[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/83 1 ,273, filed on June 5, 2013.

[0002] The entire teachings of the above application(s) are incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Modern cataract surgery is based on removal of the natural lens while preserving the lens capsular bag for the insertion of an artificial intraocular lens (IOL) implant, a procedure referred to as phacoemulsification.

[0004] During a phacoemulsification, a lens is removed through a circular opening in the anterior wall of the capsular bag (anterior lens capsule), a procedure referred to as anterior capsulophexis. The posterior and lateral walls of the lens capsule usually stay intact during the surgery. When at a later date the posterior capsule starts to opacify, a laser is used to make a hole in it and restore the light path to the retina.

[0005] A typical IOL consists of a central portion having optical power, sometimes variable, and a supporting portion referred to as a haptic element. The latter vary in form but most frequently are two in number positioned contralateral and having a C-shape.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] In one embodiment, the present invention is an intraocular lens implant for implantation within a capsular bag of an eye of a mammal. The intraocular lens implant of the invention can comprise: a lens element having optical power, the lens element including an anterior lens portion and a posterior lens portion connected to the anterior lens portion, the lens element having an optical axis; an anterior circumferential groove formed in the anterior lens portion, the anterior circumferential grove adapted to accept an anterior capsulorhexis edge; a posterior circumferential groove formed in the posterior lens portion, the posterior

circumferential groove adapted to accept a posterior capsulorhexis edge; and at least one haptic element extending away from the optical axis, the at least one haptic element adapted to fixate the intraocular lens implant within the capsular bag of the eye of the mammal.

[0007] In another embodiment, the intraocular lens implant of the present invention can comprise: a lens element having optical an anterior lens portion and a posterior lens portion connected to the anterior lens portion, the lens element having an optical axis; an anterior circumferential groove formed in the anterior lens portion, the anterior circumferential grove adapted to accept an anterior capsulorhexis edge; a posterior circumferential groove formed in the posterior lens portion, the posterior circumferential groove adapted to accept a posterior capsulorhexis edge. In an this embodiment, the anterior

circumferential groove and posterior circumferential groove are each circular when viewed along the optical axis, the anterior lens portion and the posterior lens portion are each spherical convex when viewed along the optical axis, the anterior circumferential groove lies entirely within a first plane, and the posterior circumferential groove lies entirely within a second plane, different from the first plane. Further in this embodiment, the IOL implant includes at least two haptic elements extending away from the optical axis in a common plane perpendicular to the optical axis and lying between the first plane and the second plane, the at least two haptic elements adapted to arrest the intraocular lens implant within the capsular bag of the eye of the mammal.

[0008] In another embodiment, the intraocular lens implant of the present invention comprises: a lens element having optical power, the lens element including an anterior lens portion and a posterior lens portion, connected to the anterior lens portion, the lens element having an optical axis; an anterior circumferential groove formed in the anterior lens portion, the anterior circumferential grove adapted to accept an anterior capsulorhexis edge; a posterior circumferential groove formed in the posterior lens portion, the posterior circumferential groove adapted to accept a posterior capsulorhexis edge, the posterior circumferential groove connected to the anterior circumferential groove; and at least two haptic elements extending in a common plane perpendicular to the optical axis, the common plane lying between the anterior lens portion and the posterior lens portion, the at least two haptic elements adapted to arrest the intraocular lens implant within the capsular bag of the eye of the mammal.

[0009] The present invention advantageously prevents opacification of the posterior lens capsule as well as stabilizes the intraocular lens implant.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] The foregoing will be apparent from the following more particular description of example embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the different views. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating embodiments of the present invention. [0011] FIG. 1 A and FIG. IB are a side view and a front view, respectively, of an example embodiment of an IOL implant according to the present invention.

[0012] FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B are a side view and a front view, respectively, of another example embodiment of an IOL implant according to the present invention.

[0013] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram representing an example embodiment of circular circumferential grooves of an IOL of the present invention having different radii.

[0014] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram representing an example embodiment of oval circumferential grooves of an IOL of the present invention having perpendicular major axes.

[0015] FIG. 5A and 5B are a side view and a front view, respectively, of another example embodiment of an IOL implant according to the present invention.

[0016] FIG. 5C and 5D are schematic diagrams of the circumferential grooves of the example embodiment shown in FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B.

[0017] FIG. 6A through FIG. 6E are schematic diagrams representing steps in a surgical procedure that can be employed to insert the IOL implant of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] A description of example embodiments of the invention follows.

