Patent ID: 6187041
Filing Date: 2001-02-13
Classification: A61F

Abstract:
An ocular replacement system for replacing a natural eye removed from an eye cavity having ocular tissue including muscle tissue and conjunctiva, said ocular replacement system comprising:a ball-shaped implant body sized and configured for receipt within the eye cavity and having an outer, generally spherical and porous surface that is receptive to ingrowth of the ocular tissue and including an anterior portion having a convex surface configuration defining a portion of said spherical surface of said implant body, said anterior portion being structured and disposed to permit closing of the conjunctiva in covering relation to said anterior portion so that said implant body is completely enclosed within the eye cavity and covered by the ocular tissue;a prosthesis including an outer convex surface provided with a cosmetically acceptable appearance to resemble the natural eye and an inner concave surface;magnetic coupling means for providing an attractive force between said anterior portion of said implant body and said inner concave surface of said prosthesis and through the conjunctiva sandwiched between said implant body and said prosthesis to magnetically couple the prosthesis to the implant body so that the prosthesis follows movement of the implant body within the eye cavity; andsaid magnetic coupling means including:at least one magnet having an exposed face defining a magnetic pole, said at least one magnet being fitted to said inner concave surface of said prosthesis so that said exposed face is flush with said inner concave surface of said prosthesis;at least one magnetically attractive element embedded within the anterior portion of said implant body so that an exposed face of said magnetically attractive element is flush with said outer, generally spherical and porous surface; andsaid at least one magnet and said at least one magnetically attractive element being positioned and disposed in offset, non-axial alignment with each other, with the conjunctiva therebetween, while maintaining a magnetic attraction between said at least one magnet on said prosthesis and said at least one magnetically attractive element on said implant.