Ophthalmic surgical instruments for removal of lens materials and methods of use

Abstract

An ophthalmic surgical instrument for cataract removal surgery includes a helical coil structure including a wire or elongated structure coiled in a plurality essentially similar diameter coils of 360-degree turns in a corkscrew having a coil diameter sufficiently small to fit within an incision of a human ocular lens capsule for entering the human ocular lens capsule during a cataract removal surgery. A pointed sharp end pierces and grasps a human ocular lens under the control of a surgeon upon being inserted in a human ocular lens capsule within said ocular lens capsule during a cataract removal surgery. The corkscrew structure firmly holds the human ocular lens and controls the position and movement of the human ocular lens during said cataract removal surgery.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An ophthalmic surgical instrument for assisting in cataract removal surgery, comprising:
 a helical coil structure comprising a proximal end, a distal end, and longitudinal axis between said proximal end and said distal end, said longitudinal axis comprising a wire or elongated structure coiled in a plurality essentially similar diameter coils of 360-degree turns and forming a corkscrew structure having a coil diameter sufficiently small to fit within an incision of a human ocular lens capsule for entering said human ocular lens capsule during a cataract removal surgery;   said distal end comprising a pointed sharp end for piercing and grasping a human ocular lens under the control of a surgeon upon said corkscrew structure being inserted in a human ocular lens capsule within said ocular lens capsule during a cataract removal surgery, said corkscrew structure for firmly holding the human ocular lens at said distal end and, thereby, controlling the position and movement of the human ocular lens during said cataract removal surgery; and   a helical coil structure handling mechanism comprising a receiving end for receiving and holding firmly said proximal end of said corkscrew structure for controlling the position and movement of said corkscrew structure during said cataract removal surgery thereby allowing the controlled insertion of said corkscrew structure into said human ocular lens capsule allowing said pointed sharp end to engages said cataract, said helical coil structure handling mechanism configured for slowly and controllably rotating said corkscrew structure during the cataract surgery for precisely and controllably causing said pointed sharp end to pierce progressively and controllably deeper to firmly engage the human ocular lens during the cataract removal surgery according to the needs of the surgeon performing the cataract removal surgery.   
     
     
         2 . The ophthalmic surgical instrument of  claim 1 , wherein said corkscrew structure comprises a pitch distance of less than approximately one millimeter, whereby with each rotation of said corkscrew structure said pointed sharp end controllably and firmly penetrates into the human ocular lens approximately one millimeter deeper; and
 further wherein said pointed sharp end is configured to more firmly engage, without piercing through, the human ocular lens for avoiding damage to the human ocular lens capsule tissue on an opposite side of the human ocular lens from where said pointed sharp end first pierces into said human ocular lens in the event that said pointed sharp end piercing through the human ocular lens and then into said human ocular lens capsule.   
     
     
         3 . The ophthalmic surgical instrument of  claim 1 , wherein said pointed sharp end of said helical coil structure is configured to grasp and hold firmly and steadily the human ocular lens within the human ocular lens capsule during the cataract surgery for reducing human ocular lens movement within the human ocular lens capsule, thereby preventing said human ocular lens from producing heat during the cataract removal surgery and the likelihood of corneal endothelium heat damage during a cataract removal surgery. 
     
     
         4 . The ophthalmic surgical instrument of  claim 1 , wherein said sharp pointed end of said corkscrew structure is configured to grasp the human ocular lens for permitting a phacoemulsification cutting device to cut the human ocular lens for performing phacoemulsification of the cataract to break the cataract into smaller pieces, thereby facilitating removal of a cataract from a human ocular lens capsule. 
     
     
         5 . The ophthalmic surgical instrument of  claim 1 , wherein a viscoelastic medium occupies the ocular anterior chamber during the cataract removal surgery for stabilizing said ophthalmic surgical instrument for safely inserting said ophthalmic surgical instrument into the eye through a small incision in the ocular lens capsule formed by a keratome or blade-like sharp device. 
     
     
         6 . The ophthalmic surgical instrument of  claim 1 , wherein said a helical coil structure handling mechanism further comprises an electrically enhanced and handle configured for receiving said proximal end of said corkscrew structure for assisting in positioning and controlling said helical coil structure. 
     
