US-12622777-B2 - Haptic management for surgical implants

Abstract

An apparatus that can be used to fold an intraocular lens or other implant before inserting it into an eye in various locations using variable surgical techniques. Some embodiments may comprise or consist essentially of a haptic folding mechanism configured to fold one or more haptics onto the top of an optic prior to the optic being folded into a nozzle. In some embodiments, a leading haptic lifter or lifting mechanism can be configured to raise and constrain a leading haptic during implant delivery. This leading haptic folding mechanism can actively lift the leading haptic onto the top of the optic.

Inventors

• Yinghui Wu
• Harlen Hoang
• Nerea Garcia Ramila

Assignees

• ALCON INC.

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20220816

Claims (18)

1. 1 . An apparatus for eye surgery, the apparatus comprising: an implant bay; an implant disposed in the implant bay, the implant comprising an optic body, a leading haptic, and a trailing haptic; a haptic lifter comprising a lifter arm and a lever arm coupled to the lifter arm, wherein the lever arm is configured to rotate the lifter arm in the implant bay from a first position to a second position, and the lifter arm is configured to engage the leading haptic between the first position and the second position to lift the leading haptic relative to the optic body; and a plunger configured to advance the optic body under the leading haptic with the lifter arm in the second position.
2. 2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the haptic lifter is configured to retain the implant in the implant bay if the lifter arm is in the first position.
3. 3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the lifter arm is configured to retain the implant in the implant bay in the first position.
4. 4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the lever arm is configured to rotate the lifter arm about ninety degrees from the first position.
5. 5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the lever arm is configured to rotate the lifter arm less than ninety degrees from the first position.
6. 6 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the lever arm is configured to rotate the lifter arm about ten to twenty degrees from the first position.
7. 7 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein, in the first position, the lifter arm is in contact with a base of the implant bay.
8. 8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the lifter arm comprises a distal end having a haptic constraint.
9. 9 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the lever arm comprises a first detent configured to hold the lifter arm in the first position.
10. 10 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the lever arm comprises a second detent configured to hold the lifter arm in the second position.
11. 11 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising the plunger having a distal end configured to fold the trailing haptic over the optic body.
12. 12 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plunger is configured to advance the optic body until the leading haptic is released from the lifter arm and falls onto the optic body.
13. 13 . An apparatus for eye surgery, the apparatus comprising: a nozzle; an implant bay coupled to the nozzle, the implant bay comprising a base, a cap coupled to the base to form a cavity within the implant bay, and a retention clip; an implant disposed in the cavity, the implant comprising an optic body, a leading haptic, and a trailing haptic; a haptic lifter comprising a lifter arm, a lever arm, and a pin between the lifter arm and the lever arm, the haptic lifter disposed through the cap so that the lifter arm is at least partially disposed within the cavity, the lever arm is at least partially exposed external to the implant bay, the retention clip engages the pin, the haptic lifter is rotatable about the pin to move the lifter arm from a first position to a second position, and the lifter arm is configured to engage the leading haptic between the first position and the second position to lift the leading haptic relative to the optic body; and an actuator coupled to the base, the actuator configured to advance the implant from the implant bay into the nozzle with the lifter arm in the second position, wherein the actuator comprises a plunger having a distal end configured to fold the trailing haptic over the optic body.
14. 14 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the lifter arm is configured to retain the optic body within the implant bay if the lifter arm is in the first position.
15. 15 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the lifter arm comprises an optic stop configured to retain the optic body within the implant bay if the lifter arm is in the first position.
16. 16 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the plunger configured to advance the optic body under the leading haptic with the lifter arm in the second position.
17. 17 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the plunger configured to advance the optic body under the leading haptic with the lifter arm in the second position until the leading haptic is released from the lifter arm and falls onto the optic body.
18. 18 . An apparatus for eye surgery, the apparatus comprising: a nozzle; an implant bay coupled to the nozzle, the implant bay comprising a base, a cap coupled to the base to form a cavity within the implant bay, and a retention clip; an implant disposed in the cavity, the implant comprising an optic body, a leading haptic, and a trailing haptic; a haptic lifter comprising a lifter arm, a lever arm, and a pin between the lifter arm and the lever arm, the haptic lifter disposed through the cap so that the lifter arm is at least partially disposed within the cavity, the lever arm is at least partially exposed external to the implant bay, the retention clip engages the pin, the haptic lifter is rotatable about the pin to move the lifter arm from a first position to a second position, and the lifter arm is configured to engage the leading haptic between the first position and the second position to lift the leading haptic relative to the optic body; and an actuator coupled to the base, the actuator configured to advance the implant from the implant bay into the nozzle with the lifter arm in the second position, wherein the actuator comprises a plunger configured to advance the optic body under the leading haptic with the lifter arm in the second position.

