IOL for inhibiting cell growth and reducing glare

Abstract

An intraocular lens implantable in an eye includes an optic for placement in the capsular bag of the eye and for directing light toward the retina of the eye. The optic has a central optical axis, an anterior face, an opposing posterior face and a peripheral edge between the faces. The peripheral edge has one or more curved or angled surfaces that reduce glare within the IOL. For instance, a rounded transition surface on the anterior side of the peripheral edge diffuses the intensity of reflected light, or a particular arrangement of straight edge surfaces refracts the light so as not to reflect, or does not reflect at all. The intersection of the peripheral edge and at least one of the anterior face and the posterior face, preferably both of such faces, forms a peripheral corner located at a discontinuity between the peripheral edge and the intersecting face or faces. The present IOLs inhibit cell growth from the eye in front of or in back of the optic and reduce glare obtained in the eye in which the IOL is located.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An intraocular lens implantable in an eye having a retina and a capsular bag, comprising: 
 an optic adapted for placement in the capsular bag of the eye and for directing light toward the retina of the eye;    the optic having a central optical axis, an anterior face, a substantially opposing posterior face, and a peripheral edge;    the peripheral edge having at least one surface with a linear cross-sectional configuration, the at least one surface being other than parallel to the central optical axis; and    wherein the peripheral edge and the anterior face and/or the peripheral edge and the posterior face intersect to form at least one peripheral edge corner located at a discontinuity between the peripheral edge and the intersecting anterior or posterior face.    
     
     
         2 . The intraocular lens of  claim 1  wherein cell growth from the eye in front of or in back of the optic is more inhibited relative to a substantially identical intraocular lens without the at least one peripheral edge corner.  
     
     
         3 . The intraocular lens of  claim 1  wherein reduced glare is obtained in the eye relative to a substantially identical intraocular lens having a peripheral edge parallel to the central optical axis.  
     
     
         4 . The intraocular lens of  claim 1  wherein the peripheral edge and the intersecting face intersect at an obtuse angle.  
     
     
         5 . The intraocular lens of  claim 1 , further comprising an anterior land extending between the anterior face and the peripheral edge, the anterior land extending perpendicularly with respect to the optical axis.  
     
     
         6 . The intraocular lens of  claim 1 , wherein the peripheral edge further includes a rounded transition surface on its anterior side, wherein the peripheral edge corner is provided only between the peripheral edge and the intersecting posterior face.  
     
     
         7 . The intraocular lens of  claim 6 , wherein the peripheral edge further includes an additional surface on its posterior side parallel to the optical axis.  
     
     
         8 . The intraocular lens of  claim 1  wherein the peripheral edge has at least two surfaces each with a linear configuration and angled with respect to one another.  
     
     
         9 . The intraocular lens of  claim 8  wherein one of the at least two surfaces is parallel with respect to the optical axis.  
     
     
         10 . The intraocular lens of  claim 9 , wherein the peripheral edge further includes a rounded transition surface on its anterior side, wherein the peripheral edge corner is provided only between the peripheral edge and the intersecting posterior face.  
     
     
         11 . The intraocular lens of  claim 1  wherein the at least one surface of the peripheral edge substantially completely circumscribes the central optical axis.  
     
     
         12 . The intraocular lens of  claim 1  which further comprises at least one fixation member coupled to the optic for use in fixing the intraocular lens in the eye.  
     
     
         13 . An intraocular lens implantable in an eye having a retina and a capsular bag, comprising: 
 an optic adapted for placement in the capsular bag of the eye and for directing light toward the retina of the eye, the optic having a central optical axis, an anterior face, and a an opposed posterior face; and    a peripheral edge defining an outer edge of the optic including, in cross-section, a linear surface that is non-parallel with respect to the optical axis, and a posterior corner defining the posterior limit of the peripheral edge, wherein cell growth from the eye in front of or in back of the optic is more inhibited relative to a substantially identical intraocular lens without the posterior corner, and reduced glare is obtained in the eye relative to a substantially identical intraocular lens having a peripheral linear surface that is parallel to the central optical axis.    
     
     
         14 . The intraocular lens of  claim 13 , wherein the peripheral edge further includes a convex surface with respect to the optical axis that defines a transitional surface between the anterior face and the linear surface.  
     
     
         15 . The intraocular lens of  claim 14 , further including a peripheral land extending between the anterior face and the anterior corner.  
     
     
         16 . The intraocular lens of  claim 15 , wherein the peripheral land is substantially perpendicular to the optical axis.  
     
