Patent ID: 8506626

Claim:
A transcorneal microtelescope vision assistance device implantable in the eye of a patient, the device comprising: a front plate having an artificial cornea, the front plate being configured to extend axially through a cornea and being dimensioned to replace only a central portion of a patient's cornea; a microtelescope held by and within the front plate, the microtelescope being held in a portion of the front plate extending away from the artificial cornea and being optically aligned with the central portion of the artificial cornea; corneal tissue forming a peripheral part of the artificial cornea that can be sutured to the front of portions of a cornea of a patient; a back plate configured to conform to the back of portions of the cornea of a patient, the back plate including sufficient open areas or holes to promote continued health of tissue and nutrient flow, the back plate and front plate being, configured to be in locked engagement with each other such that the engagement between the back plate and front plate fixes the back plate to the back of the cornea.