Intraocular lens implant having posterior bendable optic

Abstract

An intraocular lens ( 30 ) having focusing capabilities permitting focusing movement of the lens ( 30 ) in response to normal ciliary body ( 24 ) movement incident to changes in the distance between the eye and an object under observation is provided. The lens ( 30 ) is designed for surgical implantation within the capsule ( 20 ) of an eye ( 10 ) and includes an optic ( 32 ) and an optic positioning element ( 33 ) which cooperate to form the lens ( 30 ). Accommodation is achieved by relying upon the thickening and thinning of the optic ( 32 ) as a result of the normal retracting and contracting of the ciliary body ( 24 ) in response to the distance of an object from the viewer.

1 - 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . An intraocular lens for implantation within an eye, comprising:
 an optic having an initial thickness and an optic positioning element coupled with the optic;   the optic positioning element comprising a posterior face, an anterior face, a bight;   the anterior face, the posterior face and the bight cooperating to form a chamber within the optic positioning element;   the optic positioning element posterior face or anterior face includes an opening therethrough for allowing fluids to enter and fill the chamber;   the optic initial thickness can be altered in response to a change in force on the optic.   
     
     
         21 . The lens of  claim 20 , the optic positioning element being formed of a yieldable synthetic resin material. 
     
     
         22 . The lens of  claim 20 , the optic positioning element being formed of a material comprising a compound selected from the group consisting of silicon, polymethylmethacrylates, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         23 . The lens of  claim 20 , wherein the optic positioning element comprises a disc-shaped body, and the optic is positioned approximately in the center of the body. 
     
     
         24 . The lens of  claim 23 , wherein the disc-shaped body comprises at least two radially extended flanges. 
     
     
         25 . The lens of  claim 24 , wherein the flanges are joined to one another by respective membranes. 
     
     
         26 . The lens of  claim 25 , wherein the flanges have respective thicknesses and the membranes have respective thicknesses, each of the flange thicknesses being greater than each of the membrane thicknesses. 
     
     
         27 . The lens of  claim 23 , wherein the disc-shaped body has a horizontal plane, and the optic lies along the horizontal plane. 
     
     
         28 . The lens of  claim 23 , wherein the disc-shaped body has a horizontal plane, and the optic lies outside the horizontal plane. 
     
     
         29 . The lens of  claim 20 , wherein the optic initial thickness can be increased in response to ciliary body contraction. 
     
     
         30 . The lens of  claim 29 , wherein the optic initial thickness can be increased to a second thickness in response to ciliary body contraction, the second thickness being at least about 1.1 times greater than the initial thickness. 
     
     
         31 . The lens of  claim 29 , wherein the optic is formed of a material having a refractive index of at least about 1.36. 
     
     
         32 . The lens of  claim 31 , wherein the optic has a cross-sectional shape selected from the group consisting of biconvex, meniscus, and planoconvex shapes. 
     
     
         33 . The lens of  claim 20 , wherein the optic initial thickness can be decreased in response to ciliary body contraction. 
     
     
         34 . The lens of  claim 33 , wherein the optic initial thickness can be decreased to a second thickness in response to ciliary body contraction, the initial thickness being at least about 1.2 times greater than the second thickness. 
     
     
         35 . The lens of  claim 20 , wherein the optic comprises a gas-filled chamber. 
     
     
         36 . The lens of  claim 33 , wherein the optic is formed of a material having a refractive index of less than about 1.2. 
     
     
         37 . The lens of  claim 36 , wherein the optic has a cross-sectional shape selected from the group consisting of meniscus, biconcave, and planoconcave shapes.