Abstract:
The present invention provides a holder for supporting a two optic accommodating intraocular lens device. The holder is capable of holding the device while taking measurements or performing manufacturing process steps on the device and/or packaging the device. In a preferred embodiment, the holder supports the device along the haptics thereof such that the optics remain untouched and unobstructed by the holder. As such, testing and/or processing of the optics during their accommodative and unaccomodative positions may be taken, and the device may be safely packaged and shipped with the holder.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE  
       [0001]     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/747,393 filed Dec. 29, 2003, which is incorporated by reference herein. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to optical lens holders used for performing tests or other processes on the lens and/or packaging the lens. More particularly, the present invention relates to a holder for supporting an accommodating intraocular lens device having at least two optics interconnected by one or more haptics.  
         [0003]     Intraocular lenses having a single optic have been known and used for many years. More recently, accommodating intraocular lens devices having two optics interconnected by one or more haptics have been disclosed in the following U.S. patents and applications to Faezeh Sarfarazi, the entirety of which are incorporated herein by reference:  
         [0000]     U.S. Pat. No. 5,275,623 “Elliptical Accommodative Intraocular Lens For Small Incision Surgery”;  
         [0000]     U.S. Pat. No. 6,423,094 “Accommodative Lens Formed From Sheet Material”;  
         [0000]     U.S. Pat. No. 6,488,708 “Open Chamber Elliptical Accommodative Intraocular Lens System”;  
         [0000]     U.S. Ser. No. 10/445,762 filed on May 27, 2003 entitled “Mold for Intraocular Lens”.  
         [0004]     The Sarfarazi accommodating lens device includes two optics, one negative and the other positive for placing in the evacuated lens capsule of an eye. The optics are interconnected along their peripheries by one or more haptics which space the optics from each other and assist in properly positioning the device in the eye. The haptics are formed from a flexible material such that they may flex in response to forces exerted by the eye&#39;s ciliary muscles which control accommodation. The haptics will thus flex and bow further radially outwardly upon a compressive force being applied to the device, whereby the two optics are drawn closer together to achieve an accommodative effect in the eye. When the ciliary muscles relax, the haptics flex in the opposite direction (toward a straightened position) causing the optics to space further apart and the lens device returns the eye to its natural, unaccommodative state.  
         [0005]     As stated above, single optic intraocular lenses have been known and used for decades while the two lens accommodative intraocular lens device is new and not yet seen on the market. It will be appreciated that manufacturing a two optic lens device presents issues not present in the manufacture of single optic intraocular lenses. During design and manufacture of intraocular lenses, certain measurements must be taken of the device to ensure the device achieves its design parameters. Such measurements require not only that the device be held stationary, but also not interfere with the optic pathway. Furthermore, in a two optic device, the optics must be able to be moved in a manner simulating their accommodative movements in the eye. The holder for such a device must therefore be able to hold the device stationary while also allowing relative movement of the optics. Besides the taking of measurements, manufacturing process steps may need to be carried out such as polishing, for example. The holder should therefore also be able to support the device during manufacturing process steps without damage to the device. It would furthermore be desirable to have a holder for safely packaging and shipping the device to a user.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     The present invention provides a holder for supporting a two optic accommodating intraocular lens device. The holder is capable of holding the device while taking measurements or performing manufacturing process steps on the device. The holder may also be used for packaging and shipping the device. In a preferred embodiment, the holder supports the device along the haptics thereof such that the optics remain untouched and unobstructed by the holder. As such, testing and/or processing of the optics during their accommodative and unaccomodative positions may be taken.  
