Corneal Implant and Method for Correction of Impaired Vision in the Human Eye

Abstract

Corneal implant to be introduced into the optical centre (Z) of the cornea of the human eye for the purpose of correcting impaired vision, in particular presbyopia, or presbyopia in combination with hypermetropia or myopia. To propose a corneal implant which is suited for introduction into the optical centre (Z) of the human eye, and which may be applied for correcting presbyopia on its own or in combination with hypermetropia or myopia, the effective thickness (d) of the corneal implant ( 2 ), measured in the direction of the optical axis ( 5 ) of the eye, must be larger than 50 μm and the maximum width (b), measured in a plane perpendicular to the direction of thickness, must be less than 1 mm, the corneal implant ( 2 ) having no imaging function in relation to the human eye.

1 . Corneal implant to be introduced into the optical centre (Z) of the cornea of the human eye for the purpose of correcting impaired vision, in particular presbyopia, or presbyopia in combination with hypermetropia or myopia, wherein the effective thickness (d) of the corneal implant ( 2 ), measured in the direction of the optical axis ( 5 ) of the eye, is more than 50 μm (micron) and the maximum width (b), measured in a plane perpendicular to the direction of thickness, is less than 1 mm, with the corneal implant ( 2 ) having no imaging function in relation to the human eye. 
     
     
         2 . Corneal implant according to  claim 1 , wherein the ratio between maximum width (b) and effective thickness (d) is less than three and/or higher than one. 
     
     
         3 . Corneal implant according to  claim 1 , wherein the effective thickness (d) of the corneal implant ( 2 ), measured in the direction of the optical axis ( 5 ) of the eye, is less than 500 μm. 
     
     
         4 . Corneal implant according to  claim 1 , wherein the smallest width of the corneal implant is not more than 30 percent smaller than the largest width (b). 
     
     
         5 . Corneal implant according to  claim 1 , wherein it is rotation-symmetrically arranged around the axis along the effective thickness (d). 
     
     
         6 . Corneal implant according to  claim 1 , wherein it has the shape of a sphere. 
     
     
         7 . Corneal implant according to  claim 1 , wherein it is opaque or semi-transparent. 
     
     
         8 . Corneal implant according to  claim 1 , wherein it is black. 
     
     
         9 . Method for the correction of refractive errors in the human eye, in particular for the correction of presbyopia on its own or in combination with hypermetropia, by introducing a corneal implant ( 2 ) into the optical centre (Z) of the cornea ( 1 ) of the human eye, including the following step:
 Introducing a corneal implant ( 2 ) without an imaging function in relation to the human eye, with an effective thickness (d) of more than 50 μm, measured in the direction of the optical axis ( 5 ) of the eye, and a maximum width (b) of less than 1 mm, measured in a plane perpendicular to the direction of thickness, into the optical centre (Z) of the cornea ( 1 ) so as to deflect the surface of the cornea ( 1 ) in its optical centre (Z).   
     
     
         10 . Method for the correction of refractive errors in the human eye, in particular for the correction of presbyopia on its own or in combination with hypermetropia, by introducing a corneal implant ( 2 ) into the optical centre (Z) of the cornea ( 1 ) of the human eye, including the following step:
 Introducing several corneal implants ( 2 ) without an imaging function in relation to the human eye, each having an effective thickness (d) of more than 50 μm, measured in the direction of the optical axis ( 5 ) of the eye, and a maximum width (d) of less than 1 mm, measured in a plane perpendicular to the direction of thickness, into the optical centre (Z) of the cornea ( 1 ) so as to deflect the surface of the cornea ( 1 ) in its optical centre (Z).   
     
     
         11 . Method according to  claim 9 , wherein the ratio between the width (b) and the effective thickness (d) is less than three and/or higher than one. 
     
     
         12 . Method according to  claim 9 , wherein the corneal implant ( 2 ) has the shape of a sphere. 
     
     
         13 . Method according to  claim 9 , wherein das corneal implant ( 2 ) is opaque or semi-transparent. 
     
     
         14 . Corneal implant according to  claim 9 , wherein it is black. 
     
     
         15 . Method for the correction of refractive errors in the human eye, in particular for the correction of presbyopia and myopia, by introducing a corneal implant ( 2 ) into the optical centre (Z) of the cornea ( 1 ) of the human eye, including the following steps:
 Introducing one or several corneal implants ( 2 ) without an imaging function in relation to the human eye, with an effective thickness (d) of more than 50 μm, measured in the direction of the optical axis ( 5 ) of the eye, and a maximum width (d) of less than 1 mm, measured in a plane perpendicular to the direction of thickness, into the optical centre (Z) of the cornea ( 1 ) so as to deflect the surface of the cornea ( 1 ) in its optical centre (Z).   Introducing a ring-shaped corneal implant ( 10 ) outside of the optical centre (Z) of the cornea ( 1 ), assuring that the curvature (R) of the cornea ( 1 ) outside of the optical centre (Z) is changed.   
     
     
         16 . Method according to  claim 15 , wherein the ratio between the width (b) and the effective thickness (d) of the corneal implant ( 2 ) introduced into the optical centre (Z) of the cornea ( 1 ) is less than three and/or higher than one. 
     
     
         17 . Method according to  claim 15 , wherein the corneal implant ( 2 ) introduced into the optical centre (Z) of the cornea ( 1 ) has the shape of a sphere. 
     
     
         18 . Method according to  claim 15 , wherein the corneal implant ( 2 ) introduced into the optical centre (Z) of the cornea ( 1 ) is opaque or semi-transparent. 
     
     
         19 . Corneal implant according to  claim 15 , wherein it is black. 
     
     
         20 . Method for the correction of refractive errors in the human eye, in particular for the correction of presbyopia or myopia, by introducing a corneal implant ( 2 ) into the optical centre (Z) of the cornea ( 1 ) of the human eye, including the following steps:
 Introducing one or several corneal implants ( 2 ) without an imaging function in relation to the human eye, with an effective thickness (d) of more than 50 μm, measured in the direction of the optical axis ( 5 ) of the eye, and a maximum width (d) of less than 1 mm, measured in a plane perpendicular to the direction of thickness, into the optical centre (Z) of the cornea ( 1 ) so as to deflect the surface of the cornea ( 1 ) in its optical centre (Z).   Introducing several corneal implants ( 11 ) that change the curvature (R) of the cornea ( 1 ) outside the optical centre (Z) of the cornea ( 1 ).   
     
     
         21 . Method according to  claim 20 , wherein the ratio between the width (b) and the effective thickness (d) of the corneal implant ( 2 ) introduced into the optical centre (Z) of the cornea ( 1 ) is less than three and/or higher than one. 
     
     
         22 . Method according to  claim 20 , wherein the corneal implant ( 2 ) introduced into the optical centre (Z) of the cornea ( 1 ) has the shape of a sphere. 
     
     
         23 . Method according to  claim 20 , wherein the corneal implant ( 2 ) introduced into the optical centre (Z) of the cornea ( 1 ) is opaque or semi-transparent. 
     
     
         24 . Corneal implant according to  claim 20 , wherein it is black.