Glare reducing rough surfaces

Abstract

An intraocular lens for insertion into a capsular bag in order to focus incoming light toward a retina and process for manufacturing thereof along with concomitant reduced glare and improved vision provides for a center lens portion of a lens for focusing incoming light toward the retina and the surrounding lens portion for mounting the lens within the capsular bag. A surface roughness disposed on the surrounding lens portion is provided for reducing the glare due to non-focused light directed toward the retina from the intraocular lens with the roughness having a roughness level of between about Ra 45 and about Ra 350.

1 . An intraocular lens for insertion into a capsular bag in order to focus incoming light toward a retina, the lens comprising: 
 a center lens portion for focusing incoming light toward the retina;    a surrounding lens portion for mounting the lens within the capsular bag; and    a surface roughness disposed on said surrounding lens portion for reducing glare due to non-focused light directed toward the retina from said intraocular lens, said surface roughness having a roughness level of between about Ra 45 and about Ra 350.    
     
     
         2 . The lens according to  claim 1  wherein the surface roughness is produced by Electrical Discharge Machining.  
     
     
         3 . The lens according to  claim 2  wherein said surrounding lens portion comprises a solid elastically deformable material.  
     
     
         4 . The lens according to  claim 3  wherein said solid elastically deformable material is selected from a group consisting of silicone, acrylic and hybrid materials.  
     
     
         5 . The lens according to  claim 2  wherein the Electrical Discharge Machining is controlled by a program as set forth in Table 1.  
     
     
         6 . The lens according to  claim 1  wherein the roughness level is about Ra 180.  
     
     
         7 . The lens according to  claim 1  wherein the surface roughness is disposed on anterior and posterior surfaces of said surrounding lens portion.  
     
     
         8 . The lens according to  claim 7  wherein the surface roughness is disposed on selected portions of the anterior and posterior surfaces.  
     
     
         9 . The lens according to  claim 8  wherein said surrounding lens portion includes at least one haptic for fixing the lens within said capsular bag.  
     
     
         10 . The lens according to  claim 1  wherein said surrounding lens portion includes a peripheral edge surface intersecting at least one of an anterior and a posterior surface to form a corner therebetween and the surface roughness is disposed on the anterior and posterior surfaces other than said corner.  
     
     
         11 . A process for fabricating a surface on an intraocular lens, said process comprising roughening a smooth lens surface by Electrical Discharge Machining to a roughness level of between about Ra 45 and about Ra 350.  
     
     
         12 . The process according to  claim 10  wherein the roughening of the lens surface by Electrical Discharge Machining is controlled by a program as set forth in Table 1.  
     
     
         13 . The process according to  claim 12  wherein the lens comprises a solid elastically deformable material.  
     
     
         14 . The process according to  claim 13  wherein said solid elastically deformable material is selected from a group consisting of silicone, acrylic and hybrid materials.  
     
     
         15 . The process according to  claim 11  wherein the lens is machined to a roughness level of about Ra 180.  
     
     
         16 . A process of fabricating an intraocular lens comprising: 
 providing a blank lens having a center lens portion and a surrounding lens portion; and    roughening said surrounding lens portion by Electrical Discharge Machining to a roughness level of between about Ra 45 and about Ra 350.    
     
     
         17 . The process according to  claim 16  wherein providing a blank lens comprises providing a blank lens of a solid elastically deformable material.  
     
     
         18 . The process according to  claim 17  wherein the roughening of the surrounding lens portion further comprises controlling the Electrical Discharge Machining through a program as set forth in Table 1.  
     
     
         19 . The process according to  claim 16  wherein said surrounding lens portion is machined to a roughness level of about Ra 180.  
     
     
         20 . The process according to  claim 16  wherein anterior and posterior surfaces of said surrounding lens portion are roughened to a roughness level of between about Ra 45 and about Ra 350.  
     
     
         21 . The process according to  claim 20  wherein anterior and posterior surfaces of said surrounding lens portion are roughened to a roughness level of about Ra 180.  
     
     
         22 . The process according to  claim 20  where selected portions of the anterior and posterior surfaces are roughened.  
     
     
         23 . The process according to  claim 22  wherein providing a blank lens includes providing a blank lens with said surrounding lens portion including at least one haptic for fixing the intraocular lens within a capsular bag.  
     
