Viscoelastic applicator for iol insertion apparatus

Abstract

A system for preparing an intraocular lens (IOL) injector for receipt of an IOL. A manifold mates with an injector cartridge and easily distributes a lubricating agent to a load chamber of the cartridge. The IOL is then transferred into the load chamber. The cartridge may be rotatably coupled to the handpiece, and then converted from a preparation and load position to a delivery position. The manifold may remain external to the load chamber or fit within the load chamber and include a handle that remains outside. One or more internal channels in the manifold lead from one or more inlet ports to surfaces in the load chamber than contact the IOL.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for delivering an intraocular lens (IOL) into the eye of a subject, comprising:
 an IOL injector defining an insertion tube and a load chamber for receiving an IOL, the injector further including a pushrod movable through the load chamber for urging the IOL from the load chamber and through the insertion tube in a delivery procedure; and   a fluid manifold formed to mate with the injector and having at least one inlet port that when mated with the injector leads to the load chamber such that a lubricating agent injected into the inlet port is automatically guided onto surfaces within the load chamber that will contact the IOL.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid manifold fits within the load chamber when mated with the injector. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the fluid manifold includes a handle that remains external to the injector when the manifold resides in the load chamber. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the load chamber has at least two spaced surfaces that contact the IOL, and the fluid manifold includes at least two separate inlet ports each leading to a different spaced surface. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the fluid manifold includes at least two internal channels and the two inlet ports each lead to a separate internal channel. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the load chamber has at least two spaced surfaces that contact the IOL, and the fluid manifold includes at least two internal channels and only one inlet port that communicates with the two internal channels. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the injector includes a handpiece coupled to a cartridge defining the load chamber, and the cartridge is movable relative to the handpiece between a first position for loading the intraocular lens and a second position for delivering the intraocular lens into the subject's eye, and wherein a transfer interface of the cartridge open to the load chamber faces away from the handpiece in the first position, and the insertion tube faces away from the handpiece in the second position, the fluid manifold being formed to mate against the transfer interface of the cartridge in the first position. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the cartridge rotates 180° about the handpiece between the first and second positions. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the injector includes a handpiece coupled to a cartridge defining the load chamber, and the cartridge is movable relative to the handpiece between a first position for loading the intraocular lens and a second position for delivering the intraocular lens into the subject's eye, and wherein a transfer interface of the cartridge open to the load chamber faces away from the handpiece in the first position, and the insertion tube faces away from the handpiece in the second position, the fluid manifold being formed to insert into the load chamber through the transfer interface of the cartridge in the first position.