Accommodating Lens

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention pertains to an intraocular lens, and more particularly, pertains to an accommodating lens for either the posterior or the anterior chamber of the eye.

2. Description of the Prior Art

There have been different methods used to change the diopter power of a lens in the human eye. The first is mechanical by creating a soft material lens where the power is changed by shape. The second is changing location of the lens along the optical axis, although, this has not been advanced for implant in the human eye. The third is an extremely advanced method under experimentation of using a grid effect caused by polarized liquid crystals changing the index of refraction of the media. A fourth has been using a small aperture to increase the depth of field, which is the subject matter of the present invention.

Mechanical attachments to prior art lenses have been ineffective as the attachments would not be secure and there was lack of any clinical experience between the lenses and the muscles.

The present invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art by providing an aperture type lens made from either dual cylindrical materials or dual composite materials forming the lens where the iris acts as the f stop.

The general purpose of the present invention is to provide an accommodating lens of a dual cylindrical material or a dual composite material providing an aperture to increase the depth of field. The lens can be either for the posterior chamber or the anterior chamber of the eye.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an accommodating lens including a dual cylindrical member lens optic providing for depth of the aperture field.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an intraocular lens including a lens optic and a length of PMMA monofilament wound about a posterior or anterior surface of the lens towards the center of the lens. The length of PMMA optic can be wound around either the posterior surface or the anterior surface of the lens optic.

One significant aspect and feature of the present invention is an accommodating intraocular lens with a dual index of refraction and small aperture to increase depth of field.

Another significant aspect and feature of the present invention is an accommodating lens of PMMA material which is well recognized by the Food & Drug Administration as being acceptable for implant in the human eye.

Having thus described embodiments of the present invention, it is the principal object hereof to provide an accommodating lens.

One object of the present invention is to provide an accommodating lens which is implantable in either the posterior chamber or the anterior chamber of the eye.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an accommodating lens which is entirely composed of PMMA material.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of an accommodating lens of a dual cylindrical material;

FIG. 2 illustrates a top view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 illustrates a cross-sectional view of FIG. 2 taken along line 3--3;

FIG. 4 illustrates a side view of an accommodating lens of dual composite material;

FIG. 5 illustrates a top view of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 illustrates a cross-sectional view of FIG. 5 taken along line 6--6;

FIG. 7 illustrates a top view of an accommodating lens of dual composite material, an alternative embodiment;

FIG. 8 illustrates a bottom view of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 illustrates a side view of FIGS. 7 and 8; and,

FIG. 10 illustrates a cross-sectional view of FIG. 8 taken along line 10--10.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of an accommodating intraocular lens 10 including dual cylindrical members 12 and 14 forming the lens optic, and outwardly extending loops 16 and 18. Each of the loops assumes a configuration similar to that denoted as a Lindstrom lens, Style 20, sold by the assignee of the present invention. The members 12-18 are made out of PMMA, polyethylmethacrylate. The ends of the loops are secured into the member 12.

FIG. 2 illustrates a top view of FIG. 1 where all numerals correspond to those elements previously described.

FIG. 3 illustrates a cross-sectional view of FIG. 2 taken along line 3--3, where all numerals correspond to those elements previously described.

The dual cylindrical members 12 and 14 provide a dual index of refraction thereby providing a smaller aperture for increasing the depth of field. The depth of field is provided by the aperture difference between members 12 and 14, especially where member 12 could be blue PMMA, while member 14 could be clear PMMA.

FIG. 4 illustrates a side view of an accommodating lens 40 including a lens optic 42, loops 44 and 46, and a length of PMMA monofilament 48 wound from a first point 50 to an end point 52 of FIG. 5, creating an aperture area 54.

FIG. 5 illustrates a top view of FIG. 4 where all numerals correspond to those elements previously described. Particularly illustrated is the aperture area 54.

FIG. 6 illustrates a cross-sectional view of FIG. 5 taken along line 6--6, where all numerals correspond to those elements previously described.

The aperture area is created by the dual composite material of the monofilament 48 about the lens optic 42, creating the aperture area 54 which creates an aperture to increase the depth of field.

FIG. 7 illustrates a top view of an accommodating lens 80 including a lens optic 82, and loops 84 and 86.

FIG. 8 illustrates a bottom view of FIG. 7 where all numerals correspond to those elements previously described including a length of monofilament material 88 with starting point 90 and ending at 92, creating an aperture 94.

FIG. 9 illustrates a side view of FIGS. 7 and 8 where all numerals correspond to those elements previously described.

FIG. 10 illustrates a cross-sectional view of FIG. 8 taken along line 10--10, where all numerals correspond to those elements previously described.

The lens 80 of FIGS. 7-10 corresponds in like operation to the accommodating lens of FIGS. 1-3 and FIGS. 4-6.