OPHTHALMOLOGICAL SURGICAL SET AND A CONTACT LENS

Abstract

A disclosed ophthalmological surgical set includes a contact lens, a cross-linking substance, and a device configured to generate negative pressure. The contact lens has a deformation side that is configured to face the cornea of an eye when the contact lens is placed on the eye. The deformation side of the contact lens has a shape that is a negative of a substantially emmetropic corneal shape. The cross-linking substance is applied to the cornea before placement of the contact lens on the eye. The contact lens includes a coupling device configured to generate a negative pressure between the contact lens and the eye on which the contact lens is placed such that the cornea can be suctioned, via the negative pressure, onto the deformation side of the contact lens thereby deforming the cornea into the substantially emmetropic corneal shape.

Claims

1. An ophthalmological surgical set, comprising: a contact lens configured to be placed on an eye, the contact lens having a deformation side that is configured to face the cornea of the eye when the contact lens is placed on the eye; and a cross-linking substance configured to be applied to the cornea before placement of the contact lens on the eye, wherein the deformation side of the contact lens is configured to have a shape that is a negative of a substantially emmetropic corneal shape, and wherein the contact lens includes a coupling device configured to generate a negative pressure between the contact lens and the eye on which the contact lens is placed such that the cornea can be suctioned, via the negative pressure, onto the deformation side of the contact lens thereby deforming the cornea into the substantially emmetropic corneal shape.

2. The ophthalmological surgical set according to claim 1, wherein the coupling device is configured to provide a fluidic connection between the contact lens and a fluid-connection element.

3. The ophthalmological surgical set according to claim 2, wherein the coupling device is configured to provide a form-fitting and/or force-fitting connection with the fluid-connection element (3).

4. The ophthalmological surgical set according to claim 2, wherein the coupling device is configured as a bayonet connection or as a Luer-Lock connection.

5. The ophthalmological surgical set according to claim 2, further comprising: a syringe fluidically coupled to the fluid-connection element, wherein the syringe is configured to draw fluid from the contact lens, through the coupling device and the fluid-connection element to thereby generate the negative pressure between the deformation side of the contact lens and the cornea.

6. The ophthalmological surgical set according to claim 5, wherein the syringe further comprises an elastic element and a plunger, wherein the elastic element is pre-tensioned and is in contact with the plunger to thereby generate a force on the plunger of the syringe which generates a pre-determined negative pressure.

7. The ophthalmological surgical set according to claim 1, wherein the contact lens further comprises a marking that is configured as a positioning aid.

8. The ophthalmological surgical set according to claim 1, wherein, the deformation side of the contact lens is configured to have a shape such that at least one zone is generated on the cornea when the cornea is deformed, wherein the zone is configured to correct farsightedness or nearsightedness.

9. The ophthalmological surgical set according to claim 1, wherein, the cross-linking substance is part of a pharmaceutical composition which is suitable for administration on or onto the eye, the composition comprising: (i) an aqueous carrier; and (ii) a non-toxic, water-soluble cross-linking component, comprising two or more carboxyl groups and/or one or more anhydride groups and/or one or more ester groups or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, dissolved in the aqueous carrier, wherein the composition has a pH in a range of from 6 to 9, wherein the non-toxic, water-soluble cross-linking means is not glutaric acid anhydride.

10. The ophthalmological surgical set according to claim 1, wherein the cross-linking substance is provided in a fluid by a metering device.

11. The ophthalmological surgical set according to claim 10, wherein the metering device is a syringe or a pipette.

12. The ophthalmological surgical set according to claim 1, further comprising a lid barrier.

13. The ophthalmological surgical set according to claim 1, further comprising a receiving device configured to remove excess fluids and/or excess cross-linking substance from the eye.

14. A contact lens configured for use in an ophthalmological surgical set, the contact lens comprising: a deformation side that is configured to face the cornea of an eye when the contact lens is placed on the eye, wherein the deformation side of the contact lens is configured to have a shape that is a negative of a substantially emmetropic corneal shape; and a coupling device configured to generate a negative pressure between the contact lens and the eye on which the contact lens is placed such that the cornea can be suctioned, via the negative pressure, onto the deformation side of the contact lens thereby deforming the cornea into the substantially emmetropic corneal shape.

