Accommodating Intraocular Lens Trapezoidal Phase Shift
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current intraocular lenses (IOLs) often lose accommodative ability after cataract surgery due to the diminished elasticity of the capsular bag and limited range of movement, restricting the eye's ability to focus on varying distances.
Innovation Solution
An accommodating intraocular lens (AIOL) with haptics that stretch the capsular bag to contact ciliary muscles, combined with a trapezoidal phase shift optical design, allowing for enhanced forward motion and improved accommodative power, achieving a combined effective power change of at least 0.5 Diopters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If monofocal IOLs are used to replace the natural lens, then cataract is treated and vision is improved, but the eye's accommodative ability is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The IOL incorporates a diffractive optic with multiple focal points that dynamically shifts between near and far focus positions. The optic includes a first diffractive structure for near focus and a second diffractive structure for far focus, allowing the lens to adapt its optical power based on viewing distance requirements, thereby restoring accommodative functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The optic is segmented into multiple functional zones with different diffractive structures. Each zone is designed to direct light to specific focal points (near, intermediate, far), creating distinct optical pathways that enable the single lens to perform multiple accommodative functions simultaneously.
2Adaptability or versatility
If diffractive IOLs are used to provide near and far optical powers, then some accommodative power is restored, but the degree of accommodation is limited
Solution Approach 1:
Different regions of the optic are assigned different diffractive characteristics and focal powers. The optic includes varying groove depths, spacing, and patterns in different zones to optimize light distribution for specific viewing distances, with each local region tailored to provide enhanced accommodation for its designated focal range.
Solution Approach 2:
The optic combines multiple diffractive structures with different optical properties in a single integrated element. The composite design integrates near-focus diffractive zones, intermediate-focus zones, and far-focus zones, creating a multi-functional optic that provides continuous accommodation across the full range of viewing distances.
3Ease of operation
If single-optic accommodative IOLs rely on capsular bag elasticity, then the lens can move forward with ciliary muscle contraction, but the degree of motion is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the mechanical reliance on capsular bag elasticity with an optical mechanism. Instead of depending on the capsular bag's elastic recoil to move the lens, the system uses diffractive optical structures that create multiple focal points, substituting mechanical motion with optical path manipulation to achieve accommodation.
Solution Approach 2:
The optic's diffractive parameters (groove depth, spacing, pattern) are designed to change the effective focal length optically rather than requiring physical lens movement. By varying these optical parameters across different zones, the system achieves accommodation through parameter changes in the light path rather than mechanical displacement.
4Adaptability or versatility
If dual-optic accommodative IOLs are used to increase range of movement, then continuous accommodation is provided, but the range of viewing distance is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The invention adds the dimensional aspect of multiple focal points within a single optic plane. Instead of moving the lens along one dimension (axial movement), the diffractive structure creates focus points at different optical distances simultaneously, effectively adding a dimensional layer to the accommodation mechanism that expands the range of viewing distances without requiring extended physical movement.
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
The AIOL system provides improved accommodative power and depth of focus, enhancing the eye's ability to focus on near and far objects by directly contacting ciliary muscles and utilizing a trapezoidal phase shift for pseudo-accommodation, resulting in a significant visual performance improvement.
Implementation Method 1
compression of the haptics by the ciliary muscles exerts a forward force at the optic of at least 1.5 mN
Implementation Method 2
anterior optic adapted to produce a trapezoidal phase shift
Data Source
AI summary
An accommodating intraocular lens (AIOL) includes an optic adapted to produce a trapezoidal phase shift and a plurality of haptics. Each haptic extends from a haptic-optic junction to at least one transverse arm contacting a capsular bag of the eye, and each haptic has sufficient length and rigidity to stretch a capsular bag of the eye to contact ciliary muscles of the eye. The haptic-optic junctions vault the optic forward relative to the haptics and compression of the haptics by the ciliary muscles moves the anterior optic forward. A combined accommodative power produced by the motion of the anterior optic and the trapezoidal phase shift is at least 0.5 Diopters.