APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR IMPLANTING INTRAOCULAR LENS THROUGH A SMALL INCISION

摘要

Apparatus and method for implantation of intraocular lenses (IOLs) with various designs, particularly a full-size IOL, into the eye through small incisions are disclosed. A full-size intraocular lens mimics the natural human crystalline lens in size and volume. The SMART^TM IOL, a full-size design, utilizes the thermodynamic properties of a crystalline polymeric material composition. The insertion apparatus and method of the present invention allow the full-size SMART^TM IOL to be inserted through a small incision (about 4 mm or less) by deforming it with a crimping device into a solid rod and delivering the rod into the eye with a temperature-controlled injector equipped with a temperature control device. Once the solid rod is located in the desired position inside the eye, human body temperature softens the rod and allows it to reform back into the original lens geometry with defined optical properties.