Patent ID: 7601169

Claim:
An intraocular lens for replacement of a natural crystalline lens within a capsular bag during eye surgery, the intraocular lens to be positioned anterior to the retina when implanted in the eye, said intraocular lens comprising: a) an optic portion adapted to focus light; b) a peripheral portion including a plurality of haptics about said optic portion, a junction defined between said optic and peripheral portions; c) biasing means for biasing said optic portion anteriorly relative to said peripheral portion at said junction; and d) a restraining element including at least one element extending from one haptic across said optic portion and to another haptic, said restraining element operating against said biasing means so as to maintain said optic and peripheral portions in a stressed state of relatively greater planarity than a non-stressed state in which said biasing means urges the optic portion anterior to the peripheral portion, said restraining element being releasable without an invasive surgical procedure after completion of the eye surgery during which said intraocular lens is implanted, wherein said restraining element holds said lens at a first total diameter, and when the lens is implanted in the eye, upon release of said restraining element, said biasing means biases said optic portion anteriorly toward the non-stressed state causing said optic portion to be moved anteriorly relative to the retina such that the optic portion is at an increased distance from the retina relative to the stressed state and has a resulting increased optical power, wherein when said optic portion is moved anteriorly in the non-stressed state, said lens assumes a second total diameter smaller than the first total diameter, and wherein the optical power of the lens is adjustable in response to stresses induced by the eye.