Secondary Intraocular Lens with Magnifying Coaxial Optical Portion

Abstract

A secondary foldable intraocular lens, IOL, (2) is provided that is surgically implanted in addition to at least one primary IOL (1) in the patient's pseudo-phakic eye. The secondary IOL (2) is arranged optically coaxial to the primary IOL (1) focusing a combined image onto the retina (5) of the patient's eye (4) additionally magnifying at least a central part of the image of the primary IOL (1) projected onto the macula (6) of the retina (5). The secondary IOL (2) comprises one or more haptics (7) for fixing and stabilizing it within the sulcus ciliaris (8) of the patient's eye (4)and an optically active portion (9) designed to project the image through the primary IOL (1) onto the retina (5). The optically active portion (9) of the secondary IOL (2) comprises a central optical portion (10) and a peripheral optical portion (11) extending around the central optical portion (10), forming two different, but coaxially positioned lenses from one block. The central optical portion (10) is designed to form a positive lens providing additional refraction of minimum 5D, up to maximum 25D to the refraction provided by the peripheral optical portion (11) of the secondary IOL (2).

Claims

1. A secondary intraocular lens, IOL, (2) made from a foldable soft material, in addition to at least one primary IOL (1) in the posterior chamber (3) of the patient's eye (4); wherein the secondary IOL (2) comprises one or more haptics (7) for fixing and stabilizing it within the sulcus ciliaris (8) of the patient's eye (4)and an optically active portion (9) projecting the image through the primary IOL (1) onto the retina (5); the optically active portion (9) of the secondary IOL (2) comprises a central optical portion (10) and a peripheral optical portion (11) extending around the central optical portion (10), forming two different, but coaxially positioned lenses from one block; the central optical portion (10) is a positive lens with additional refraction to the refraction of the peripheral optical portion (11) of the secondary IOL (2); the secondary IOL (2) is arranged optically coaxial to the primary IOL (1) focusing a combined image on the retina (5) of the patient's eye (4) additionally magnifying at least a central part of the image of the primary IOL (1) projected onto the macula (6) of the retina (5).

2. The secondary IOL (2) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the diameter of the central optical portion (10) is smaller than 1.8 mm.

3. The secondary IOL (2) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the additional refraction of the central optical portion (10) is more than 5 diopters.

4. The secondary IOL (2) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the peripheral optical portion (11) is a lens with zero refraction.

5. The secondary IOL (2) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the peripheral optical portion (11) is a lens with a refraction between 5 diopters and +15 diopters.

6. The secondary IOL (2) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the central optical portion (10) of the secondary IOL (2) has a refraction of between +5 diopters and +25 diopters, preferably between +8 diopters and +12 diopters in addition to the peripheral optical portion (11) of the secondary IOL (2).

7. The secondary IOL (2) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the optically active portion (9) has a diameter (13) between 4 and 10 mm, preferably between 5 and 7 mm.

8. The secondary IOL (2) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the central optical portion (10) has a diameter of bigger than 0.5 mm and smaller than 1.8 mm, preferably between 0.8 and 1.6 mm.

9. The secondary IOL (2) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ratio between the diameter of the central optical portion (10) and the optically active portion (9) of the secondary IOL (2) is between 0.05 and 0.45, preferable between 0.15 and 0.35.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference is made to the following detailed description of an embodiment taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

[0020] FIG. 1 shows the secondary IOL in side view;

[0021] FIG. 2 depicts the secondary IOL in front view;

[0022] FIG. 3 shows the patient's eye with constricted pupil;

[0023] FIG. 4 shows the patient's eye with distended pupil.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] As it is described in FIGS. 1-2, a secondary intraocular lens, IOL, is provided made from foldable soft material like acrylate or silicone. The secondary IOL 2 comprises haptics 7 for fixing and stabilizing it within the patient's eye and an optically active portion 9. These haptics can be of any shape that is known in current IOLs: open C-shaped (as in our illustration) or Z-shaped loop, closed loops or plate haptics, with or without fenestration, with or without axial angulation.

[0025] The optically active portion 9 comprises a central optical portion 10 and a peripheral optical portion 11 extending around the central optical portion 10. The central optical portion 10 and a peripheral optical portion 11 form two different, but coaxially positioned lenses from one block. The optically active portion 9 may have a diameter 13 between 4 mm and 10 mm, preferably between 5 mm and 7 mm.

