Self-Expanding Wire Compressing Ciliary Muscle for Accommodation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for treating presbyopia, ocular hypertension, and glaucoma are inadequate, as they either require repetitive and costly medications with side effects or complex surgeries that can lead to complications, and existing devices fail to effectively increase the amplitude of accommodation and aqueous humor outflow.
Innovation Solution
A self-expanding thin wire device is inserted into the posterior chamber of the eye between the iris and anterior lens capsule to compress the ciliary muscle, increasing its contraction force and baseline tension, thereby enhancing aqueous humor outflow and accommodation amplitude.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional medications are used to treat presbyopia and ocular hypertension, then the symptoms can be managed, but the treatment requires repetitive administration, incurs high costs, and produces side effects
Solution Approach 1:
The device performs the therapeutic action in advance by implanting a mechanical structure that continuously compresses the ciliary muscle, eliminating the need for repetitive medication administration. The implant is pre-configured to provide sustained compression force, converting a recurring pharmacological intervention into a single surgical procedure with ongoing mechanical action.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the chemical/pharmacological system with a mechanical system. Instead of using medications to achieve ciliary muscle compression, the invention employs a mechanically compressed implant that directly applies physical force to the ciliary muscle, substituting chemical therapy with mechanical therapy.
2Reliability
If conventional surgeries are performed to treat ocular hypertension and glaucoma, then aqueous humor outflow can be improved, but the procedures are complex and can lead to complications
Solution Approach 1:
The device pre-establishes the therapeutic mechanism by implanting a compression structure that continuously maintains ciliary muscle compression. This preliminary mechanical action sustains aqueous humor outflow improvement without requiring complex repeated surgical interventions, reducing both procedural complexity and complication risks.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex surgical procedures with a simpler mechanical implant. Instead of performing intricate surgeries to improve aqueous humor outflow, the invention uses a compressed implant that mechanically compresses the ciliary muscle to achieve the same therapeutic effect with reduced surgical complexity and lower complication rates.
3Reliability
If existing devices are used to treat presbyopia, then some accommodation improvement may be achieved, but they fail to effectively increase the amplitude of accommodation and aqueous humor outflow
Solution Approach 1:
The device changes the physical parameters of the ciliary muscle by applying continuous compression force, altering its baseline tension and contractile properties. This parameter change enables the ciliary muscle to generate greater force during accommodation and maintain improved aqueous humor outflow, addressing the insufficiencies of existing devices that fail to achieve adequate parameter modification.
4Force
If a compression device is applied to the ciliary muscle, then the force of contraction increases, but there is risk of compressing critical blood vessels
Solution Approach 1:
The compressed implant is designed with specific geometric characteristics that concentrate compression force on the ciliary muscle while avoiding critical blood vessels. The local quality of the implant's shape and compression distribution ensures that high force is applied precisely where needed (ciliary muscle) without compromising adjacent vascular structures, enabling safe and effective ciliary muscle compression.
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 device effectively reduces intraocular pressure and increases the amplitude of accommodation, providing a long-term solution with minimal side effects and reduced reliance on surgical skill, while avoiding compression of critical blood vessels.
Implementation Method 1
A self-expanding thin wire device is inserted into the posterior chamber of the eye between the iris and anterior lens capsule to compress the ciliary muscle
Implementation Method 2
This results in posterior movement of the scleral spur and more effective transduction of ciliary muscle force to the zonules of the lens, which increases trabecular meshwork aqueous humor outflow resulting in lower intraocular pressure
Implementation Method 3
The compression of the ciliary muscle increases the force of ciliary muscle contraction and its baseline tension. This results in posterior movement of the scleral spur and more effective transduction of ciliary muscle force to the zonules of the lens
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates generally to a device and method for the treatment of, ocular hypertension, glaucoma, and increasing the amplitude of accommodation. In an illustrative embodiment, the device includes a self-expanding wire. Once the device is within the posterior chamber between the iris and anterior lens capsule, the wire expands to compress the ciliary muscle. When the device is in place the scleral spur is moved posteriorly resulting in traction on the trabecular meshwork, which causes a reduction in intraocular pressure for the treatment of patients with ocular hypertension and glaucoma. In addition, the compression of the ciliary muscle increases the force of contraction of the ciliary muscle, which increases the amplitude of accommodation in patients with deficient accommodative amplitude and presbyopia.