15. The ophthalmological surgical set according to claim 2, wherein the fluid-connection element is a tube.

16. The ophthalmological surgical set according to claim 13, wherein the receiving device is a swab.

Description

[0058] There are then various options for designing and enhancing the teaching of the disclosure in an advantageous manner. To this end, reference is made, on one hand, to the claims referring back to claim 1 and, on the other hand, to the subsequent explanation of exemplary embodiments of the disclosure with reference to the drawings. In conjunction with the explanation of the exemplary embodiments of the disclosure with reference to the drawings, embodiments and enhancements of the teaching are also generally explained. The drawings show the following:

[0059] FIG. 1 a schematic, first view of an exemplary embodiment of an ophthalmological surgical set according to the disclosure including a contact lens according to the disclosure;

[0060] FIG. 2 a schematic, second view of the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 1;

[0061] FIG. 3 a schematic view of a section from a human or animal eye, onto which a cross-linking substance of an ophthalmological surgical set according to the disclosure is applied;

[0062] FIG. 4 a further schematic view of a section from a human or animal eye, onto which a contact lens of an ophthalmological surgical set according to the disclosure is applied;

[0063] FIG. 5 the view according to FIG. 4, wherein there is a negative pressure between the cornea and the deformation side.

[0064] FIGS. 1 and 2 show an exemplary embodiment of a contact lens 1 according to the disclosure of an ophthalmological surgical set according to the disclosure. The contact lens 1 is produced from a shape-stable material and has a device for providing negative pressure configured as a connection 2, to which a tube 4 serving as a fluid-connection element 3 is coupled. The contact lens 1 is connected to a syringe 5 via the tube 4, which syringe is used to create negative pressure between a cornea 6which is not shown in FIGS. 1 and 2of the eye 7 to be treated and the deformation side 8 of the contact lens 1.

[0065] The deformation side 8 is individually configured to the eye to be treated, that is it corresponds substantially to the negative of an emmetropic corneal shape.

[0066] The syringe piston 9 is pre-tensioned via an elastic element 10, i.e. a spring 11. FIG. 2 shows that the contact lens 1 has a marking 15 in the shape of a crosshair or of a reticle. Precise positioning of the contact lens 1 on the eye 7 is thereby made possible for the surgeon in a simple manner.

[0067] The use of the surgical set according to the disclosure is explained with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5. First, the cross-linking substance 12 is applied to the cornea 6, for example, as drops. In a next stage, the contact lens 1 individually configured to the eye 7 is inserted, as is shown in FIG. 4. FIG. 4 clearly shows that the syringe piston 9 is pressed against the spring 11 to the extent that at least no substantial negative pressure prevails between the cornea 6 and the deformation side 8.

[0068] When the syringe piston 9 is released or let go by the surgeon, the spring 11 presses the syringe piston 9 out of the syringe cylinder 13 such that a defined negative pressure prevails between the deformation side 8 and the cornea 6. This state is shown in FIG. 5, which also shows that the cornea 6 is suctioned onto the deformation side 8 by application of negative pressure. Thus, the cornea 6 is placed and retained in the desired emmetropic corneal shape, in which the cross-linking substance 12 can take effect. The mechanism of action of the cross-linking substance 12 is shown in FIG. 5 by structure 14, which illustrates the cross-linking of the collagen fibers of the eye.

[0069] Once the cross-linking substance 12 has taken effect, the negative pressure can be released, and the contact lens 1 can be removed from the eye. By action of the cross-linking substance 12, the biomechanical resistance of the cornea 6 is increased such that the emmetropic corneal shape remains at least for a longer period of time.

[0070] With regard to other advantageous embodiments of the surgical set according to the disclosure, to avoid repetition, reference is made to the general part of the description and also to the accompanying claims.

[0071] Finally, it is expressly pointed out that the above-described exemplary embodiments of the surgical set according to the disclosure serve only to explain the claimed teaching, but do not restrict it to the exemplary embodiments.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0072] 1 Contact lens [0073] 2 Connection [0074] 3 Fluid-connection element [0075] 4 Tube [0076] 5 Syringe [0077] 6 Cornea [0078] 7 Eye [0079] 8 Deformation side [0080] 9 Syringe piston [0081] 10 Elastic element [0082] 11 Spring [0083] 12 Cross-linking substance [0084] 13 Syringe cylinder [0085] 14 Structure [0086] 15 Marking