case of existing intraocular lenses, but the lens support element (s) is or are formed of multiple pieces, i.e.

  or hinge parts and one or more parts of

  tact. The hinge part or parts connect the contact part or parts to the lens. It is not necessary that

  the articulating role part comes into contact with a

  any of the selected materials may be those which offer the optimum flexibility for the appropriate size and weight and, therefore, may be any material such as plastic,

  fiberglass, metal and the like.

  It is not required in the design of the present invention that the contact-role portions be flexible and may therefore be of materials other than those of the hinge portion. The contacting portions are preferably configured so as not to be irritating. In contrast to the hinge part, it is not necessary to require contact parts

  be flexible, but they must be biologically

  rable. This allows the use of materials that have a low rejection characteristic by the body. Illustrative and non-limiting examples of the invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a sectional view of the anterior portion of the human eye, showing an intraocular lens of

  the present invention implanted in the corresponding position.

to the anterior chamber.

  Figure 2 shows a lens in the position

  corresponding to the posterior chamber.

  Figure 3 shows a lens of the present invention.

  placed in the capsular envelope.

  FIG. 4 is a front view of a lens of

  the present invention applying the principle of articulation.

  FIG. 5 is a side view of the lens

eyepiece of Figure 4. -

  FIG. 6 is a front view of another embodiment of the invention, showing the arrangement according to which one of the lens centering elements comprises

  two hinge parts and two contact parts.

  FIG. 7 is a side view of the lens of

Figure 6.

  Fig. 8 is a section along the line 8-8 of Fig. 6, showing the sectional shape of the portion

articulation of the lens.

  FIG. 8A is a section similar to that of FIG.

  Figure 8, but showing another form of section of the

articulation.

  FIG. 9 is a front view of another lens

  applying the principles of the present invention.

  Figure 10 shows another embodiment

  of the invention in which one of the articula-

  has a recurved configuration; and

  Figure 11 shows another form of reali-

  According to the invention, four lens centering elements are used, each element having a hinge portion and a contact portion.

  Figures 1, 2 and 3 show sections of the

  before the human eye to illustrate the environment in which the intraocular lens of the

  present invention and to illustrate the importance of

  some features of the invention. In FIGS.

  2 and 3, the fundamental parts of the eye represented

  take the cornea 10, the iris 12, the pupil hole through

  towards the iris being indicated by index 14, the posterior surface

  The natural lens, which has a crystalline structure (the crystalline lens), has been removed from the capsular or crystalloid envelope 16 which normally houses it. The anterior wall 20 of the capsular envelope is shown with an opening made as is

  needed to remove the lens, natural lens.

  Behind the rear walls 16 of the envelope capsu-

  there is room 22 of the glazed body.

  The present invention relates to intraocular lenses

  in the eye to perform the function previously

  assumed by the lens, natural lens (not shown

  felt), which has been removed from the capsule 16 or in the case where the lens, which is the lens, and the corresponding caspular envelope have been removed in its entirety (operation of the

  cataract with extraction of the opaque part intra-capsu-

  lar). The lens of the present invention is indicated generally by reference numeral 24 and, as illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 or 3, this lens can be

  placed in one of the three areas of the eye generally possible.

  Figure 1 shows the lens 24 in the anterior chamber, that is, between the iris 12 and the cornea 10. Figure 2 shows a lens 24 in the posterior chamber, behind the iris and in front of the eye. capsular envelope 20. The

  Figure 3 shows a lens 24 in the capsular envelope.

  For these various locations; the lens structure applies the basic concepts of the invention but varies in detail. For example, when the lens is in the anterior chamber, as in Fig. 1, the lens may curl forward while, when in the posterior chamber as in Fig. 2, it may curl backwards in a way that will be described in

following this presentation.

  We now see in Figures 4 and 5 a

  embodiment of the lens of the invention. The len

  24 comprises an optical lens 26, proper,

  consisting of an optically suitable and biologically

  tolerable, usually a plastic material.

  As seen in the side view shown in Figure 5, the lens is a curved disc so as to

  to provide the appropriate optical properties for the purpose of

  ger, on the retina of the eye, the light that runs through this

  disk. The lens 26 has an optical axis 28.

  At the lens 26 is or are fixed one or more

  The number of centering elements, as indicated by index 30. The number of centering elements depends on the particular lens model. This number may be 1, but usually it will be 2.3 or 4 spaced elements. The or each centering element is formed of two parts, namely a hinge portion 32 and a contact portion 34. The hinge portion 32 is of an extremely flexible material and the shape of its section can be configured to increase the flexibility or flexibility and thus the articulation action of this element. The hinge portion 32 may be of a material such as plastic,

  fiberglass, metal or other suitable

  fillers. Whatever the chosen subject, it is desirable

  it is biologically tolerable; however, the high degree of biological tolerance required in the case of the contact portion 34 is not required for the hinge portion since, in the normal application of the lens, the hinge portion 32 'is

  usually not in direct physical contact with a

any part of the eye.

