Secondary Haptic Loops for Stable Intraocular Fixation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Intraocular devices face challenges in fixation, particularly when capsular support is inadequate, leading to issues like decentration and tilting, and existing suturing methods risk damaging corneal endothelium cells during lens exchange procedures.
Innovation Solution
Secondary haptic loops with blocking structures, made of materials like polypropylene, are coupled to intraocular device haptics, allowing easy fixation and precise adjustment to prevent decentration and tilting, using tools to snare and secure the loops through sclerotomy punctures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If suturing methods are used to fixate intraocular devices in the sulcus, then fixation is achieved, but the risk of damaging corneal endothelium cells increases
Solution Approach 1:
The fixation system is divided into separate components: the intraocular device with integrated haptic loops and the scleral tissue. The haptic loops extend through sclerotomy punctures to allow fixation without requiring sutures that would manipulate and potentially damage the corneal endothelium. This segmentation separates the fixation function from the corneal tissue, eliminating the harmful suture-cornea interaction.
Solution Approach 2:
The haptic loops serve as an intermediary element between the intraocular device and the scleral tissue. Instead of directly suturing the device to the cornea (which risks endothelium damage), the loops extend through sclerotomy punctures in the sclera, providing a mediator that transfers the fixation function to the scleral tissue while protecting the corneal endothelium from direct manipulation and suture-related damage.
2Reliability
If IOL is implanted in the sulcus during lens exchange procedure, then fixation is achieved, but decentration and tilting increase
Solution Approach 1:
The haptic loops provide dynamic adjustability for lens positioning. After implantation, the loops can be manipulated to fine-tune the lens position, allowing correction of decentration and tilting. This dynamic adjustment capability enables precise positioning that overcomes the initial instability associated with sulcus implantation during lens exchange procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The haptic loops are pre-configured on the intraocular device before implantation, with blocking structures that prevent over-pulling and ensure proper positioning. This preliminary configuration establishes a stable fixation geometry that prevents subsequent decentration and tilting, addressing the positioning precision issue before the surgical procedure completes.
3Ease of manufacture
If more manipulation actions are performed inside the ocular eye during lens exchange, then device extraction and implantation are achieved, but the risk of endothelium loss significantly increases
Solution Approach 1:
The haptic loops are extracted through sclerotomy punctures in the sclera rather than requiring manipulation within the anterior chamber. This extraction path removes the fixation elements from the corneal environment, eliminating the risk of suture-related endothelium damage while still achieving secure device fixation. The loops are pulled through the sclera to the outside of the eye, avoiding contact with vulnerable corneal tissues.
4Reliability
If scleral suturing of IOL is performed, then fixation is achieved, but surgical time and intraocular manipulation volume increase
Solution Approach 1:
The haptic loops integrate multiple functions into a single structure: they provide fixation, enable positioning adjustment, and eliminate the need for separate suture materials and suturing steps. By combining the fixation element and the adjustment mechanism into the haptic loops themselves, the procedure is streamlined, reducing surgical time while maintaining secure fixation.
Data Source
AI summary
An intraocular assembly includes an intraocular device that includes at least one haptic, and a secondary haptic loop including two ends that are coupled to the at least one haptic, the secondary haptic loop being made of a material which can be tied.