A shuttle, vial and injector are provided for storing and presenting an IOL to a patient. The shuttle includes operably engaged shuttle plates having a set of confronting surfaces that flex about a flexure interface between a storage configuration, with at least an optic of an IOL in a nominal state and a loading configuration, with at least an optic of an IOL in a deformed state. The vial engages the shuttle and maintains the shuttle in the storage configuration. The injector receives the shuttle from the vial and includes surfaces for flexing the portions of the shuttle plates to the loading configuration upon engagement with the injector, wherein the shuttle plates impart a predetermined curvature to at least a portion of the IOL.

Intraocular lens (IOL) insertion apparatus and methods of use are provided and described herein. An example IOL insertion apparatus may include a handpiece body having a distal tip, a deployment chamber having an opening at a distal end of the handpiece body, and a deployment system disposed within the handpiece body. The deployment system can include a deployment carriage movable between proximal and distal positions within the handpiece body and a deployment plunger with a proximal end secured to the deployment carriage and a distal end to engage a folded IOL. The insertion apparatus may further include a damping feature protruding from a wall of the deployment chamber or a portion of the deployment system. The first damping feature may be positioned and arranged to increase a resistance to movement of the deployment system along a portion of a path traveled thereby between the proximal and distal positions.

An injector for an intraocular lens includes a housing with a cannula, a receiving chamber for the intraocular lens, and a plunger that can be moved within the housing. The plunger is adapted to move the intraocular lens out of the receiving chamber and through the cannula. The injector includes a rotary element for moving the plunger. The rotary element is mounted on the plunger for rotation and axial translation thereon.

The object of the invention is an injector (1) for implantation of an intraocular lens, having a base body (10) and an elongated actuation element (11), which projects at least partly into a rear section of the base body (10) and which is movably guided in an actuation axis (12), and wherein a movement of the actuation element (11) into the base body (10) can be generated selectively by means of a push actuation (P) along the actuation axis (12) or by means of a screw actuation (S) about the actuation axis (12), and wherein the actuation element (11) features an external thread (13) at least on one section, wherein at least one spring arm (14) is arranged at the base body (10), wherein the spring arm (14) has a thread engagement structure (15) on an inner surface facing the external thread (13), and wherein a switch element (16), which can be rotated about the actuation axis (12), is arranged on the base body (10) and has a passage, through which the actuation element (11) extends, wherein the passage features at least one inner surface (17) having an inner radius (Ri) varying at least in sections in a circumferential direction, and wherein an outer surface (18) of the spring arm (14) is in contact with the inner surface (17) of the switch element (16), so that upon a rotation of the switch element (16) about the actuation axis (12), due to the varying inner radius (Ri) at the circumferential position of the spring arm (14), an elastic deformation of the spring arm (14) towards the actuation axis (12) and away from the actuation axis (12) can be generated, whereby the thread engagement structure (15) can be selectively engaged or disengaged with the external thread (13).

There is provided an intraocular lens injector configured to inject an intraocular lens 7 having an optical portion 8 and a pair of support portions 9a, 9b extending from the optical portion 8 into an eye, including: an injector main body 2 having a lens setting portion 6 on which the intraocular lens 7 is set; a holding portion 14 that holds a tip end part of a front support portion 9a of the pair of support portions 9a, 9b, which is disposed in front of the lens setting portion 6; and a guide mechanism (11c, 14a) that guides the optical portion 8 to pass under the holding portion 14 when the intraocular lens 7 is pushed out by the pushing member 5 so that the optical portion 8 is displaced downward relatively to the front support portion 9a held by the holding portion 14.

Various systems and techniques for inserting an intraocular lens are disclosed. In particular implementations, a system and a technique for inserting an intraocular lens may include the ability to move, in response to a force being applied in a first direction along a longitudinal axis, a first plunger tip along the longitudinal axis and into a delivery cartridge to fold an intraocular lens and move in a second direction along the longitudinal axis in response to the applied force being reduced. The system and the technique may also include the ability to engage a second plunger tip and move, in response to a force being applied in the first direction along the longitudinal axis, the second plunger tip along the longitudinal axis and into the delivery cartridge to insert the intraocular lens.

Various systems and techniques for inserting an intraocular lens are disclosed. In particular implementations, a system and a technique for inserting an intraocular lens may include the ability to move, in response to a force being applied in a first direction along a longitudinal axis, a first plunger tip along the longitudinal axis and into a delivery cartridge to fold an intraocular lens and move in a second direction along the longitudinal axis in response to the applied force being reduced. The system and the technique may also include the ability to engage a second plunger tip and move, in response to a force being applied in the first direction along the longitudinal axis, the second plunger tip along the longitudinal axis and into the delivery cartridge to insert the intraocular lens.

An intraocular lens implantation injector has a base body and elongated actuation element projecting into a base body rear section and movably guided along an actuation axis. Actuation element movement is generated selectively by axial push actuation or by screw actuation about the axis. The actuation element features an external thread at least on one section. A switch element arranged on the base body is rotatable about the axis and has a passage, through which the actuation element extends. A spring arm arranged at the base body has an inner surface thread engagement structure facing the external thread. The passage features in inner surface having an inner radius varying at least in sections in a circumferential direction. A spring arm outer surface contacts the switch element inner surface. Switch element rotation generates spring arm elastic deformation towards/away from the axis, whereby the thread engagement structure is selectively engaged or disengaged.

There is provided an intraocular lens injector configured to inject an intraocular lens having an optical portion 8 and a pair of support portions 9a, 9b, including: an injector main body 2 having a lens setting portion 6 on which the intraocular lens 7 is set; a pushing member 5 that pushes out the intraocular lens 7 from the lens setting portion 6 by moving in a direction of a central axis of the injector main body 2; and a guide slope 11 that guides the movement of the pushing member 5 when the pushing member 5 moves in the direction of the central axis of the injector main body 2, wherein when the pushing member 5 moves in the direction of the central axis of the injector main body 2, a tip end part of the pushing member 5 comes into contact with the support portions 9b of the intraocular lens 7, and comes into contact with the optical portion 8 while pushing the support portions 9b, and the guide slope 11 guides the movement of the pushing member 5 so that the tip end part of the pushing member 5 is displaced in a vertical direction.

A cartridge of an intraocular lens inserter comprises an insertion nozzle, having a distal insertion channel; an intra-ocular lens (IOL)-folding stage, to receive and to fold an IOL, proximal to the insertion nozzle, and having a proximal insertion channel; and an IOL-guiding structure. The IOL-guiding structure can include a first proximal guiding groove, or a first proximal guiding rib, or both, formed in the IOL-folding stage. An intraocular lens inserter comprises an inserter cylinder; a push-rod, partially in the inserter cylinder; a cartridge-receiving insertion end, to receive a cartridge that includes an insertion nozzle, having a distal insertion channel; an IOL-folding stage, proximal to the insertion nozzle, having a proximal insertion channel; and an IOL-guiding structure.