[0026] The central optical portion 10 is designed to form a positive lens providing additional refraction to the refraction provided by the peripheral optical portion 11 of the secondary IOL 2.

[0027] The diameter of the central optical portion 10 may be smaller than 1.8 mm in order to fully use but not to exceed the diameter of the constricted pupil (by much) and not to disturb far vision through the dilated pupil in a significant way. The central optical portion 10 may have a diameter of bigger than 0.5 mm in order to produce the minimal desired magnifying effect that can be perceived by the patient. Preferably the central optical portion 10 may have a diameter between 0.8 mm and 1.6 mm in order to produce a sound balance between the above mentioned conditions.

[0028] The additional refraction of the central optical portion 10 over the peripheral optical portion 11 may be more than 5 diopters in order to produce a magnification that could restore the patient's reading capability. The additional refraction of the central optical portion 10 over the peripheral optical portion 11 may be less than 25 diopters because in real life it would be hard to handle any object closer to the eye than 4 cm. Therefore the central optical portion 10 may have a refraction of between +5 diopters and +25 diopters, preferably between +8 diopters and +12 diopters in addition to the peripheral optical portion 11. Thus this invention can provide additional refraction of between +5 diopters and +25 diopters, preferably between +8 diopters and +12 diopters compared to the combined refraction of a primary IOL 1 and the peripheral optical portion 11 of the secondary IOL 2.

[0029] The peripheral optical portion 11 may be designed to form a lens with zero refraction, thus not interfering with the image provided by the primary IOL 1, leaving the patient most of his vision provided by the primary IOL 1. In another embodiment the peripheral optical portion 11 may be designed to form a lens with a certain refraction between 5D and +15D in order to correct any prior error in refraction or any unintended, undesired change in the patient's vision provided by the primary IOL 1.

[0030] The ratio between the diameters of the central optical portion 10 and the optically active portion 9 of the secondary IOL 2 may be between 0.05 and 0.45, preferable between 0.15 and 0.35.

[0031] In FIGS. 3-4, the position of the secondary IOL 2 is depicted in the patient's eye 4. As it is seen, the secondary IOL 2 has been surgically implanted in a pseudo-phakic eye, i.e. in addition to at least one primary IOL 1 that has already been implanted in the posterior chamber 3 of the patient's eye 4 prior to the implantation of said secondary IOL 2. The haptics 7 fix and stabilize the secondary IOL 2 within the sulcus ciliaris 8 of the patient's eye 4. The optically active portion 9 is designed to project the image through the primary IOL 1 onto the retina 5. The secondary IOL 2 is arranged optically coaxial to the primary IOL 1 focusing a combined image on the retina 5 additionally magnifying at least a central part of the image of the primary IOL 1 projected onto the macula 6 of the retina 5. In this way, the secondary IOL 2 improves the visual capabilities of the patient by additionally magnifying at least a central part of the image of the primary IOL 1.

[0032] The effect of the secondary IOL 2 can be understood by comparing FIG. 3 and FIG. 4. FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 differ in the size of the pupil 15 formed by the iris 13.

[0033] In FIG. 3, the pupil 15 is constricted, so the light beam is restricted mainly to the central optical portion 10 of the secondary IOL 2 providing a magnified image on the macula 6. This is the case when the patient focuses on nearby objects, i.e. reading a newspaper or a price tag, and the reflex of near vision miosis constricts the pupil 15. The image thus projected onto the retina 5 is magnified compared to the image produced by distant vision in the eye, which enables the patient's eye to resolve the image in case of AMD as well. Due to the relatively high refraction of the central optical portion 10 comparing to the basic lens power, the sharp vision is at a very near distance, d, for which the typical value is 5-20 cm.

[0034] In FIG. 4, the patient focuses on a distant object and the pupil 15 is dilated leaving enough space around the central optical portion 10 for the light rays passing through the peripheral optical portion 11 of the secondary IOL 2 as well. Thus the light rays coming from a distant object passing the peripheral optical portion 11 and forming the targeted distant image on the retina will dominate in the patient's perception over the rays passing the central optical portion 10 that do not focus onto the retina (dashed lines).

[0035] Although one preferred embodiment of the present invention has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described in the foregoing detailed description, it is understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment but is capable of numerous rearrangements, modifications, and substitutions for IOL injectors without departing from the invention.