  As seen in Figure 8, the section of a hinge portion 32 may have a circular shape or, as in Figure 8A, it may be non-circular, for example elliptical. The configuration shown on

  FIG. 8A is advantageous in that this form in

  pe allows a high degree of flexibility in selective

  selected but less flexibility in

  desired. This means that when the 32

  8a, this portion 32 opposes a movement of the lens forwards and backwards along the path of the optical axis, but - has great flexibility so to maintain the

  lens comfortably centered in alignment with the opening

14 of the pupil.

  In the embodiment of the invention as shown in Figures 4 and 5 and in the lower centering elements of Figures 6 and 7, the contact portion 34 has an elongate curved shape having a surface

  Curved smooth 36 that comes to the physical contact of the eye.

  In the case shown in FIG. 1, where the lens is placed in the anterior chamber, the surface 36 comes into contact with the periphery of the anterior chamber in front of the iris. In the case of Figure 2 where the lens is placed in the posterior chamber, the surface 36 comes into contact with the peripheral surface behind the iris in the area sometimes called ciliary furrow. In the case of placement according to FIG. 3, the curved surface 36 comes into contact with the inner peripheral surface of the capsular envelope. It is extremely important that the material

  wherein the contact portion 34 is made either high-

  is well tolerated from the biological point of view so as to cause only a minimal, if any, reaction of the body in permanent contact of that surface against the tissues

eyepieces.

  As can be seen in FIGS. 5 and 7, the thickness of the contact portion 34 is greater than

  that of the articulation part 32. This is not absolute

  However, this arrangement emphasizes the fact that the possibility of producing each of the centering elements in the form of associated separate parts, one of which has a role of articulation and the other a role of contact, makes it possible to give these parts a configuration such that the articulation part is specifically designed to

  to play its role and the contact part is defined

  in order to specifically play its role, that is,

  say to ensure physical contact with natural surfaces

  the eyes so as to cause only the minimum possible irritation. The specific geometric configuration of the contact portion 34 of each centering element may have various shapes. Figure 9 shows, at the top of the drawing, the arrangement in which the contact portion 34 is disc-shaped and the curved surface 36A forms the periphery of this disc. It can be seen in FIG. 5 that the plane of the portion 34, therefore of the disc, is generally parallel to a plane perpendicular to the optical axis 28 of the lens 26. It goes without saying that one can conceive a large many other very different configurations. As previously indicated, the centering elements 30 may be present in a variable number. The device may have only one centering element, but usually there will be more than two and most often a number of 2, 3 or 4 is desirable. Figures 4, 6, 9 and 10 show the arrangement in which one uses.

  two centering elements. Figure 11 shows the agency

  in which four centering elements are used,

  each formed of two parts, namely a part 32 of

  and a contact portion 34A, the con-

  tact in the form of a small flat disk with

  Of course, the design of FIG. 11 could comprise three centering elements equally spaced from each other, with a centering element opposite to the median of the formed angle. by the other two elements.

  Like the specific configuration of the

  The contact patch 34 may vary, the specific configuration of the hinge portion 32 may also vary while maintaining, of course, within the scope and spirit of the present invention. Figure 10 shows, in its part

  an arrangement in which the part 32A of

  The culation has a recurved configuration when viewed in a plane perpendicular to that of the optical axis 28 of the lens. The hinge portion 32A, which is extremely flexible, provides an elastic force to maintain the lens centered relative to the pupil aperture, while permitting direct radial displacement relative to the lens, giving the same results as the hinge parts 32 with a curved configuration,

Figures 9 and 11.

  Figures 6, 9 and 10 show another embodiment of the invention. Each of these embodiments shows the case where one of the centering elements

  has two contact parts spaced-apart from each other.

  FIG. 6 shows that the upper element of central

  trage is formed of a first part 32 of articulation, a first part 34A of contact, a second part

  328 and a second contact portion 34B.

  Each of the contact portions 34A and 34B is of the small type

  disc, as described above, although the practice of

  The invention is obviously not limited to such a specific geometric form. The layout of the

  upper part of Figure 6 has an important advantage

  both for the structure of an intraocular lens because it makes it possible to make a contact at three points ensuring a better stability of the lens in the eye,

  however, each contact is articulated inde-

  pendent to the lens and that the entire

  device comprises only two centering elements.

  The advantage of more than two contact areas for holding and supporting the lens is that it is necessary for the lens to be supported so that the optical axis remains substantially fixed with respect to the eye and preferably so that the optical axis essentially cuts the area

  called fovea centralisl1 (not shown in the drawings).