         [0007]     The holder includes a base having at least one but preferably three haptic fingers attached to the base, whereby the intraocular lens device may be removably attached to the holder by supporting the haptics thereof on the haptic fingers of the base, respectively. The haptic fingers may be attached to the base by a respective post with the fingers lying spaced above and parallel to the base. A haptic stop having at least one but preferably three stop posts may be provided for selectively aligning with the haptic fingers to capture the haptics, respectively, when the intraocular lens device is attached to the holder. The stop posts may be attached to a ring having a groove for engaging a rib formed about the perimeter of the base whereby the haptic stop may be rotationally coupled to the base. The haptic stop is movable between engaged and unengaged positions with respect to the haptic fingers, respectively, thereby allowing the intraocular lens device to be alternately mounted and dismounted from the holder. When the intraocular lens device is supported on the holder, the optics thereof lie spaced above and parallel to the base whereby they may be moved relative to each other when performing tests thereon.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING  
       [0008]      FIG. 1A  is a perspective view of an embodiment of an accommodative intraocular lens which may be supported by the holder of the present invention;  
         [0009]      FIG. 1B  is a plan view thereof;  
         [0010]      FIG. 1C  is a side elevational view thereof;  
         [0011]      FIG. 2A  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the base component of the inventive holder;  
         [0012]      FIG. 2B  is a top plan view of  FIG. 2A ;  
         [0013]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the haptic stop component of the inventive holder;  
         [0014]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the base and haptic stop components coupled together and supporting the intraocular lens device of FIGS.  1 A-C in the intended manner; and  
         [0015]      FIG. 5  is a top plan view of  FIG. 4  except the haptic stop component has been rotated to its unengaged position relative to the haptic fingers of the base component. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0016]     Referring now to the drawing, there is seen in FIGS.  1 A-C a representative embodiment of an accommodative intraocular device  10  which may be supported by the present invention. Briefly, lens device  10  includes first and second optics  12 ,  14  interconnected by one or more, but preferably three haptics  16   a ,  16   b  and  16   c  defining three open spaces  18   a ,  18   b ,  18   c  therebetween, respectively. Haptics  16   a - c  bow outwardly past the optic perimeters  12   p ,  14   p  and are flexible whereby the optics may move alternately toward and away from each other generally along the optical axis x-x.  FIGS. 1A and 1C  show the space “S” between the optics  12 ,  14  which gets smaller as the optics move toward one another and larger as the optics move away from one another. It is understood that the present invention is a holder for a lens device and therefore the particular optic and haptic configurations of a lens device which may be supported by the inventive holder may vary from that shown and described herein.  
         [0017]     Turning to  FIG. 2 , the base component of the holder is indicated generally by reference numeral  20 . Base component  20  includes a support surface  22  having three annularly spaced haptic fingers  24   a ,  24   b  and  24   c . In the preferred embodiment, support surface  22  is in the shape of a ring having an open, circular center C 1  (see  FIG. 2B ). The haptic fingers  24   a - c  thus define three spaces Sa, Sb and Sc therebetween and are used to support the lens device haptics  16   a - c , respectively. In this regard, it is noted that the number of haptic fingers should correspond to the number of haptics on the particular device  10  being supported thereby. For example, in a lens device having two haptics, only two haptic fingers are required on base  20 ; in a lens device having four haptics, four haptic fingers are required, etc.  
         [0018]     The haptic fingers  24   a - c  each are preferably supported by a post  25   a - c  which extend substantially perpendicularly up from support surface  22 . The width W 1  of the haptic fingers ( FIG. 2 ) should by slightly smaller than the corresponding width W 2  of the haptic ( FIG. 1B ) on which it is supported to prevent side-to-side slippage of the haptic on the support finger during testing or processing of the lens device thereon. This will be described in more detail below.  
         [0019]     Base  20  may further include means for removably mounting base  20  to a work surface or fixture, e.g., an optical bench (not shown). One such means may take the form of a cylindrical sleeve  26  which may be fit over a corresponding cylinder of the work surface not shown). It is understood that the mounting means may take a variety of configurations and the invention is not to be limited to the exact configuration and placement of sleeve  26  shown and described herein. It will be appreciated that by making the holder removably mountable to a work surface or other fixtures, the holder may be conveniently moved from one work surface or fixture to another when performing different tests or processes on the lens device  10 .  
