Intraocular lenses

Abstract

An intraocular lens including an optic portion having an outer peripheral edge and two, three or four balanced looped haptic elements for use to achieve refractive correction. Each looped haptic is formed to have greater resistance to bending in a plane generally parallel to an eye's optical axis than in a plane generally perpendicular to the eye's optical axis. The intraocular lens is designed with specific flexibility characteristics so as to exhibit less than approximately 1.0 mm axial displacement of the optic portion along the eye's optical axis under a compression force suitable to effect a 1.0 mm in diameter compression of the intraocular lens.

We claim:  
     
         1 . An intraocular lens to be implanted within an eye generally perpendicular to the eye's optical axis comprising: 
 an outer peripheral edge defining an optic portion, and    two, three or four looped haptic elements permanently connected to the outer peripheral edge,    whereby a compressive force sufficient to effect a 1.0 mm in diameter compression of said lens results in less than approximately 1.0 mm of axial displacement of said optic portion along the eye's optical axis.    
     
     
         2 . An intraocular lens to be implanted within an eye generally perpendicular to the eye's optical axis comprising: 
 an outer peripheral edge defining an optic portion, and    two, three or four looped haptic elements permanently connected to the outer peripheral edge,    whereby a compressive force sufficient to effect a 1.0 mm in diameter compression of said lens results in less than approximately 0.5 mm of axial displacement of said optic portion along the eye's optical axis.    
     
     
         3 . An intraocular lens to be implanted within an eye generally perpendicular to the eye's optical axis comprising: 
 an outer peripheral edge defining an optic portion, and    two, three or four looped haptic elements permanently connected to the outer peripheral edge,    whereby a compressive force sufficient to effect a 1.0 mm in diameter compression of said lens results in less than approximately 0.3 mm of axial displacement of said optic portion along the eye's optical axis.    
     
     
         4 . The intraocular lens of  claim 1 ,  2  or  3  wherein the looped haptic elements and the optic portion are both formed of a foldable or compressible material.  
     
     
         5 . The intraocular lens of  claim 1 ,  2  or  3  wherein said lens is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of silicone polymers, hydrocarbon and fluorocarbon polymers, hydrogels, soft acrylic polymers, polyester, polyamides, polyurethane, silicone polymers with hydrophilic monomer units, fluorine-containing polysiloxane elastomers and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         6 . The intraocular lens of  claim 1 ,  2  or  3  wherein said lens is formed from a hydrogel material.  
     
     
         7 . The intraocular lens of  claim 1 ,  2  or  3  wherein said lens is formed from a hydrogel material which is 18 percent by weight water.  
     
     
         8 . The intraocular lens of  claim 1 ,  2  or  3  wherein said lens is formed from poly(HEMA-co-HOHEXMA).  
     
     
         9 . The intraocular lens of  claim 1 ,  2  or  3  wherein said lens is formed from a material having a refractive index above 1.33.  
     
     
         10 . The intraocular lens of  claim 1 ,  2  or  3  wherein said lens is formed from an acrylic material.  
     
     
         11 . The intraocular lens of  claim 1 ,  2  or  3  wherein said lens is formed from a silicone material.  
     
     
         12 . The intraocular lens of  claim 1 ,  2  or  3  wherein said looped haptic elements are dimensioned to be equal to or less in a plane generally perpendicular to the eye's optical axis than in a plane generally parallel to the eye's optical axis.  
     
     
         13 . The intraocular lens of  claim 1 ,  2  or  3  wherein a glare reduction zone is formed adjacent to the outer peripheral edge of the optic portion.  
     
     
         14 . The intraocular lens of  claim 1 ,  2  or  3  wherein one or more of said looped haptic elements includes a stiffening element having a greater resistance to bending in a plane generally parallel to an eye's optical axis than in a plane generally perpendicular to the eye's optical axis.  
     
     
         15 . The intraocular lens of  claim 1 ,  2  or  3  wherein the haptic element includes a stiffening element formed from a material selected from the group consisting of polyimide, polyolefin, high-density polyester, nylon and metal.  
     
     
         16 . A method of manufacturing the intraocular lens of  claim 1 ,  2  or  3  comprising: 
 forming a disk of a suitable material, and  
 machining said lens from said disk.  
 
     
     
         17 . A method of manufacturing the intraocular lens of  claim 1 ,  2  or  3  comprising: 
 molding said lens of a suitable material.  
 
     
     
         18 . A method of using the intraocular lens of  claim 1 ,  2  or  3  comprising: 
 creating an incision in a cornea of an eye, and  
 inserting said intraocular lens in an anterior chamber of said eye.  
 
     
     
         19 . A method of using the intraocular lens of  claim 1 ,  2  or  3  comprising: 
 creating an incision in a cornea of an eye, and  
 inserting said intraocular lens in a posterior chamber of said eye.  
 
     
     
         20 . A method of using the intraocular lens of  claim 1 ,  2  or  3  comprising: 
 creating an incision in a cornea and lens capsule of an eye,  
 removing a natural lens of said eye, and  
 inserting said intraocular lens in said lens capsule of said eye.