Device for holding folding and injecting an intraocular lens

Abstract

An injector (1) for folding and injecting into the eye of a patient a flexible intraocular lens, the injector comprising an assembly of an injection nozzle (202), a lens compartment that holds an unfolded flexible intraocular lens (400) and is in communication with the injection nozzle, an injector body (3) communicating with the lens compartment and a plunger (2) that is inserted in the free end of the injector body, wherein lens compartment and injector body comprise a mechanism whereby the lens is first folded by forces compressing the lens in a non-axial direction in response to an axial movement of the plunger over a first distance and is subsequently expelled from the injector through the injection nozzle in response to an axial movement of the plunger over a second distance.

1 . An injector for folding and injecting into the eye of a patient a flexible intraocular lens, the injector comprising an assembly of an injection nozzle lens compartment that holds an unfolded flexible intraocular lens and is in communication with the injection nozzle, an injector body communicating with the lens compartment and a plunger that is inserted in the free end of the injector body, wherein lens compartment and injector body comprise a mechanism whereby the lens is first folded by forces compressing the lens in a non-axial direction in response to an axial movement of the plunger over a first distance and is subsequently ejected from the injector through the injection nozzle in response to an axial movement of the plunger over a second distance. 
     
     
         2 . The injector according to claim I wherein the lens compartment is integrated in the injector body. 
     
     
         3 . The injector according to claim I, wherein:
 a) the lens compartment consists of a support guide and a lens support, and   b) a plunger guide is disposed within the injector body with its distal end contacting the lens support.   
     
     
         4 . The injector according to  claim 3 , wherein the injector comprises an end cap fixedly put on a distal flange of the injector body, thereby encasing the lens support. 
     
     
         5 . The injector according to  claim 3 , wherein the plunger guide is reversibly attached to and moves with the plunger when the latter is moved over the first distance whereby the lens support is advanced within the support guide, and detaches from the plunger when the latter is moved further over the second distance, the plunger being able to move freely within the plunger guide whereby the lens is propelled out from the injection nozzle. 
     
     
         6 . The injector according to  claim 3 , wherein the plunger guide comprises a pair of flexible legs connected on the distal side of the plunger guide by a connecting portion, the free end of each leg comprising a stop piece, and wherein the plunger comprises clipping means, able to clip on the stop pieces when the legs are in a closed position, attaching the plunger to the plunger guide, and able to be unclipped when the legs are in an open position, detaching the plunger from the plunger guide. 
     
     
         7 . The injector according to  claim 6 , wherein the clipping means are two opposite snap hooks able to engage on the distal edges of the stop pieces. 
     
     
         8 . The injector according to  claim 3 , wherein the injector body comprises a first portion and a second portion, the legs of the plunger guide being in the closed position when the plunger guide is at least partly positioned within the second portion, and the legs being in the open position when the plunger guide is positioned completely within the first portion. 
     
     
         9 . The injector according to  claim 8 , wherein the length of the second and first portion corresponds, respectively, to the first and second distance. 
     
     
         10 . The injector according to  claim 8 , wherein the internal section of the second portion is such as to force the legs of the plunger guide to be in the closed position and the first portion has an internal section larger than the one of the second portion allowing the legs to regain their unstressed open position. 
     
     
         11 . The injector according to  claim 3 , wherein the support guide comprises two sloped ridges destined to cooperate with the folding members, forcing them to fold until they become essentially parallel to the injection axis (A) as the lens support is advanced within the support guide over the first distance. 
     
     
         12 . The injector according to  claim 11 , wherein
 each folding member comprises a protruding element cooperating with the sloped ridges.   
     
     
         13 . The injector according to  claim 3 , wherein
 a plug is held at the distal end of the plunger, the plug being able to drive the lens when the plunger is moved over the second distance.   
     
     
         14 . The injector according to  claim 13 , wherein
 the plug is made from a soft and flexible material.   
     
     
         15 . The injector according to  claim 13 , wherein
 the distal end of the plunger has the shape of a two-toothed fork destined to hold the plug.   
     
     
         16 . The injector according to  claim 3 , wherein
 the lens support and the support guide comprise through holes destined to the filling of the internal support cavity with a viscoelastic solution.   
     
     
         17 . The injector according to  claim 3 , wherein
 the end piece comprises a toric joint, the end piece being fixed sealing fluidly on the injector body and the opening being able to guide the plunger passing through it.   
     
     
         18 . A method for injecting an intraocular lens using an injector according to  claim 1  and comprising the steps of:
 a) removing the end cap from the flange of the injector body; 
 b) depressing the plunger over a first distance in order to advance the lens support within the support guide and fold the lens along the injection axis (A); and 
 c) depressing the plunger over a second distance in order to drive the lens outside of an injection nozzle. 
 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the injector is removed from its packaging during a preliminary step. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein a viscoelastic solution is introduced within the internal support cavity prior to step b) of  claim 18 .