Artificial Accommodation System for Presbyopia
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current artificial accommodation systems for the human eye, such as intraocular lenses, rely on the ciliary muscle and a deformable capsular bag for focusing, which are compromised in conditions like presbyopia and cataract surgery, limiting their effectiveness in restoring near vision.
Innovation Solution
An implantable artificial accommodation system that includes an optical system with active-optical elements, a non-contact information acquisition system for ciliary muscle activity, an information processing system to generate actuating signals, an energy supply system, and a fastening system, allowing the system to restore accommodation without relying on the ciliary muscle, using residual muscle activity, pupil width, and binocular vision cues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If current artificial accommodation systems use the ciliary muscle and deformable capsular bag for focusing, then the system structure is simple, but the effectiveness in restoring near vision is limited due to compromised muscle and bag function in presbyopia and cataract surgery
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical action of the ciliary muscle with an electromagnetic actuator that directly controls the optical element's position. The actuator uses magnetic fields to move the optical element along the optical axis, eliminating the need for ciliary muscle contraction and capsular bag deformation. This substitution enables effective accommodation restoration even when the ciliary muscle is compromised or removed during cataract surgery.
2Ease of manufacture
If the ciliary muscle is removed or compromised during cataract surgery, then the surgical procedure is simplified, but the ability to restore accommodation is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the accommodation function from the biological ciliary muscle system and implements it through an independent artificial actuator. The optical element is equipped with its own electromagnetic actuator that operates autonomously without requiring the ciliary muscle. This extraction allows the ciliary muscle to be removed or compromised during surgery while the artificial system maintains full accommodation capability through direct electromagnetic control of the optical element's axial position.
3Reliability
If an axial displacement of the lens is achieved through residual ciliary muscle contraction, then the system structure is simple, but the accommodation range is insufficient (only 1-2 dpt restored)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic control system where the electromagnetic actuator can precisely adjust the optical element's position along the optical axis based on real-time feedback from distance sensors. The system dynamically changes the vertex distance between the optical element and the retina, enabling continuous accommodation range adjustment from distance to near focus. This dynamic control achieves accommodation ranges exceeding 3 dpt, sufficient for reading and other near vision tasks, while maintaining a relatively compact implant structure.
4Measurement precision
If distance sensors are used to control the optical system, then the accommodation control precision is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple functions into the optical element itself: it serves as both the refractive component and the mounting platform for the electromagnetic actuator. The actuator is directly coupled to the optical element, eliminating the need for separate mechanical transmission components. The distance sensors are positioned to measure axial displacement directly at the optical element's location. This multi-functional integration reduces the overall number of components while maintaining high measurement precision for accommodation control.
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 effective restoration of accommodation by adjusting the optical system based on detected ciliary muscle activity and binocular vision cues, improving near vision capabilities without the need for intact ciliary muscle function, and allowing for post-operative refraction compensation.
Implementation Method 1
The light waves pass through the cornea, the aqueous humor in the anterior chamber (camera anterior bulbi), the lens (lens crystallina) and the vitreous body in the posterior chamber (camera vitrea bulbi), all of which have different refractive indices.
Implementation Method 2
a non-contact information acquisition system for the ciliary muscle either with acoustic or optical means for acquiring a ciliary body movement
Implementation Method 3
a non-contact information acquisition system for the ciliary muscle either with acoustic or optical means for acquiring a ciliary body movement
Implementation Method 4
an energy supply system
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
The invention relates to a device for re-producing accommodation capacity comprising a) at least one optical system (3), b) at least one contactless information detection system (8) for the ciliary muscle, either with acoustic or optical agents for detecting a ciliary body movement, or comprising agents which are used to detect a spatial orientation of both eyeballs in relation to each other, or with agents which are used to measure the width of the pupil and a light density for least on one eye as an endogenic control signal for the accommodation, c) at least one information processing system for generating a control signal for the optical system from the detected endogenic control signals d) at least one energy supply system (10) and e) at least one securing system (22).