Closed-loop haptic structures for intraocular lens capsular bag contact
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing intraocular lenses (IOLs) often cause striae in the posterior capsular bag due to a small angle of contact, leading to increased posterior capsular opacification (PCO) and requiring larger incision sizes during implantation, which can complicate recovery and impact patient outcomes.
Innovation Solution
The development of an intraocular lens with a closed-loop haptic structure that includes a frame surrounding the optic, featuring a closed loop with hinges that extend past the attachment points, allowing for a larger angle of contact with the capsular bag, reducing striae and improving mechanical stability across various capsular bag sizes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If existing IOL haptics are used with small angle of contact, then the IOL can be implanted with smaller incisions, but striae and PCO increase
Solution Approach 1:
The haptic structure is divided into multiple closed-loop segments with hinges, allowing each segment to independently contact the capsular bag at multiple points. This segmentation enables a larger effective angle of contact while maintaining foldability for small incision implantation, thereby reducing striae and PCO without requiring larger incisions.
Solution Approach 2:
The haptic structure incorporates hinges that allow dynamic adjustment of the loop configuration. During implantation, the loops can be compressed for insertion through small incisions, then expand and adapt to contact the capsular bag at optimal angles, maximizing support while minimizing striae formation.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If haptics are designed to reduce striae with larger angle of contact, then PCO decreases, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple functional elements are merged into a single integrated closed-loop haptic structure. The loop simultaneously provides capsular bag contact for striae reduction, mechanical support for the optic, and foldability for minimally invasive implantation, all within one continuous structure rather than separate components.
Solution Approach 2:
The haptic structure utilizes flexible materials and thin-film construction to create loops that can be compressed for implantation through small incisions yet expand to provide extensive capsular bag contact. This flexibility allows complex geometry to be achieved without proportionally increasing device complexity.
3Stability of the object's composition
If closed-loop haptic structure with hinges is used, then mechanical stability improves, but ease of manufacture decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The haptic structure with hinges and loops can be manufactured as a nested or folded configuration that is compact during production and implantation, then expands to its functional three-dimensional shape after implantation. This nesting approach maintains mechanical stability while simplifying the manufacturing process by reducing the complexity of handling and assembling multiple separate hinge components.
Data Source
AI summary
An ophthalmic device includes an optic including an optic axis and a closed-loop haptic structure coupled to the optic via a frame surrounding the optic, the closed-loop haptic structure including a closed loop extending from first and second attachment points to the frame. The closed loop includes a first hinge and a second hinge. The first hinge has a first section having a first component extending in a first angular direction, a second section having a second component extending in a second angular direction opposite to the first angular direction, and a first connecting section between the first section and the second section. The second hinge has a third section having a third component extending in the second angular direction, a fourth section having a fourth component extending in the first angular direction, the fourth section being connected to the second section to form the closed loop.