Active Accommodation Intraocular Lens with Transducer Actuation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Presbyopia, a progressive age-related loss of accommodative strength, affects millions worldwide, and existing intraocular lenses (IOLs) do not effectively mimic the eye's natural accommodation process, limiting their ability to adjust focus for varying distances.
Innovation Solution
An active accommodation IOL system that uses mechanical-to-electrical transducers to measure eye movements during accommodation, generating electrical signals to control an optical power actuator, allowing the lens to adjust its refractive power in response to ciliary muscle contractions, thereby simulating natural lens behavior.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional static intraocular lenses are used, then the lens structure is simple and stable, but the lens cannot adjust focus for varying distances, failing to address presbyopia
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the static IOL into a dynamic system by incorporating an actuator that can change the lens optical power in response to ciliary muscle contraction signals. The lens transitions from a fixed focal length design to one that dynamically adjusts between near and far focus positions, directly addressing presbyopia while maintaining biocompatibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the natural ciliary muscle mechanical accommodation mechanism with an artificial actuator system. Since the natural ciliary muscle degenerates with age, the invention uses an electrically or magnetically controlled actuator to substitute the degraded mechanical function, enabling focus adjustment without relying on deteriorating muscle tissue.
2Adaptability or versatility
If an active accommodation system with transducers and actuators is implemented, then focus adjustment capability is improved, but the device complexity and surgical insertion difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the actuator, transducer, and lens into a single integrated intraocular implantable device. By combining these components into one unit rather than separate implants, the system reduces surgical complexity and enables insertion through standard cataract surgery approaches, making the complex accommodation function accessible through routine procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent designs the IOL to perform multiple functions: optical correction, focus adjustment, and signal sensing. The lens serves both as the optical element and as part of the sensing system that detects ciliary muscle activity, eliminating the need for separate sensing implants and reducing overall surgical complexity.
3Manufacturing precision
If the lens optical power is continuously adjustable, then near vision correction is improved, but energy consumption and system reliability challenges increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements accommodation adjustment as a periodic, on-demand function rather than continuous operation. The actuator activates only when the transducer detects ciliary muscle contraction signals indicating a need for focus change, and remains inactive otherwise. This periodic operation dramatically reduces energy consumption compared to continuous adjustment systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates a feedback loop where the transducer continuously monitors ciliary muscle contraction and sends signals to the actuator controller. This feedback mechanism ensures the lens adjusts optical power only when physiologically necessary, optimizing energy usage while maintaining precise accommodation control that mirrors natural eye behavior.
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 precise adjustment of optical power to correct near vision in presbyopic patients, effectively addressing the age-related loss of accommodative strength by mimicking the eye's natural accommodation process.
Implementation Method 1
uses mechanical-to-electrical transducers to measure eye movements during accommodation, generating electrical signals
Implementation Method 2
Accommodation actuator 101 is electrically coupled to one or more mechanical-to-electrical transducers 107, and in response to an electrical signal, accommodation actuator 101 changes its optical power
Implementation Method 3
haptic structures 105, coupled to one another and to accommodation actuator 101. One or more mechanical-to-electrical transducers 107 are coupled to one or more haptic structures 105
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 1C
AI summary
An intraocular lens (IOL) includes one or more haptic structures coupled to hold the IOL (100A) system in an eye. The IOL also includes one or more mechanical-to-electrical transducers (107) that detect mechanical changes in the eye and, in response to the mechanical changes, output an electrical signal. An accommodation actuator (101) is electrically coupled to the one or more mechanical-to-electrical transducers, and in response to the electrical signal the optical power of the accommodation actuator changes.