Canoe apparatus for inserting intra-ocular lens into the eye

摘要

There is disclosed herein an apparatus and method for curling and confining a flexible lens and for inserting and injecting the same into the eye. The apparatus includes an insertion cartridge including an insertion tip having a lens holder in the form of a "canoe," a constricting sleeve for causing the lens to curl within the tip, and a plunger for moving the lens out of the tip and injecting the same into the eye. The injection tip is configured in a particular manner to enable the lens to uncurl gently and thereby be gently inserted into the eye. There also is disclosed a hand held instrument for holding and manipulating the lens insertion cartridge, and a control unit and control system for controlling advancement of the lens out of the lens cartridge. Also disclosed is a lens cartridge loader which allows a physician to load an intra-ocular lens into the lens cartridge in a simple, one handed operation.