     
         7 . The ophthalmic surgical instrument of  claim 1 , wherein said pointed sharp end may configured for piercing and holding firm a human ocular lens capsule of a swollen or enlarged cataract for relieving pressure within the capsule and delicately engaging the human ocular lens capsule for minimizing injury or heat when using a capsule cutting device for performing capsulorhexis. 
     
     
         8 . A system for performing cataract removal surgery for one of a plurality of cataract types, said system comprising:
 a phacoemulsification device for cutting or breaking up a cataract within a lens capsule; and   an ophthalmic surgical instrument for assisting in cataract removal surgery, comprising: a helical coil structure comprising a proximal end, a distal end, and longitudinal axis between said proximal end and said distal end, said longitudinal axis comprising a wire   or elongated structure coiled in a plurality essentially similar diameter coils of 360-degree turns and forming a corkscrew structure having a coil diameter sufficiently small to fit within an incision of a human ocular lens capsule for entering said human ocular lens capsule during a cataract removal surgery;   said distal end comprising a pointed sharp end for piercing and grasping a human ocular lens under the control of a surgeon upon said corkscrew structure being inserted in a human ocular lens capsule, within said ocular lens capsule during a cataract removal surgery, said corkscrew structure for firmly holding the human ocular lens at said distal end and, thereby, controlling the position and movement of the human ocular lens during said cataract removal surgery; and   a helical coil structure handling mechanism comprising a receiving end for receiving and holding firmly said proximal end of said corkscrew structure for controlling the position and movement of said corkscrew structure during a said cataract removal surgery thereby allowing the controlled insertion of said corkscrew structure into said human ocular lens capsule allowing said pointed sharp end to engages said cataract, said helical coil structure handling mechanism configured for slowly and controllably rotating said corkscrew structure during the cataract surgery for precisely and controllably causing said pointed sharp end to pierce progressively and controllably deeper to firmly engage the human ocular lens during the cataract removal surgery according to the needs of the surgeon performing the cataract removal surgery.   
     
     
         9 . The system for performing cataract removal surgery of  claim 8 , wherein said corkscrew structure comprises a pitch distance of less than approximately one millimeter, whereby with each rotation of said corkscrew structure said pointed sharp end controllably and firmly penetrates into the human ocular lens approximately one millimeter deeper; and further wherein said pointed sharp end is configured to more firmly engage, without piercing through, the human ocular lens for avoiding damage to the human ocular lens capsule tissue on an opposite side of the human ocular lens from where said pointed sharp end first pierces into said human ocular lens in the event that said pointed sharp end piercing through the human ocular lens and then into said human ocular lens capsule. 
     
     
         10 . The system for performing cataract removal surgery of  claim 8 , wherein said pointed sharp end of said helical coil structure is configured to grasps and holds firmly and steadily the human ocular lens within the human ocular lens capsule during the cataract surgery for reducing human ocular lens movement within the human ocular lens capsule, thereby preventing said human ocular lens from without producing heat during the cataract removal surgery and the likelihood of avoiding corneal endothelium heat damage during a cataract removal surgery. 
     
     
         11 . The system for performing cataract removal surgery of  claim 8 , wherein said sharp pointed end of said corkscrew structure is configured to grasp the human ocular lens for permitting a phacoemulsification cutting device to cut the human ocular lens for performing phacoemulsification of the cataract to break the cataract into smaller pieces, thereby facilitating removal of a cataract from a human ocular lens capsule. 
     
     
         12 . The system for performing cataract removal surgery of  claim 8 , wherein a viscoelastic medium occupies the ocular anterior chamber during the cataract removal surgery for stabilizing said ophthalmic surgical instrument for safely inserting said ophthalmic surgical instrument into the eye through a small incision in the ocular lens capsule formed by a keratome or blade-like sharp device. 
     
     
         13 . The system for performing cataract removal surgery of  claim 8 , wherein said pointed sharp end is configured for piercing and holding firm a human ocular lens capsule of a swollen or enlarged cataract for relieving pressure within the capsule and delicately engaging the human ocular lens capsule for minimizing injury or heat when using a capsule cutting device for performing capsulorhexis.