Accommodative Intraocular Lens Restoring Force Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Natural eye lenses lose elasticity with age, making it difficult to focus on near objects, leading to presbyopia, and cataracts cause clouding, necessitating surgical removal and implantation of artificial lenses that typically lack accommodation capabilities.
Innovation Solution
Design of an accommodation intraocular lens with a dual-part structure, where the first part has a transparent membrane and a lens component, and the second part can be linked to deform the membrane, changing its curvature and refractive power in response to ziliar muscle contraction, mimicking natural eye lens mechanics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a monofocal artificial lens is implanted, then surgical removal of clouded lens is achieved, but accommodation capability is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The artificial lens is divided into two separable components: a first lens part with a membrane and optical element, and a second lens part that can be attached or detached. This segmentation allows the lens to switch between fixed and variable focal lengths, providing both distance and near vision capabilities while maintaining surgical feasibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The lens system transitions from a static monofocal design to a dynamic accommodative design. The second lens part can be positioned at different locations along the optical axis, changing the curvature of the membrane and thus the focal length. This dynamic adjustment restores accommodation capability lost after cataract surgery.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the lens structure is made complex to enable accommodation, then near and distance vision is restored, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The first lens part incorporates a flexible membrane that can change curvature in response to the position of the second lens part. This flexible film approach enables accommodation capability without requiring complex mechanical actuation systems, keeping the overall device structure relatively simple while achieving the desired adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The accommodation function is extracted as a separate, optional component (the second lens part) that can be attached to or removed from the first lens part. This modular approach simplifies the base design while providing advanced functionality when needed, reducing overall device complexity compared to integrated accommodative mechanisms.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the lens is made detachable in two parts, then accommodation is enabled, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The two lens parts are designed to combine into a unified optical system when assembled. The membrane of the first lens part and the optical element of the second lens part work together as an integrated unit, where the membrane's curvature change directly affects the overall focal length. This merging approach reduces alignment precision requirements compared to systems with separate optical elements that must be precisely positioned relative to each other.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables the artificial lens to accommodate for both distant and near vision without additional corrective measures, replicating the mechanical properties of a natural eye lens by adjusting curvature and refractive power in response to muscle tension, reducing the need for glasses or contact lenses.
Implementation Method 1
the first component and the second component are configured to shift towards one another with increasing stretching of the capsular bag and thereby generate a restoring force
Implementation Method 2
the second lens part is configured to deform the first membrane by longitudinally displacing the second lens part parallel to the optical axis
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The invention relates to an accommodative intraocular lens (1) for insertion in the capsular bag (4) of an eye, having a first lens part (2), including a first membrane (5) and an optical axis (16), and a second lens part (3) which can be detachably coupled to the first lens part, whereby the intraocular lens can be transferred to a coupled state.