  If a three-point contact is desirable, it may also be considered desirable to use the smallest possible number of centering elements, as this simplifies not only the manufacture of the lens and its structure but also the positioning of the lens. in the patient's eye. For example, one could also consider the case (not shown in the figures) of a single centering element 30 having a plurality of contact portions (such as 34A, 34B, etc.) and a plurality of articulation parts (32, 32B, etc. .)

  distributed around the lens 26.

  The arrangement shown on the upper part

  of FIG. 6, which includes articulating parts 32 and 32B

  very flexible, means that the two contact parts 34A and 34B are subjected to an elastic bias that puts them and keeps them in contact with the eye but in such a way as to limit the physical force of the contact while ensuring the necessary force to maintain the lens 24, 26 centered

according to the necessities.

  Figure 9 shows a centering element 30

  carrying two hinge parts and two parts of

  tact, as in Figure 6, but this double element is at the bottom of the lens and, similarly, the centering element, having two hinge parts, is shown on the lower part of

  Figure 10. In Figure 10, the first part 32 of article

  FIG. 9 illustrates the fact that the orientation of the articulating portion, which is thin and very flexible, can vary while nevertheless ensuring the necessary soft contact for

  proper positioning of the lens in the eye.

  As it is illustrated and described, the

  The intraocular lens may be referred to as the "three-piece lens", i.e. the three basic portions consisting of the lens 26, the hinge portion 32 and the contact portion 34 may be of materials. different. Of course, the lens 26 must be of a material having the desired high quality optical properties, which does not necessarily apply to both.

  other parts. The joint part 32 must be

  but this property is not necessarily necessary for the other two parties. Part 34 of

  contact must be in a subject with characteristics

  high biological tolerability, which, while interesting in the other two parts, is not as critical since only

  to be in physical contact with the eye of the person

  trice. The invention thus adapts to the use of the best

  their possible subjects for the separate functions of

  the assembly constituted by the intraocular lens 24.

  It goes without saying that, without departing from the scope of the invention,

  many changes can be made

  to the intraocular lens described and shown.

1 1

Claims (8)

  1. Intraocular lens intended to be implanted   in the anterior chamber, posterior chamber or capsular envelope of the eye after a cataract operation involving the removal of the opaque portion of the   crystalline lens (24) characterized in that it comprises   an optical lens (26) formed of an optical material   suitable and biologically tolerable, having an optical axis (28) and at least two lens centering elements (30), which extend away from the optical axis (28) of the lens (26) to maintain and support the   lens (26) in the eye, each of the elements (30) of   trage comprising at least one hinge portion (32) and at least one contact portion (34), the hinge portion (32, 32A) being of flexible material and the contact portion (34, 34A, 34B) being in a different matter from the   part (32) of articulation and having a large tolerance   biological and peripheral configuration allowing and   facilitating contact with the ocular tissue. -   2. Intraocular lens intended to be implanted   in the anterior chamber, the posterior chamber or   the capsular envelope of the eye after operation of the   lens, lens (24) characterized in that it comprises an optical lens (26) formed of an optically suitable and biologically tolerable material, said lens (26) having an optical axis (28); at least one lens centering element (30) having a first portion   (32, 32A) of articulation fixed at one end to the   (26) and away from the optical axis (28), a first contact element (34A) attached to the other end of the first articualtion part (32), at least a second part (32B). articulation member fixed at one end of the first contact portion (32) and a second contact portion (34B) attached to the other end of the second articulation portion (32B), the portions (32, 32B) of articulation being of a material having a flexible configuration and   the contact portions (34A, 34B) being of a different material   of the hinge member and having a high biological tolerability and configuration (36A) for non-irritating contact with the eye tissue, contacting portions (34, 34A, 34B) for contacting corresponding parts of the occu-   by being spaced apart from each other.   3. Intraocular lens according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the or each portion (32, 32A, 32B) of articulation of the centering element (s) (30) has in section a section configured so to present more flexibility in a chosen plan   and less flexibility in other selected plans.   4. Intraocular lens according to claim   1 or 2, characterized in that each   tie (34, 34A, 34B) of the or each centering element (30) is made of a plastic material having in section a thickness greater than the sectional thickness of the part   (32, 32A, 32B) of articulation of the element (30).   Intraocular lens according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that each articulation portion (32, 32A, 32B) of the lens centering element (30) is of a material selected from   metal, a plastic material and fiberglass.   6. Intraocular lens according to one of the   1 and 2, characterized in that the or each contact portion (34, 34A, 34B) of the lens centering element (30) is in the form of a disk whose plane is generally parallel to a plane perpendicular to the optical axis (28) of the lens (26).   Intraocular lens according to claim 1, characterized in that the contact portion (34) of   each lens centering element (30) has an elongated curved guration.   Intraocular lens according to claim   1, characterized in that one or each part (32, 32A) of articles   culation of a centering element (30) has a recurved configuration allowing a substantially direct radial displacement of this portion (34A) of contact relative to the lens (26).