         [0020]     Referring to  FIG. 3 , the haptic stop component of the device is indicated generally by the reference numeral  30 . Haptic stop  30  includes three stop posts  32   a ,  32   b  and  32   c  for aligning with haptic fingers  24   a ,  24   b  and  24   c , respectively, in the manner to be described. The number of stop posts should equal the number of haptic fingers. The stop posts  32   a - c  may be mounted to a support surface  34  and extend substantially perpendicularly therefrom. Support surface  34  may be surrounded by a ring  36  having an exterior surface  36   a  and interior surface  36   b . In the preferred embodiment, interior surface  36   b  includes an annular groove  36   c  for engaging with an annular rib  28  provided on the exterior surface of base support surface  22 . The fit between groove  36   c  and rib  28  should removably couple the components together yet also permit the components to be freely rotated with respect to one another wherein rib  28  “rides” in groove  36   c . To initially couple the base  20  to the haptic stop  30 , the stop posts  32   a - c  of haptic stop  30  are extended up through annular slots  27   a ,  27   b  and  27   c  formed in support surface  22  of base  20  between haptic fingers  24   a ,  24   b  and  24   c , respectively ( FIGS. 2B, 4  and  5 ). The haptic stop  30  is pressed upwardly against base  20  until rib  28  snap fits into groove  36   c . In the preferred embodiment, haptic stop support surface  34  is ring shaped and includes an open, circular center C 2 . The outer surface of support surface  34  is preferably provided with a plurality of finger indentations  38  to permit easy manual rotation of haptic stop  34  with respect to base  20 .  
         [0021]      FIG. 5  shows a top plan view of the inventive holder with base  20  and haptic stop  30  in the coupled, unlocked position and the lens device haptics  16   a - c  located in spaces Sa-c. In the initial, unlocked position, stop posts  32   a ,  32   b ,  32   c  lie adjacent posts  25   b ,  25   c ,  25   a , respectively. In this position, clearance is provided between the stop post and the haptic finger free ends  24   a ′-c′ wherethrough the haptics of the lens device may pass. It is noted that the spaces defined between the stop post and adjacent haptic finger free end is wide enough to accommodate the haptics  16   a - c  therein respectively, which thereby allows the lens device to be alternately mounted and removed from the holder (seen best in  FIG. 5 ).  
         [0022]     The lens device  10  may then be carefully rotated to position the haptics  16   a - c  thereof over the haptic fingers  25   a - c  of the base component  20 , respectively. This may be done manually using a pair of tweezers, for example, with care not to damage the lens device. Once the haptics have been positioned over their respective haptic fingers, the haptic stop  30  may be rotated with respect to the base  20  whereby the stop posts  32   a - c  are moved to the opposite end of their respective slots  27   a - c , coming to rest adjacent the free end  24   a ′-c′ of a respective haptic finger  24   a - c . The haptic  16   a - c  is thus “captured” on its respective haptic finger  24   a - c  by the stop post  32   a - c  at one end and the haptic finger post  25   a - c  on the other end. This “locked” position is depicted in  FIG. 4 . One or more sets of cooperative locating bosses and notches  23  ( FIG. 2 ) and  33  ( FIG. 3 ) may be formed on the facing surfaces of the base and haptic stop, respectively, to further secure the base and haptic stop components in the locked position.  
         [0023]     Since the component central circular openings C 1  and C 2  are concentric when in the coupled condition, the lens device optics  12  and  14  are unobstructed by the holder and may be tested and/or processed as desired. Furthermore, the optics may be forced closer together or farther apart while supported on the holder to perform accommodation tests on the lens device as desired. Once testing and/or processing is complete, the lens device  10  may be removed from the holder by rotating the haptic stop  30  relative to the base component  20  in the opposite direction to the “unlocked” position seen in  FIG. 5 . The lens device haptics  16   a - c  are then carefully moved off of their respective haptic fingers  24   a - c  and the lens device  10  is lifted away from the holder.