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03/20/08 | 40 views | #20080071286 | Prev - Next | USPTO Class 606 | About this Page  606 rss/xml feed  monitor keywords

Insertion device for intraocular lens

USPTO Application #: 20080071286
Title: Insertion device for intraocular lens
Abstract: An insertion device for an intraocular lens is disclosed which can prevent leakage of a liquid in the device and can house and store a lens as well as the liquid. The insertion device includes a main body including a lens housing portion that houses the lens and an insertion cylindrical portion that feeds the lens into an eye, a pushing shaft that moves the lens from the lens housing portion in the front end direction to push out the lens into the eye through the insertion cylindrical portion, and a lens holding member that holds the lens, and is placed in the lens housing portion. The lens housing portion has a shape that receives insertion of the lens holding member from the rear.
(end of abstract)
Agent: Morgan & Finnegan, L.L.P. - New York, NY, US
Inventors: Kenichi Kobayashi, Shinobu Toyomane
USPTO Applicaton #: 20080071286 - Class: 606107000 (USPTO)
Related Patent Categories: Surgery, Instruments, Means For Removing, Inserting Or Aiding In The Removal Or Insertion Of Eye Lens Material
The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20080071286.
Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims  monitor keywords

[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of prior U.S. application Ser. No. 11/749,812 claiming foreign priority to Japanese Patent Application Nos. 2006-139560, filed May 18, 2006, 2006-139561, filed May 18, 2006 and 2006-155051 filed Jun. 2, 2006.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates to an insertion device for inserting into an eye an intraocular lens that is inserted instead of a crystalline lens after the crystalline lens is extracted because of cataract or inserted into an eye in order to cure abnormal refraction.

[0003] In current operations for cataract, the central portion of the anterior capsule of an eyeball is ablated, a clouded crystalline lens is removed by an ultrasonic suction apparatus, and then an artificial intraocular lens (hereinafter simply referred to as a lens) is placed in the position of the removed clouded crystalline lens. When placing the lens in the eyeball, an operation method for inserting the lens into the eyeball through a small incision by using the flexibility of the lens and thereby deforming the lens, e.g. folding the lens into a small shape is the mainstream.

[0004] In the case of an operation, an insertion device is frequently used which deforms a lens set in a main body of the device into a small shape while moving the lens in the main body of the device by a pushing shaft and pushes out the lens into the eye from a front end opening of an insertion cylinder (nozzle) inserted into the incision. This insertion device is used not only for the operation of cataract but also for a lens inserting operation for an eyesight correction medical treatment.

[0005] When the lens is inserted into an eye by using the insertion device, a viscoelastic material such as sodium hyaluronate is introduced into the main body of the insertion device as a lubricant so that the lens is smoothly moved and deformed in the insertion device (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-351196). Moreover, the viscoelastic material has a function of spreading the space of the anterior chamber of the eye into which the lens will be inserted by being introduced into the eye through the insertion cylinder.

[0006] Further, it has been recently required to use inexpensive physiologic saline in place of the viscoelastic material.

[0007] However, when the main body of the insertion device is constituted by a plurality of components assembled to each other, for example, when a lens setting portion in the main body has a divided structure or an openable and closable structure, a liquid such as a viscoelastic material or physiologic saline leaks from a gap created at the assembled portion. The leaking liquid makes the insertion device slippery or soils the periphery of the device.

[0008] In the case of a conventional operation, a liquid is introduced into the insertion device immediately before the operation, which takes time and places a heavy burden on an operator or an assistant.

[0009] Further, even if the liquid such as a viscoelastic material or physiologic saline is introduced into an eye, a large amount of liquid leaking from a gap between an edge of an incision in the eye and an insertion cylinder (an amount of leakage outside the eye) prevents an increase in ocular tension and sufficient inflation of the anterior chamber.

[0010] To a pushing shaft, an elastic member such as rubber is frequently mounted for preventing a lubricant introduced into the main body from leaking from between an inner peripheral surf ace of the main body and the pushing shaft, and providing proper resistance (sliding feeling) to an operation of the pushing shaft.

[0011] In the conventional insertion device, the elastic member is secured to one or a plurality of points close to each other on the pushing shaft, and moved relative to the main body with the operation of the pushing shaft. This cannot prevent the pushing shaft from being inclined radially with respect to the main body around a contact position between the elastic member and the main body in the operation of the pushing shaft.

[0012] However, if the pushing shaft is inclined with respect to the main body, the front end of the pushing shaft is not precisely brought into contact with the lens placed in the main body, which may prevent the lens from being properly pushed out.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0013] The present invention provides an insertion device for an intraocular lens that can prevent leakage of a liquid in the device, and can house and store a lens as well as the liquid.

[0014] The present invention also provides an insertion device for an intraocular lens that can restrict the amount of leakage outside an eye of a liquid introduced into the eye through an insertion cylinder.

[0015] The present invention further provides an insertion device for an intraocular lens that can prevent inclination of a pushing shaft with respect to a main body, and can properly push out a lens.

[0016] The present invention further provides an insertion device for an intraocular lens that can facilitate introduction of liquid into the insertion device.

[0017] As one aspect, the present invention provides an insertion device for an intraocular lens that includes a main body including a lens housing portion that houses the lens and an insertion cylindrical portion that feeds the lens into an eye, a pushing shaft that moves the lens from the lens housing portion in the front end direction to push out the lens into the eye through the insertion cylindrical portion, and a lens holding member that holds the lens and is placed in the lens housing portion. The lens housing portion has a shape that receives insertion of the lens holding member from the rear.

[0018] As another aspect, the present invention provides an insertion device for an intraocular lens that includes an insertion cylinder that is inserted into an incision formed in an eyeball and feeds the lens into the eyeball, and a pushing shaft that pushes out the lens into the eyeball through the insertion cylinder. The insertion cylinder is provided with a cover portion that is brought into contact with the eyeball to cover at least part of the incision into which the insertion cylinder is inserted.

[0019] As yet another aspect, the present invention provides an insertion device for an intraocular lens that includes a main body in which the lens is placed, a pushing shaft that pushes out the lens from the main body into an eye, and a plurality of elastic members that are placed between the pushing shaft and the main body and have a distance changeable with movement of the pushing shaft relative to the main body.

[0020] As still yet another aspect, the present invention provides an insertion device for an intraocular lens that includes a main body in which the lens is placed; and a pushing shaft that pushes out the lens from the main body into an eye. The pushing shaft is constituted by a first member and a second member that are movable independently from each other in an axial direction of the device with respect to the main body.

[0021] As still further another aspect, the present invention provides the insertion device as an intraocular-lens-preloaded type insertion device.

[0022] As still further another aspect, the present invention provides a manufacturing method for the intraocular-lens-preloaded type insertion device, including the steps of preparing the insertion device and placing an intraocular lens to a lens housing portion that is formed in a main body of the insertion device.

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