Annular Cornea Implant with Shape Memory for Refractive Correction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cornea implant techniques, such as LASIK and ring-shaped implants, face issues with biomechanical stability impairment, material deposition, and refractive error correction due to flap creation and rigid ring insertion, leading to vision disturbances and uneven tissue pressure.
Innovation Solution
An annular cornea implant with shape memory properties, designed for insertion via a narrow tunnel-shaped access, which deforms to fit the cornea pocket and automatically unfolds to its predefined shape using materials like PMMA, shape memory alloys, or hydrogels, ensuring stable and precise refractive error correction without manual manipulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If LASIK technique is used to correct refractive error, then refractive power can be adjusted, but biomechanical stability of the cornea is significantly impaired
Solution Approach 1:
The cornea implant is divided into multiple arc segments that can be inserted separately through a small incision and then assembled to form a complete ring structure, distributing the mechanical load and minimizing disruption to corneal integrity
Solution Approach 2:
The implant applies corrective force locally at specific meridians of the cornea through strategically positioned arc segments, allowing refractive error correction without requiring widespread removal or alteration of corneal tissue
2Measurement precision
If rigid ring-shaped implant is inserted into cornea pocket, then refractive error correction is achieved, but material deposition occurs leading to vision impairment
Solution Approach 1:
The implant surface is engineered with modified physical parameters including micro-texturing and specific surface energy characteristics that prevent protein adsorption and material deposition, eliminating the source of vision impairment while maintaining refractive correction function
3Ease of operation
If manual manipulation is used to position implant, then placement can be adjusted, but risk of astigmatism and higher-order aberrations increases
Solution Approach 1:
The arc segments are designed with self-aligning features including complementary geometric profiles and elastic deformation characteristics that enable the implant to automatically assume its correct circular configuration after insertion, eliminating the need for manual manipulation and ensuring precise, repeatable positioning that prevents astigmatism and higher-order aberrations
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 implant maintains biomechanical stability, prevents material deposition, and ensures accurate refractive error correction by automatically unfolding within the cornea pocket, reducing the risk of astigmatism and higher-order aberrations, while allowing for potential re-adjustment post-implantation.
Implementation Method 1
the cornea implant having a shape memory which is impressed on the basis of the geometry and/or material of the implant
Implementation Method 2
the cornea implant has an adjustment force in the end shape thereof, which enables an essentially independent unfolding of the cornea implant in the cornea pocket
Data Source
AI summary
Annular cornea implant for inserting into a cornea pocket of the human eye via a narrow, tunnel-shaped access, with the end shape of the cornea implant depending on the shortsightedness or astigmatism to be corrected. The aim of the invention is to enable the cornea implant to be implanted in the cornea pocket in a simple manner and in an optimum position. To this end, the implant has a shape memory which is impressed on the basis of the geometry and/or material of the implant, and is designed in such a way that the deformability from a starting shape enables the insertion of the cornea implant into the cornea pocket via the narrow access, and the cornea implant has an adjustment force in the end shape thereof, which enables an essentially independent unfolding of the cornea implant in the cornea pocket.