[0019] Referring to FIG. 1 A and FIG. IB, that illustrate a side view and a front view, respectively, of an example embodiment of an IOL implant of the present invention, the IOL implant 100 comprises a lens element 102 having optical power, the lens element including an anterior lens portion 104 and a posterior lens portion 106, connected to the anterior lens portion 104, the lens element having an optical axis 108. The IOL implant 100 further includes an anterior circumferential groove 1 10 formed in the anterior lens portion 104, the anterior circumferential grove 1 10 adapted to accept an anterior capsulorhexis edge. The IOL implant 100 further includes a posterior circumferential groove 1 12 formed in the posterior lens portion 106, the posterior circumferential groove 1 12 adapted to accept a posterior capsulorhexis edge. The IOL implant 100 further includes at least one haptic element (1 14 or 1 16) extending away from the optical axis 108. Haptic elements are adapted to arrest the intraocular lens implant 100 within the capsular bag of the eye (not shown). In example embodiments, haptic elements are adapted to arrest the intraocular lens implant 100 at the equator of the capsular bag.

[0020] FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B illustrate a side view and a front view, respectively, of another example embodiment of an IOL implant of the present invention, the IOL implant 200.

Similarly to the implant 100 shown in FIG. 1A ad FIG. IB, the implant 200 comprises a lens element 202 having optical power, the lens element including an anterior lens portion 204 and a posterior lens portion 206, connected to the anterior lens portion 204, the lens element 202 having an optical axis 208. The IOL implant 200 further includes an anterior circumferential groove 220 formed in the anterior lens portion 206, the anterior circumferential grove adapted to accept an anterior capsulorhexis edge, and a posterior circumferential groove 222 formed in the posterior lens portion 206, the posterior circumferential groove also adapted to accept a posterior capsulorhexis edge. Unlike the implant 100, in the implant 200 the anterior circumferential groove 220 is connected to the posterior circumferential groove 222 and the two grooves together form a joint groove 224. In an example embodiment, the joint groove 224 has the width equal to the sum of the widths of the two groves 220 and 222.

[0021] The implant 200 further includes at least two haptic elements 214 and 216 extending in a common plane perpendicular to the optical axis 208. The common plane lies between the anterior lens portion 204 and the posterior lens portion 206. The haptic elements (214 and 216) are adapted to arrest the intraocular lens implant 200 within the capsular bag of the eye (not shown). In example embodiments, haptic elements are adapted to arrest the intraocular lens implant 200 at the equator of the capsular bag.

[0022] Although FIG. IB and FIG. 2 A each illustrates an intraocular lens implant (100 or 200) in which the anterior lens portion (104 or 204) and the posterior lens portion (106 or 206) are each spherical convex when viewed along the optical axis, a person of ordinary skill in the art of opthalmology would understand that the lenses 100 and 200 and their portions need not be spherical convex and can be of any shape suitable for an IOL implant.

[0023] Referring to FIG. 3, the anterior circumferential groove 1 10 can be a circle of a first radius when viewed along the optical axis, and the posterior circumferential groove 1 12 is a circle of a second radius when viewed along the optical axis. The first radius can be different from the second radius. Alternatively, the two radii can be the same.

[0024] In the embodiments of the IOL implants 100 and 200, at least one of the anterior circumferential groove (1 10 or 220) and the posterior circumferential groove (1 12 or 222) can be non-circular when viewed along the optical axis. Examples of non-circular circumferential grooves are depicted in FIG. 4, which illustrates the anterior circumferential groove 1 10 as an oval having a first major axis, and the posterior circumferential groove 1 12 as an oval having a second major axis. In the example shown in FIG. 4, the first and the second major axes are perpendicular to each other. [0025] In the embodiment of the IOL implant 100, the anterior circumferential groove 1 10 lies entirely within a first plane, and the posterior circumferential groove 1 12 lies entirely within a second plane, different from the first plane. In alternative example embodiments of the IOL implants 100 and 200 at least one of the anterior circumferential groove (110 or 220) and the posterior circumferential groove (1 12 or 222) is non-planar.

