Scleral expansion device having duck bill

Abstract

A prosthesis for scleral expansion includes a central body portion and at least one end portion having a width greater than the width of the central body portion. The end portion therefore inhibits rotation of the prosthesis about a long axis when the prosthesis is implanted within a scleral pocket or tunnel. The other end of the central body portion may have a blunted end portion including grooves for receiving a edge or lip of an incision forming the scleral tunnel to inhibit the prosthesis from sliding within the scleral tunnel. Curvature of the bottom surface of the central body portion may be greater than the curvature of the innermost surface of the scleral tunnel so that contact between is the scleral and the bottom surface of the prosthesis is primarily with the end portions.

1 . (canceled)  
   
   
       2 . A scleral prosthesis, comprising: 
 a central body portion; and    an end portion extending from the central body portion, the end portion having a width greater than a width of the central body portion,    wherein the prosthesis is adapted so that, when the prosthesis is inserted within a scleral pocket or tunnel in a sclera of an eye, 
 at least part of the end portion rests on a portion of the sclera outside the scleral pocket or tunnel, and  
 the end portion also inhibits rotation of the prosthesis within the scleral pocket or tunnel.  
   
   
   
       3 . The scleral prosthesis of  claim 2 , wherein the prosthesis expands a portion of the sclera proximate to the scleral pocket or tunnel when the prosthesis is inserted within the scleral pocket or tunnel.  
   
   
       4 . The scleral prosthesis of  claim 2 , wherein the end portion is both wider and flatter than any part of the central body portion.  
   
   
       5 . The scleral prosthesis of  claim 2 , wherein the end portion comprises a first end portion, the prosthesis further comprising: 
 a second end portion extending from the central body portion, the second end portion having a width greater than the width of the central body portion.    
   
   
       6 . The scleral prosthesis of  claim 5 , wherein at least one of: 
 the width of the second end portion is smaller than the width of the first end portion; and    a thickness of the second end portion is smaller than a thickness of the first end portion.    
   
   
       7 . The scleral prosthesis of  claim 2 , wherein the end portion comprises a first end portion, the prosthesis further comprising: 
 a second end portion extending from the central body portion, the second end portion comprising a blunted end portion having a width that is not greater than the width of the central body portion.    
   
   
       8 . The scleral prosthesis of  claim 7 , wherein the second end portion comprises one or more grooves receiving a lip of the scleral pocket or tunnel when the prosthesis is inserted within the scleral pocket or tunnel.  
   
   
       9 . The scleral prosthesis of  claim 7 , wherein the second end portion has a thickness that tapers from a thickness of the central body portion where the second end portion meets the central body portion to an ending thickness that is greater than a thickness of the first end portion.  
   
   
       10 . The scleral prosthesis of  claim 2 , wherein the end portion comprises a first end portion, the prosthesis further comprising: 
 a second end portion extending from the central body portion, wherein at least one of: 
 a cross-sectional circumference of the second end portion is equal to or less than a cross-sectional circumference of the central body portion; and  
 a cross-sectional area of the second end portion is equal to or less than a cross-sectional area of the central body portion.  
   
   
   
       11 . The scleral prosthesis of  claim 2 , wherein the central body portion is circumferential.  
   
   
       12 . The scleral prosthesis of  claim 2 , wherein the central body portion is narrower in a middle of the central body portion and wider where the end portion meets the central body portion.  
   
   
       13 . The scleral prosthesis of  claim 2 , wherein the end portion is angled with respect to the central body portion.  
   
   
       14 . The scleral prosthesis of  claim 2 , wherein only part of the end portion is capable of resting on the portion of the sclera outside the scleral pocket or tunnel, and wherein another part of the end portion is capable of being inserted within the scleral pocket or tunnel.  
   
   
       15 . A vision alteration structure including a plurality of scleral prostheses according to  claim 2  for insertion into each of a corresponding plurality of pockets or tunnels within a sclera of an eye.  
   
   
       16 . A scleral prosthesis, comprising: 
 a central body portion;    a first end portion extending from the central body portion; and    a second end portion extending from the central body portion, at least one of the first and second end portions having one or more grooves thereon,    wherein the prosthesis is adapted so that, when the prosthesis is inserted within a scleral pocket or tunnel in a sclera of an eye, 
 at least part of one or both of the first and second end portion rests on a portion of the sclera outside the scleral pocket or tunnel, and  
 the one or more grooves each receive a lip of the scleral pocket or tunnel.  
   
   
   
       17 . The vision alteration structure of  claim 16 , wherein the one or more grooves comprises a first groove extending across a width of the first end portion.  
   
   
       18 . The vision alteration structure of  claim 17 , wherein the one or more grooves further comprises a second groove extending across a width of the second end portion.  
   
   
       19 . A scleral prosthesis, comprising: 
 a central body portion;    a first end portion extending from the central body portion, the first end portion having a width greater than a width of the central body portion; and    a second end portion extending from the central body portion, the second end portion having a width greater than the width of the central body portion,    wherein the prosthesis is adapted so that, when the prosthesis is inserted within a scleral pocket or tunnel in a sclera of an eye, 
 at least part of the first and second end portions each rests on portions of the sclera outside the scleral pocket or tunnel, and  
 the first and second end portions inhibit rotation of the prosthesis within the scleral pocket or tunnel.  
   
   
   
       20 . The scleral prosthesis of  claim 19 , wherein at least one of: 
 the width of the second end portion is smaller than the width of the first end portion; and    a thickness of the second end portion is smaller than a thickness of the first end portion.    
   
   
       21 . The scleral prosthesis of  claim 19 , wherein at least one of: 
 a cross-sectional circumference of the second end portion is equal to or less than a cross-sectional circumference of the central body portion; and    a cross-sectional area of the second end portion is equal to or less than a cross-sectional area of the central body portion.