Intraocular lenses having crossed haptics

Abstract

A crossed haptics attached to an intraocular lens suitable for implantation in either a phakic or an aphakic eye and a method for implanting and releasing the haptics after implantation in the eye, wherein. The lens comprises a very thin, deformable optic having two pairs of haptics attached to the optic by means of two stems 180° apart on the circumference of the optic, the stems being wider and thinner at the base attached to the periphery of the optic, and tapering to a narrower and thicker tip to which each haptic is connected at opposite edges of the stem. Each haptic optionally sweeps about the periphery of the optic so that the angle subtended by a radial line extending from the center of the optic through the center of a footplate and a second radial line extending from the center of the optic through the center of the stem to which it attaches is about 135°. Also disclosed is a haptic design comprising four footplates which are all independently attached to an optic transition area. The optic transition area is the area where the haptics engage the optic. This embodiment is preferably inserted into the eye by a rolling method. As such, this embodiment provides a lens with excellent flexibility and allows the haptics to be placed inside a rolled optic and return to their natural shape when unrolled.

We claim:  
     
         1 . An intraocular lens, comprising: 
 a lens optic;    a first pair of haptic arms attached to said optic;    a second pair of haptic arms attached to said optic at a diametrically opposite point to the first pair of haptic arms;    wherein the haptic arms in each respective pair extend radially from the optic and parallel one arm to the other to the radial distal end before each haptic sweeps around the periphery of the optic; and    each haptic arm crosses the haptic arm attached to the diametrically opposite stem on the same side of an axis running through the center of said diametrically opposite point.    
     
     
         2 . The intraocular lens of  claim 1 , wherein each of said pairs of haptic arms are connected to the lens optic via a stem.  
     
     
         3 . The intraocular lens of  claim 1 , wherein each said haptic is connected independently to the lens optic.  
     
     
         4 . The intraocular lens of  claim 1 , wherein said intraocular lens is made from a resilient, deformable material, whereby said lens regains its shape after being compressed, bent, folded, rolled or stretched.  
     
     
         5 . The intraocular lens of  claim 1 , wherein said haptics further comprise footplates which slightly protrude lateral to the outside edges of said haptic arms, whereby the surface area of said haptic arms in contact with and the pressure applied to the tissue of the eye is minimized.  
     
     
         6 . The intraocular lens of  claim 1 , wherein said lens optic is vaulted anteriorly and adapted for implantation in the anterior chamber of an aphakic eye.  
     
     
         7 . The intraocular lens of  claim 1 , wherein said lens optic is vaulted posteriorly and adapted for implantation in the posterior chamber of an aphakic eye.  
     
     
         8 . The intraocular lens of  claim 1 , wherein said lens optic is vaulted anteriorly and adapted for implantation in the anterior chamber of an phakic eye.  
     
     
         9 . The intraocular lens of  claim 1 , wherein said lens optic is vaulted posteriorly and adapted for implantation in the posterior chamber of an phakic eye.  
     
     
         10 . A method of implanting an intraocular lens in a human eye, comprising: 
 attaching a suture material to an intraocular lens in a human eye;    inserting said lens into the eye through an incision in the eye; and    irrigating said suture material, whereby the suture material releases the lens.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said intraocular lens, comprises: 
 a lens optic;    a first pair of haptic arms attached to said optic;    a second pair of haptic arms attached to said optic at a diametrically opposite point to the first pair of haptic arms;    wherein the haptic arms in each respective pair extend radially from the optic and parallel one arm to the other to the radial distal end before each haptic sweeps around the periphery of the optic; and    each haptic arm crosses the haptic arm attached to the diametrically opposite stem on the same side of an axis running through the center of said diametrically opposite point.    
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said incision is about 3 mm or less in length.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said insertion step includes inserting the intraocular lens optic in the posterior chamber of an eye.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said insertion step includes inserting the intraocular lens in the anterior chamber of an eye.  
     
     
         15 . An intraocular lens, comprising: 
 a lens optic;    four haptics independently attached to the lens optic, wherein the movement of or pressure applied by eye tissue to a first haptic does not substantially influence a second haptic's contact with eye tissue.    
     
     
         16 . The intraocular lens of  claim 15 , further comprising a footplate at the end of each optic, said footplate having a thickness of about  50  microns or less and having a diameter of about 1 millimeter.  
     
     
         17 . The intraocular lens of  claim 15 , wherein the thickness of the lens optic around its edges is about 50 millimeters.  
     
     
         18 . The intraocular lens of  claim 15 , wherein the four haptics are attached to the lens optic through a transitional area, said transitional area having a first thickness of about that of the edge of the lens optic and expanding to a thickness of about three times the first thickness at a distance from the edge of the lens optic.  
     
