Flexible Support Intraocular Lens for Dynamic Focal Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional intraocular lenses lack the ability to adjust focal points for visual objects at distances different from a predetermined distance, limiting their adaptability for patients post-cataract surgery.
Innovation Solution
An intraocular lens design featuring a rear lens portion within the posterior capsule and a front lens portion with a flexible support structure that includes an extension and sub-extension portion, allowing the front lens to move and adjust focal distance by bending and contacting the ciliary sulcus and body, enabling flexible focusing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a conventional intraocular lens is used, then the lens is simple in structure and easy to manufacture, but it cannot adjust focal points for visual objects at different distances
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the front lens portion movable relative to the rear lens portion through the flexible support portion. The front lens can move forward and backward in response to ciliary body contraction, changing the gap between lenses and thereby adjusting the focal distance. This dynamic adjustment mechanism enables the lens to adapt to different viewing distances without requiring multiple fixed focal points or complex mechanical components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes parameter changes by varying the gap distance between the front and rear lens portions to achieve focal distance adjustment. When the support portion bends due to ciliary body movement, the gap between lenses changes, which directly alters the optical focal length. This parameter-based adjustment allows for continuous focal distance modification through a relatively simple structural change.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the front lens portion is made movable to adjust focal distance, then adaptability improves, but the support structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the flexible shells and thin films principle by using a flexible support portion that can bend and deform in response to ciliary body movement. This flexible support structure allows the front lens portion to move freely along the optical axis without requiring rigid mechanical linkages or complex actuation mechanisms. The flexibility of the support portion enables passive motion transmission from the ciliary body to the lens system.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible support portion acts as an intermediary element between the ciliary body and the front lens portion. It transmits the mechanical force generated by ciliary body contraction to the front lens, enabling indirect control of lens position. This intermediary approach simplifies the overall system by avoiding direct mechanical connection while still achieving the desired motion transmission.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the support portion is made flexible to allow lens movement, then focal adjustment capability improves, but the stability of lens position may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves the stability concern by implementing a dynamic system where the flexible support portion allows controlled movement rather than fixed positioning. The support portion maintains lens stability at each focal position through its elastic properties while enabling transitions between different focal distances. The flexibility provides both stability at rest positions and mobility when needed, balancing the two requirements.
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 adjustable focal distances, allowing users to focus on objects at various distances by changing the gap between the front and rear lens portions, enhancing the range of focus from near to far vision without the need for suturing.
Implementation Method 1
a support portion which extends from a limbus of the first lens to a position of a part of a region from an iris to a ciliary body inside the eye, supports the first lens, and has flexibility
Implementation Method 2
a sub-extension portion which is branched from a side surface of the extension portion, extends toward the rear side inside the eye, and comes into contact with a surface of the ciliary body so that a force of pressing the first lens toward the front side inside the eye is transmitted
Implementation Method 3
one of the first lens and the second lens may be a convex lens and the other thereof may be a concave lens
Implementation Method 4
a focal distance of a lens system including the front lens portion and the rear lens portion changes
Data Source
AI summary
An intraocular lens includes a plurality of lenses with a rear lens portion disposed in a posterior capsule from which an eye lens is extracted and a front lens portion disposed at the front side inside the eye in relation to the rear lens portion, and a support portion of the front lens portion among the lenses has flexibility. Accordingly, when the inside of the user's eye moves, the support portion is bent, and hence the front lens portion moves. When the front lens portion moves so that the gap between the front lens portion and the rear lens portion changes, a focal distance of a lens system including the front lens portion and the rear lens portion changes. Accordingly, it is possible to realize an intraocular lens capable of changing a focal distance in a manner such that a user moves the inside of an eye.