Patent ID: 7022128

Claim:
A surgical knife safety handle device for both ophthalmic and non-ophthalmic applications, comprising: a handle body having a distal end, a proximal end and a substantially cylindrical housing extending along a longitudinal axis between said distal and proximal ends, said cylindrical housing defining a chamber therein and having at least one slot extending along said longitudinal axis accessing said chamber, said chamber open at said distal end of said handle body; a knife holder at said distal end of said handle body having a post extending from said distal end of said handle body along said longitudinal axis; and a movable guard engaged with a guard positioning mechanism for longitudinal movement between a fully extended position and a hilly retracted position with respect to said handle body, said guard having a proximal end, and an expanded distal end for at least partially enclosing a knife blade attachable to said knife holder, and a guard body extending along a longitudinal axis between said distal and proximal ends of said guard; said guard positioning mechanism slidably mounted in said chamber and having a user control mechanism extending from within said chamber via said slot; said expanded distal end of said guard being exposed when said guard is in said fully retracted position to allow for user orientation and control of said device.