Ophthalmic surgical instruments for removal of lens materials and methods of use

Abstract

An ophthalmic surgical instrument for cataract removal surgery includes a helical coil structure including a wire or elongated structure coiled in a plurality essentially similar diameter coils of 360-degree turns in a corkscrew having a coil diameter sufficiently small to fit within an incision of a human ocular lens capsule for entering the human ocular lens capsule during a cataract removal surgery. A pointed sharp end pierces and grasps a human ocular lens under the control of a surgeon upon being inserted in a human ocular lens capsule within said ocular lens capsule during a cataract removal surgery. The corkscrew structure firmly holds the human ocular lens and controls the position and movement of the human ocular lens during said cataract removal surgery.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This is a continuation-in-part application and claims the benefit of U.S. Non-provisional application Ser. No. 16 / 112,693, entitled “A CATARACT GRASPING DEVICE FOR ASSISTING IN CATARACT REMOVAL SURGERY” filed on Aug. 25, 2018. All documents and references cited herein, and in the above referenced application, are hereby expressly incorporated by reference in their entirety.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present disclosure relates to ophthalmic surgical instruments and instruments for surgery of the eye and, more specifically, to ophthalmic surgical instruments designed to be used upon the eye for removing eye lens materials. Yet more specifically, the subject matter of the present disclosure relates to methods and instruments designed to remove portions of the eye to effect removing eye lens material during cataract surgery.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]The eye is a very fragile organ, and requires extreme care before, during, and after a surgical proce...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent describes an ophthalmic surgical instrument that includes a precisely controllable helical coil structure for cataract surgery. The instrument can be rotated to precisely pierce the cataract and engage the human ocular lens without damaging tissue. It includes a pointed sharp end for grasping the ocular lens without producing heat or causing corneal endothelium damage. The instrument also has a connection to a phacoemulsification device for breaking the cataract into smaller pieces for easier removal. A viscoelastic medium is used to stabilize the instrument for safe insertion into the eye through a small incision in the ocular lens capsule. The technical effects of the patent are improved precision and safety during cataract surgery.

Problems solved by technology

The eye is a very fragile organ, and requires extreme care before, during, and after a surgical procedure to minimize or prevent further damage.

The result is gradual and progressive impairment of vision.

If left untreated, cataract can cause loss of vision.

If visual loss is significant, surgical removal of the lens may be warranted, with lost optical power usually replaced with a plastic intraocular lens.

Cataract surgery requires a standard set of cataract surgical instruments due to the delicate nature of the eyes.

General instruments may be too large and coarse for use in this surgical procedure, which may do more damage than good.

Cataract surgery risks include inflammation, infection, bleeding, swelling, dislocation of artificial lens, retinal detachment, loss of vision.

Though uncommon, these complications can be painful and detrimental to the patient.

People with diabetes or those taking high doses of steroid medications have a greater risk of developing a sub-capsular cataract.

From a surgeon's perspective there may be instances of particularly difficult cases.

For example, if the patient had a very dense cataract, a problem may arise in association with the removal of a cataract.

The problem with dense cataract removal is that the very dense cataract resists being grasped with a suction provided by the open bored phacoemulsification instrument.

With a dense cataract, it is difficult to use the removal instrument to grasp the cataract and remove the cataract from the lens capsule.

This occurs simply because it is often not possible to grasp the lens in the exceedingly fragile and sensitive lens capsule of the human eye.

With small lens pieces and / or a dense or hard cataract the inability to grasp the piece or pieces can result in prolonged surgery, unnecessary stress on the lens capsule and surrounding tissue, and even damage to the eye from needing to use the hard metal surgical instruments in the delicate lens capsule region.

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