Accommodating intraocular lens with outer support structure

Abstract

An intraocular lens for insertion into the capsular bag of an eye contains an optic, an outer periphery, and an outer support structure. The optic has a periphery and centered about an optical axis. The outer periphery is disposed about the optic and configured to engage an equatorial region of the capsular bag of an eye. The outer support structure is disposed along the periphery and spaced from the optic with voids outer support structure and the optic. The intraocular lens further comprises a first intermediate member and a weakened region disposed along the outer periphery between the outer support structure and the first intermediate member. The first intermediate member operably couples the optic and the outer support structure. The weakened region is attached to, and configured to provide relative motion between, the outer support structure and the first intermediate member in response to the ciliary muscle of the eye.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An intraocular lens for insertion into an eye, comprising:
 a unitary optic formed of a deformable material and adapted to focus light toward a retina of an eye; and   an accommodation assembly coupled to the optic and structured to cooperate with the eye to effect accommodating axial movement of the optic and accommodating deformation of the optic in response to one or more naturally occurring actions of the eye.   
     
     
         2 . The intraocular lens of  claim 1  wherein the combined axial movement and deformation is effective to provide enhanced accommodation relative to the axial movement alone or the deformation alone. 
     
     
         3 . The intraocular lens of  claim 1 , wherein the accommodation assembly comprises:
 an outer ring surrounding the optic and spaced therefrom with voids therebetween; and   a plurality of intermediate members extending between and connecting the optic and the outer ring.   
     
     
         4 . The intraocular lens of  claim 1 , wherein the accommodation assembly is structured to cooperate with the eye to substantially diametrically compress the optic. 
     
     
         5 . The intraocular lens of  claim 1 , wherein the accommodation assembly is structured to cooperate with the eye to bend the optic. 
     
     
         6 . The intraocular lens of  claim 1 , wherein the optic has progressive correction powers that vary from a baseline power for distance vision correction to an add power that is reduced relative to a power for full near vision correction, the combined axial movement, deformation, and add power is effective to provide enhanced accommodation relative to the axial movement and the deformation without the add power. 
     
     
         7 . The intraocular lens of  claim 1 , wherein the optic is a multifocal optic having a first zone configured to provide distance vision correction and a second zone having an add power that is reduced relative to a power for full near power correction, the combined axial movement, deformation, and add power is effective to provide enhanced accommodation relative to the axial movement and the deformation without the add power. 
     
     
         8 . The intraocular lens of  claim 7 , wherein the add power is the maximum add power of the optic. 
     
     
         9 . The intraocular lens of  claim 3 , wherein the periphery of the optic is circular. 
     
     
         10 . The intraocular lens of  claim 3 , wherein the intermediate members are substantially equidistantly spaced apart. 
     
     
         11 . The intraocular lens of  claim 3 , wherein each of the intermediate members has a hinge therein. 
     
     
         12 . The intraocular lens of  claim 3 , wherein the intermediate members, optic, and outer ring are integrally formed of one material. 
     
     
         13 . The intraocular lens of  claim 3 , wherein the outer ring has a generally ovoid configuration. 
     
     
         14 . The intraocular lens of  claim 13 , wherein the outer ring has a major axis and a minor axis, and wherein the plurality of intermediate members consists essentially of a pair of intermediate members each attached at an outer end to the outer ring along the major axis. 
     
     
         15 . The intraocular lens of  claim 14 , wherein the optic has a periphery, and wherein each intermediate member has an inner end that is attached to the periphery of the optic at a location other than on the major axis. 
     
     
         16 . The intraocular lens of  claim 14 , wherein each intermediate member is plate-like and extends radially between the optic and outer ring along the major axis. 
     
     
         17 . The intraocular lens of  claim 16 , wherein each of the intermediate members has a hinge therein. 
     
     
         18 . The intraocular lens of  claim 17 , wherein the hinge is located closer to the outer ring than to the optic. 
     
     
         19 . The intraocular lens of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the optic has a periphery and the plurality of intermediate members consists essentially of a pair of intermediate members each attached at an outer end to the outer ring and attached at an inner end to the periphery of the optic at a location not radially aligned with the outer end.   
     
     
         20 . The intraocular lens of  claim 17 , wherein the inner and outer ends of each intermediate member are circumferentially spaced from one another about the optical axis by approximately 90°. 
     
     
         21 . The intraocular lens of  claim 1 , wherein the deformable material is a reinforced cross-linked silicone polymeric material. 
     
     
         22 . The intraocular lens of  claim 1 , wherein the deformable material is an acrylic polymeric material. 
     
     
         23 . An intraocular lens for insertion into an eye, comprising:
 a unitary, deformable multifocal optic including a first zone having a baseline power for distance vision correction and a second zone having an add power; and   a force transfer assembly coupled to the optic and structured to cooperate with the eye to effect deformation of the optic so as to change the power of at least one of the first and second zones.   
     
     
         24 . The intraocular lens according to  claim 23 , wherein the force transfer assembly is structured to change the curvature of at least one of the zones in response to a compressive force exerted by the eye. 
     
     
         25 . The intraocular lens according to  claim 24 , wherein the force transfer assembly is structured to increase the curvature of at least one of the zones in response to a compressive force exerted by the eye. 
     
     
         26 . The intraocular lens according to  claim 23 , wherein the force transfer assembly is structured to cooperate with the eye to effect deformation of the first zone so as to increase the baseline power. 
     
     
         27 . The intraocular lens according to  claim 24 , wherein the force transfer assembly is further structured to axially move the optic in response to an action of the eye, wherein the axial movement of the optic combines with the increased add power obtained through the deformation to provide enhanced accommodation relative to the deformation alone. 
     
     
         28 . An intraocular lens for insertion into an eye, comprising:
 a deformable optic having a baseline power for distance vision correction and a maximum add power that is reduced relative to a power for full near vision correction, and   a force transfer assembly coupled to the optic and structured to cooperate with the eye to effect deformation of the optic so as to increase the maximum add power.   
     
     
         29 . The intraocular lens according to  claim 28 , wherein the optic has progressive vision powers that vary from the baseline power to the maximum add power. 
     
     
         30 . The intraocular lens according to  claim 29 , wherein the force transfer assembly is structured to deform the optic so as to increase the maximum add power in response to compressive forces exerted by the eye. 
     
     
         31 . The intraocular lens according to  claim 30 , wherein the force transfer assembly is further structured to cooperate with the eye to axially move wherein the axial movement of the optic combines with the maximum add power obtained through deformation to provide enhanced accommodation relative to the deformation alone.