Intraocular Lens Haptics with Zonule Projections
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Solution Overview
Problem
Intraocular lenses implanted in patients have difficulty maintaining focus on objects at varying distances due to displacement when force is applied, as they lack a mechanism to securely anchor within the eye's ciliary zonules.
Innovation Solution
An intraocular lens design featuring elastically deformable plate-shaped leg portions with projection portions that interpose between ciliary zonules, preventing lens displacement by transmitting force from the ciliary body through these projections to the leg portions, allowing for focus adjustment via ciliary muscle contraction and relaxation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the intraocular lens is designed with a fixed position, then the lens structure is simple, but the lens cannot adjust focus for objects at varying distances
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by designing the intraocular lens with movable haptics that can dynamically adjust their position in response to ciliary muscle contraction and relaxation. The haptics are elastically deformable and can move along the visual axis, enabling the lens to change focus for objects at different distances while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the intraocular lens is designed to move with ciliary body relaxation/contraction, then focus adjustment is enabled, but the lens position may be displaced from the correct region
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the lens system into distinct functional components: the lens body and the haptics. The haptics are separated from the main lens structure and designed as independent elastic elements that can move freely to enable focus adjustment, while the lens body remains stable in its optical position. This segmentation allows the haptics to accommodate ciliary body movements without displacing the lens from its correct region.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by giving different parts of the lens system different properties. The haptics are made elastically deformable to allow movement and adaptation to ciliary body changes, while the lens body maintains rigid optical properties for stable imaging. This localized differentiation of material properties enables focus adjustment while preserving lens position stability.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the lens lacks an anchoring mechanism in ciliary zonules, then the lens structure is simpler, but the lens position is unstable under applied force
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies self-service by designing haptics that automatically engage with the ciliary zonules through their own elastic deformation. The haptics do not require separate anchoring mechanisms or additional components; instead, their elastic properties enable them to naturally interlock with the ciliary zonules and transmit forces from the ciliary body to the lens, providing stable positioning through their inherent mechanical properties.
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 lens effectively inhibits displacement and allows for focus adjustment by securely anchoring within the eye's ciliary zonules, maintaining optical clarity and correcting astigmatism without the need for sutures.
Implementation Method 1
force which is transmitted from the ciliary body through the plurality of ciliary zonules to the crystalline lens is transmitted through the projection portion to the leg portion
Implementation Method 2
an elastically deformable plate-shaped leg portion extending from the lens outward in a radial direction
Data Source
AI summary
An intraocular lens 1 includes a lens 2 and a haptic 3 connected to the lens 2. The lens 2 is disposed behind an iris 7 in an eye of a patient. The haptic 3 has a main body 3a and first and second projections 3d and 3e. The main body 3a extends from the lens 2 outward in a radial direction about a visual axis C of the patient. The first and second projections 3d and 3e are located so as to project from the main body 3a toward spaces between a plurality of ciliary zonules 10 connecting a crystalline lens 11 and a ciliary body 8 in the eye. Accordingly, an intraocular lens and a haptic for an intraocular lens that are able to inhibit the position of a lens from being displaced are provided.