Patent ID: 8771349

Claim:
An intraocular device for preventing glaucomatous optic neuropathy, the device comprising: an optic nerve head shield configured to be placed within an eye of a human or animal; and the optic nerve head shield is configured to be disposed directly over and without penetrating an optic nerve head of the eye and is configured to form a suction pressure seal over the optic nerve head, wherein the optic nerve head shield is a circular cover comprising a central stiffer part and a more flexible concentric peripheral part, wherein the flexible peripheral part is contoured to fit over retinal vessels of the eye and to form a pressure seal with the retinal vessels as the retinal vessels exit the optic nerve head, wherein the optic nerve head shield is concentric with the optic nerve head and is held in place by suction between the device and a retina of the eye, and wherein the optic nerve head shield is configured to decrease the pressure differential across the cribiform plate of the eye preventing bowing of the cribiform plate and glaucomatous optic neuropathy.