     
         24 . The process according to  claim 23  wherein providing a blank lens includes providing a blank lens with said surrounding lens portion including a peripheral edge surface intersecting at least one of the anterior and posterior surfaces to form a corner therebetween and roughening includes roughening the anterior and posterior surface other than said corner.  
     
     
         25 . A method for reducing glare from an intraocular lens onto a retina, said glare resulting from non focused light directed toward said retina from said intraocular lens, said method comprising roughening a selected area on said intraocular lens by Electrical Discharge Machining to a roughness level of between about Ra 45 and about Ra 350.  
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 25  wherein said roughness level is about Ra 180.  
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 25  wherein said Electrical Discharge Machining is controlled by a program as set forth in Table 1.  
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 25  wherein the selected area includes at least one of an anterior and a posterior surface of said intraocular lens.  
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 28  wherein the intraocular lens includes a peripheral edge surface including the anterior and posterior surfaces to form a corner therebetween and roughening a selected area excludes roughening of said corner.  
     
     
         30 . A method for improving vision of an eye with a cataractic lens, said method comprising: 
 removing said cataractic lens from a lens capsule; and    inserting an intraocular lens into said capsule, said intraocular lens comprising:    a center lens portion for focusing incoming light toward the retina;    a surrounding lens portion for mounting the lens within the capsular bag; and    a surface roughness disposed on said surrounding lens portion for reducing glare due to non-focused light directed toward the retina from said intraocular lens, said surface roughness having a roughness level of between about Ra 45 and about Ra 350.    
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claim 30  wherein the surface roughness is produced by Electrical Discharge Machining.  
     
     
         32 . The method according to  claim 31  wherein said surrounding lens portion comprises a solid elastically deformable material.  
     
     
         33 . The lens according to  claim 32  wherein said solid elastically deformable material is selected from a group consisting of silicone, acrylic and hybrid materials.  
     
     
         34 . The method according to  claim 31  wherein the Electrical Discharge Machining is controlled by a program as set forth in Table 1.  
     
     
         35 . The method according to  claim 30  wherein the roughness level is about Ra 180.  
     
     
         36 . The method according to  claim 30  wherein the surface roughness is disposed on anterior and posterior surfaces of said surrounding lens portion.  
     
     
         37 . The method according to  claim 36  wherein the surface roughness is disposed on selected portions of the anterior and posterior surfaces.  
     
     
         38 . The method according to  claim 37  wherein said surrounding lens portion includes at least one haptic for fixing the lens within said capsular bag.  
     
     
         38 . The method according to  claim 30  wherein said surrounding lens portion includes a peripheral edge surface intersecting at least one of an anterior and a posterior surface to form a corner therebetween and the surface roughness is disposed on the anterior and posterior surfaces other than said corner.  
     
     
         39 . An intraocular lens produced by: 
 providing a blank lens having a center lens portion and a surrounding lens portion; and    roughening said surrounding lens portion by Electrical Discharge Machining to a roughness level of between about Ra 45 and about Ra 350.    
     
     
         40 . The intraocular lens according to  claim 39  wherein providing a blank lens comprises providing a blank lens of a solid elastically deformable material.  
     
     
         41 . The intraocular lens according to  claim 40  wherein the roughening of the surrounding lens portion further comprises controlling the Electrical Discharge Machining through a program as set forth in Table 1.  
     
     
         42 . The intraocular lens according to  claim 39  wherein said surrounding lens portion is machined to a roughness level of about Ra 180.  
     
     
         43 . The intraocular lens according to  claim 39  wherein anterior and posterior surfaces of said surrounding lens portion are roughened to a roughness level of between about Ra 45 and about Ra 350.  
     
     
         44 . The intraocular lens according to  claim 43  wherein anterior and posterior surfaces of said surrounding lens portion are roughened to a roughness level of about Ra 180.  
     
     
         45 . The intraocular lens according to  claim 43  where selected portions of the anterior and posterior surfaces are roughened.  
     
     
         46 . The process according to  claim 44  wherein providing a blank lens includes providing a blank lens with said surrounding lens portion including at least one haptic for fixing the intraocular lens within a capsular bag.  
     
     
         47 . The process according to  claim 45  wherein providing a blank lens includes providing a blank lens with said surrounding lens portion including a peripheral edge surface intersecting at least one of the anterior and posterior surfaces to form a corner therebetween and roughening includes roughening the anterior and posterior surface other than said corner.