[0026] Another embodiment of an implant of this invention is an IOL implant 300 shown in FIG. 5 A through FIG. 5D. Similarly to the implant 100 shown in FIG. 1A and FIG. IB, the implant 300 comprises a lens element 302 having optical power, the lens element including an anterior lens portion 304 and a posterior lens portion 306, connected to the anterior lens portion 304, the lens element having an optical axis 308. The IOL implant 300 further includes an anterior circumferential groove 310 formed in the anterior lens portion 304, the anterior circumferential grove 310 adapted to accept an anterior capsulorhexis edge. The IOL implant 300 further includes a posterior circumferential groove 312 formed in the posterior lens portion 306, the posterior circumferential groove 312 adapted to accept a posterior capsulorhexis edge. The IOL implant 300 further includes at least one haptic element (314 or 316) extending away from the optical axis 308. Haptic elements are adapted to arrest the intraocular lens implant 300 within the capsular bag of the eye (not shown). In example embodiments, haptic elements are adapted to arrest the intraocular lens implant 300 at the equator of the capsular bag. In the implant 300, at least one of the anterior circumferential groove 310 and the posterior

circumferential groove 312 includes a first portion (310a or 312a) connected to a second portion (310b or 312b), non-coplanar with the first portion.

[0027] In any of the embodiments of the IOL implants described above, the lens element having the optical power can be multifocal, e.g. bifocal. In alternative example embodiments of the invention, the lens element can be selected to correct a specific medical condition of the patient. For example, lens elements can be aspheric or toric, designed for astigmatism

correction. In other embodiments, lens elements can have or combined optical features, e.g. be both toric and multifocal, or aspheric-multifocal, or aspheric-toric. A person of ordinary skill in the art of ophthalmology would appreciate that other selections of optical features are possible.

[0028] A person of ordinary skill in the art of ophthalmology would appreciate that in many cases lens elements having optical power are convex, for example spherical convex. These lens elements are converging lens elements, referred to as having "positive" optical power. Diverging lens elements are referred to as having the "negative" optical power. Such lens elements can be spherical concave.

[0029] Common values of the positive optical power of a lens element of an IOL implant are within the range from +20 diopters to +24 diopters. Occasionally, a need arises in a zero-power or negative-power lens element of an IOL implant. This happens in cases of high myopia, when correcting such condition requires the optical power of the eye lens to be zero or negative (for instance, -3 diopters). In such cases, at least one of the lens elements of an IOL can be planar or even concave, for example, spherical concave.

[0030] Surgical technique

[0031] As used herein, the term "capsulorhexis" refers to a surgical technique used to remove the lens capsule during cataract surgery by means of creating continuous curvilinear capsulotomy of circular shape in the central portion of the lens capsular bag. The surgical implantation technique that can be employed to insert any of the devices disclosed herein is described below with references to FIG. 6A through FIG. 6E.

[0032] FIG. 6A illustrates a natural state of the capsular bag of an eye of a mammal, e.g. a human, with the lens inside. FIG. 6B illustrates creation of the anterior capsolurhexis opening. The edges if the capsular bag that form the opening are referred to as capsolorhexis edge. FIG. 6B illustrates a capsular bag having a portion of its anterior wall removed to create an anterior capsulorhexis opening. The edge of the anterior capsulorhexis opening is referred herein as anterior capsolorhexis edge. FIG. 6C illustrates the capsular bag having portions of both its anterior wall and its posterior wall removed to create an anterior and a posterior openings. The edge of the posterior capsulorhexis opening is referred herein as the posterior capsolorhexis edge. FIG. 6D illustrates an IOL implant of the present invention inserted into the capsular bag. FIG. 6E illustrates both the anterior and the posterior capsulorhexis edges inserted into the circumferential grooves of the IOL implant.

[0033] A person of ordinary skill in the art of ophthalmology would understand that after anterior capsulorhexis is performed, lens nucleus and cortical material are removed. The circular capsulorhexis can be performed manually or with a laser. By pressing on the lens optic with the instrument introduced through the main or an additional incision, it can be displaced backwards and the posterior capsule is inserted into the posterior lens groove. Then with the same (or different) instrument capsulorhexis edges can be guided into the circumferential grooves. [0034] In example embodiments, the lens element having an optical power can be spherical biconvex although other configurations and shapes may be employed. The lens element can be constructed of any of the currently used materials for rigid optics such as polymethylmetacrylate (PMMA), or deformable optics such as silicone polymeric materials, acrylic polymeric materials, hydrogel forming polymeric materials and mixtures of these materials. The lens element materials used can be coated with chemicals for various purposes, as known in the art. The diameter of the lens element can be variable. The lens element can be designed for monofocal or multifocal purposes.

[0035] The haptic elements can be constructed from a pliable material, such as PMMA, polypropylene, silicone, or acrylic. The haptic elements can be of various shapes. Two haptic elements can be of different shapes. In example embodiments, the haptic elements can be perforated for both fixation or rotation purposes.

[0036] While this invention has been particularly shown and described with references to example embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention encompassed by the appended claims.