Posterior Surface Intraocular Lens Design

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing intraocular lenses (IOLs) face issues such as unwanted optical halos due to internal reflections, mechanical instability, and iris degradation due to surface structures, particularly when positioned in the sulcus or anterior chamber, which are not adequately addressed by current designs.

Innovation Solution

The IOL features a posterior surface that is substantially flat or concave, with an additional surface section providing different optical power, allowing for efficient production and customization to correct refractive errors, and a smooth anterior surface to prevent iris degradation, along with haptics angled to minimize contact with the iris.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If additional surface sections are provided on the anterior side of the IOL to provide different optical power, then individual requirements can be tailored, but optical halos are generated due to internal reflections at steep transitions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecustomization for individual requirementsVSAvoidoptical halos
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the conventional design by placing additional surface sections on the posterior side instead of the anterior side. This reversal eliminates the steep transitions that cause internal reflections and optical halos, while still enabling customization of optical power for individual requirements through the posterior surface modifications.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the potentially harmful effect of surface transitions into a beneficial design feature by locating them on the posterior side where they do not create optical halos. The transitions between main and additional surface sections are designed to guide light beneficially toward the optical axis rather than creating disturbing reflections.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

2Adaptability or versatility

If additional surface sections are provided on the anterior side of the IOL, then optical power can be customized, but the surface structure degrades the iris when the IOL is positioned in the sulcus

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoptical power customizationVSAvoidiris degradation
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent resolves this contradiction by inverting the location of additional surface sections from the anterior to the posterior side. This ensures that the anterior surface remains smooth and free of structures that could degrade the iris, while customization is achieved through posterior surface modifications that do not contact the iris.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Adaptability or versatility

If strong toric component is provided to the posterior side to tailor individual requirements, then optical customization is achieved, but very steep slopes are created that may conflict with parts of the human eye

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetoric component customizationVSAvoidconflict with eye structures
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by providing additional surface sections with specific toric components only in certain zones of the posterior side, rather than uniformly across the entire surface. This allows customization of optical power while controlling the slopes to avoid conflicts with eye structures in critical areas.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

4Object-affected harmful factors

If IOL is positioned in the sulcus with haptics angled to minimize iris contact, then iris degradation is reduced, but the design complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveiris degradationVSAvoidhaptic angulation design
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the source of iris degradation by removing surface structures from the anterior side that contact the iris. This eliminates the need for complex haptic angulation designs to prevent iris degradation, as the smooth anterior surface inherently prevents this problem.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

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

This design reduces optical halos, enhances mechanical stability, and prevents iris degradation by minimizing contact with the iris, while allowing for tailored correction of refractive errors through efficient production and machining techniques.

Implementation Method 1

said additional surface section comprising at least one refractive posterior section part, the or each posterior section part providing for said optical power different from said base optical power

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectRefraction: Refraction

Data Source

PatentEP2744451B1Intraocular lens
Publication Date: 2017.09.20 OCULENTIS HOLDING BV
  • EP2744451B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2744451B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP2744451B1 patent drawingFigure 5a~6

AI summary

Intraocular lens (IOL) for insertion into the human eye. The IOL comprises an optic having a posterior surface for facing towards the posterior chamber of the human eye; an anterior surface for facing away from the posterior chamber of the human eye, the anterior surface being at least substantially convex; a main lens formed by corresponding surface sections of the anterior and posterior surfaces, the main lens having an optical axis and a base optical power; and an additional surface section at a distance from the optical axis, the additional surface section comprising at least one additional section part, the or each additional section part providing for an optical power different from the base optical power. The posterior surface is substantially flat or at least substantially concave, and comprises a substantially flat or at least substantially concave main posterior surface section, the main lens being formed by the anterior surface and the main posterior surface section; and the additional surface section providing an additional posterior surface section at a distance from said optical axis, said additional posterior surface section comprising said at least one additional section part providing at least one posterior section part, the or each posterior section part providing for said optical power different from said base optical power.