     
         17 . The intraocular lens of  claim 13 , wherein the linear surface that is non-parallel with respect to the optical axis is a first linear surface, and wherein the peripheral edge further includes a second linear surface that is parallel with respect to the optical axis.  
     
     
         18 . The intraocular lens of  claim 17 , wherein the peripheral edge further includes a convex surface with respect to the optical axis that defines a transitional surface between the anterior face and the first linear surface.  
     
     
         19 . The intraocular lens of  claim 17 , wherein the first linear surface is angled so as to be generally anteriorly-facing.  
     
     
         20 . The intraocular lens of  claim 13 , wherein the peripheral edge includes at least two linear surfaces that are non-parallel with respect to the optical axis.  
     
     
         21 . The intraocular lens of  claim 20 , wherein the peripheral edge further includes a convex surface with respect to the optical axis that defines a transitional surface between the anterior face and one of the linear surfaces.  
     
     
         22 . An intraocular lens implantable in an eye having a retina and a capsular bag, comprising: 
 an optic adapted for placement in the capsular bag of the eye and for directing light toward the retina of the eye, the optic having a central optical axis, an anterior face, and a posterior face; and    a peripheral edge extending between the anterior face and posterior face, and consisting only of a conical surface.    
     
     
         23 . The intraocular lens of  claim 22 , wherein the conical surface is generally posteriorly-facing.  
     
     
         24 . The intraocular lens of  claim 23 , wherein the conical surface is sufficiently angled with respect to the optical axis so as to increase transmission of light from the optic through the conical surface relative to a substantially identical intraocular lens with a peripheral edge consisting only of a surface parallel to the optical axis.  
     
     
         25 . The intraocular lens of  claim 22 , further including a peripheral land extending between the anterior face and the conical surface.  
     
     
         26 . The intraocular lens of  claim 25 , wherein the conical surface is generally posteriorly-facing and wherein the conical surface and the peripheral land adjacent the conical surface define an acute included angle.  
     
     
         27 . The intraocular lens of claim,  22 , wherein the conical surface is anteriorly-facing.  
     
     
         28 . The intraocular lens of  claim 27 , wherein the conical surface is sufficiently angled with respect to the optical axis so as to decrease the probability of light internal to the optic contacting the conical surface relative to a substantially identical intraocular lens with a peripheral edge consisting only of a surface parallel to the optical axis.  
     
     
         29 . An intraocular lens implantable in an eye having a retina and a capsular bag, comprising: 
 an optic adapted for placement in the capsular bag of the eye and for directing light toward the retina of the eye, the optic having a central optical axis, an anterior face, and a posterior face; and    a peripheral edge extending between the anterior face and posterior face including, in cross-section, a linear edge surface terminating at its anterior side in an anterior edge corner; and    an anterior land adjacent the anterior edge corner, wherein the linear edge surface and the anterior land define an acute included angle so as to increase transmission of light from the optic through the conical surface relative to a substantially identical intraocular lens with a linear edge surface and anterior land that define an included angle of 90° or more.    
     
     
         30 . The intraocular lens of  claim 29 , wherein the linear edge surface is parallel to the optical axis.  
     
     
         31 . The intraocular lens of  claim 29 , wherein the linear edge surface is conical and generally posteriorly-facing.  
     
     
         32 . The intraocular lens of  claim 31 , wherein the anterior land is perpendicular to the optical axis.  
     
     
         33 . The intraocular lens of  claim 29 , wherein the anterior land is not perpendicular to the optical axis and is a first anterior land, and further including a second anterior land perpendicular to the optical axis and extending between the first anterior land and the anterior face.  
     
     
         34 . An intraocular lens implantable in an eye having a retina and a capsular bag, comprising: 
 an optic adapted for placement in the capsular bag of the eye and for directing light toward the retina of the eye, the optic having a central optical axis, an anterior face, and a posterior face; and    a peripheral edge extending between the anterior face and posterior face including, in cross-section, at least two linear edge surfaces that are not parallel to the optical axis.    
     
     
         35 . The intraocular lens of  claim 33 , wherein the two linear edge surfaces are angled radially inward toward each other to meet at an apex.  
     
     
         36 . The intraocular lens of  claim 33 , further including a rounded transition surface extending between one of the linear edge surfaces and the anterior face of the optic.  
     
     
         37 . The intraocular lens of  claim 33 , wherein there are two of the linear edge surfaces that angle radially outward away from each other and terminate in, respectively, an anterior edge corner, and a posterior edge corner, of the peripheral edge.