Description

PRIORITY CLAIM This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/250,467 titled “HAPTIC MANAGEMENT FOR SURGICAL IMPLANTS,” filed on Sep. 30, 2021, whose inventors are Yinghui Wu, Harlen Hoang and Nerea Garcia Ramila, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety as though fully and completely set forth herein. TECHNICAL FIELD The invention set forth in the appended claims relates generally to eye surgery, including, without limitation, systems, apparatuses, and methods for inserting an implant into an eye. BACKGROUND The human eye can suffer from a variety of maladies causing mild deterioration to complete loss of vision. While contact lenses and eyeglasses can compensate for some ailments, ophthalmic surgery may be required for others. In some instances, implants may be beneficial or desirable. For example, an intraocular lens may replace a clouded natural lens within an eye to improve vision. While the benefits of intraocular lenses and other implants are known, improvements to delivery systems, components, and processes continue to improve outcomes and benefit patients. BRIEF SUMMARY New and useful systems, apparatuses, and methods for eye surgery are set forth in the appended claims. Illustrative embodiments are also provided to enable a person skilled in the art to make and use the claimed subject matter. For example, some embodiments may be used to fold and compress an intraocular lens or other optical implant before inserting it into the eye in various locations using variable surgical techniques. Such embodiments may comprise or consist essentially of a haptic folding mechanism configured to fold one or more haptics onto the top of an optic prior to the optic being folded into a nozzle. In some embodiments, a leading haptic lifter or lifting mechanism can be configured to raise and constrain a leading haptic during implant delivery. This leading haptic folding mechanism can actively lift the leading haptic and allow it to fall onto the top of the optic. More generally, some embodiments of an apparatus for eye surgery may comprise an implant bay, an implant disposed in the implant bay, and a haptic lifter. The implant may comprise an optic body, a leading haptic, and a trailing haptic, and the haptic lifter may comprise a lifter arm and a lever arm. The lever arm may be configured to rotate the lifter arm in the implant bay from a first position to a second position. The lifter arm may be configured to engage the leading haptic between the first position and the second position to lift the leading haptic relative to the optic body. In more particular embodiments, the lifter arm may be configured to retain the implant in the implant bay in the first position. Some embodiments of the apparatus may additionally comprise a plunger configured to advance the optic body under the leading haptic with the lifter arm in the second position. In other embodiments, an apparatus may comprise a nozzle and an implant bay coupled to the nozzle. The implant bay may comprise a base, a cap coupled to the base to form a cavity within the implant bay, and a retention clip. An implant, such as an intraocular lens, may be disposed between the base and the cap. The implant may comprise an optic body, a leading haptic, and a trailing haptic. The apparatus may further comprise a haptic lifter having a lifter arm, a lever arm, and a pin between the lifter arm and the lever arm. The haptic lifter may be disposed through the cap so that the lifter arm is at least partially disposed between the base and the cap, and the lever arm is at least partially exposed external to the implant bay. The retention clip may engage the pin so that the haptic lifter is rotatable about the pin to move the lifter arm from a first position to a second position, and the lifter arm can be configured to engage the leading haptic between the first position and the second position to lift the leading haptic relative to the optic body. An actuator may be coupled to the base and may be configured to advance the implant from the implant bay into the nozzle if the lifter arm is in the second position. In other embodiments, an apparatus for managing an intraocular lens or other implant may comprise a base and a cap coupled to the base to form a cavity for holding the intraocular lens between the base and the cap. The apparatus may further comprise a pin and a retention clip configured to rotatably couple the pin to the cap. A lifter arm may be coupled to the pin and at least partially disposed in the cavity between the base and the cap, and a lever arm may be coupled to the pin and at least partially exposed above the cap. The lever arm may be configured to move the pin to rotate the lifter arm from a first position to a second position, and the lifter arm may be configured to engage a leading haptic of the intraocular lens as the lifter arm moves from the first position to the second position, whic