Patent ID: 8734378
Filing Date: 2014-05-27
Classification: A61B,A61F,A61K,A61M

Abstract:
1. A method for reducing intraocular pressure in an eye, comprising: (1) introducing through a cornea of an eye into the anterior chamber an ocular implant removably attached to a delivery instrument, the ocular implant having proximal and distal ends; the delivery instrument defining a straight longitudinal axis and comprising: (2) bluntly dissecting eye tissue between a portion of a ciliary body and a portion of a sclera from within the anterior chamber using the distal tip of the elongated applier; and (3) advancing the ocular implant from the anterior chamber toward the supraciliary space through the dissected eye tissue; (4) using the delivery instrument to position the ocular implant at a target location in the eye while the ocular implant remains in a fixed position relative to the delivery instrument, wherein, when in the target location, the proximal end of the ocular implant is located in the anterior chamber and the distal end of the ocular implant is in communication with the supraciliary space; and (5) withdrawing the elongated applier in a proximal direction relative to the implant and the deployment structure so as to detach the elongated applier from the implant, wherein once the implant is detached, aqueous humor is able to flow from the anterior chamber between the proximal and distal ends of the ocular implant toward the supraciliary space, and wherein the distal region of the elongated applier withdraws into the distal end of the deployment structure and conforms to the straight longitudinal axis of the delivery instrument as the distal region withdraws into the distal end of the deployment structure.