     
         19 . The intraocular lens of  claim 15 , wherein the haptic width is smaller than the haptic height.  
     
     
         20 . An intraocular lens, comprising: 
 a lens optic having a thickness of about 15 microns to about 95 microns, and having an optic diameter of about 60 microns or less;    four haptics independently attached to the lens optic, said haptics comprising a footplate distally located from the point of attachment to the lens optic; and wherein    the four haptics are attached to the lens optic in pairs of two, each pair having a line of symmetry separated from the other by approximately 180 degrees.    
     
     
         21 . The intraocular lens of  claim 20 , wherein said four haptics are attached to the lens optic through a transitional area, wherein the transitional area has substantially the same thickness of the optic edge, and decreases in width and increases in thickness at a distance from the optic edge.  
     
     
         22 . The intraocular lens of  claim 21 , wherein the transitional area, at a point distal to the optic edge, increases in thickness to three times the thickness of the optic edge.  
     
     
         23 . The intraocular lens of  claim 20 , wherein the length of the haptic arm is proportional to the flexibility of the haptic arm.  
     
     
         24 . The intraocular lens of  claim 20 , wherein each pair of haptics extend from the optic parallel one haptic to the other for a distance before extending symmetrically around the circumference of the optic in opposite directions to a point about 15-30 degrees from a center line in the optic that is perpendicular to the point where the haptics are attached to the optic.  
     
     
         25 . The intraocular lens of  claim 20 , wherein the haptic vault is less than about 25 microns when flexed three meters radially.  
     
     
         26 . The intraocular lens of  claim 20 , wherein the footplates do not block trabecular meshwork or Schlemm's Canal when inserted into the eye and resting upon eye tissue.  
     
     
         27 . The intraocular lens of  claim 20 , wherein, after insertion into an eye, the amount of stress or force required to hold the lens optic in position decreases with time to less than about 25 percent of the initial force.  
     
     
         28 . The intraocular lens of  claim 27 , wherein the force applied to hold the optic in position within the eye after  24  hours from insertion is less than about 200 milligrams.  
     
     
         29 . The intraocular lens of  claim 21 , wherein the transitional area has a thickness of about 50 microns at the edge of the lens optic, and has a thickness of about 150 microns at its thickest point at a distance from the lens optic.  
     
     
         30 . The intraocular lens of  claim 21 , wherein the transitional area has a width of about 500 microns or less at the point distal to the lens optic where the transitional area has reached its thickest point.  
     
     
         31 . The intraocular lens of  claim 20 , wherein, after flexing the haptics, the width of the intraocular lens is about 3 millimeters or less.  
     
     
         32 . The intraocular lens of  claim 24 , wherein the length of the first and second haptic in a pair radially from the center of the optic to the point where the first haptic turns opposite the second haptic is about 5.5 millimeters;  
     
     
         33 . The intraocular lens of  claim 32 , wherein the curve at the end of the radial arm of the haptic is about 375 microns in radius and traverses about 52 degrees of arc.  
     
     
         34 . An intraocular lens, comprising: 
 a lens optic;    two pairs of haptics attached to the lens optic, each pair being located at a diametrically point about 180 degrees from the other;    a footplate at a point on each haptic distally located from the optic;    wherein said lens optic is from 15-95 microns thick, with a diameter of about 50 microns thick;    wherein each pair of haptics is attached to the lens optic through a transitional area that starts at a thickness of that of the lens optic diameter, and expands to three times the thickness of the lens optic diameter at a distance from the lens optic diameter; and    wherein the haptics in the pair extend from the lens optic in a parallel manner one haptic to the other for a distance of about 5.5 millimeters before turning opposite directions around the edge of the lens.    
     
     
         35 . The intraocular lens of  claim 34 , wherein the diameter of the lens optic is about 50 microns.  
     
     
         36 . The intraocular lens of  claim 34 , wherein the haptic width is about 100 microns.  
     
     
         37 . The intraocular lens of  claim 34 , wherein said lens has less than 300 milligrams of force after 24 hours of flexure.  
     
     
         38 . The intraocular lens of  claim 34 , wherein said footplate is 1 millimeter in diameter and 50 microns thick.  
     
     
         39 . The intraocular lens of  claim 34 , wherein said haptics, after turning an opposite direction from the corresponding haptic in its pair, moves to a point approximately 15-30 degrees from a center line in the lens optic.  
     
     
         40 . The intraocular lens of  claim 34 , wherein said haptics, after turning an opposite direction from the corresponding haptic in its pair, moves to a point approximately 25 degrees from a center line in the lens optic.