Intraocular Lens Packaging
An IOL package, comprising a container comprising a first surface and containing a liquid inside, a holder comprising a second surface and a handle with a gripping surface, an IOL held inside said container by said holder, and a lid stock attached to said first surface and said second surface, so as to form a first liquid barrier with said container and a second liquid barrier with said holder. Accordingly, the gripping surface is protected from the liquid.
The present invention relates to containers for holding intraocular lenses (IOLs), and more particularly to containers for maintaining an IOL in a liquid.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONIOLs are artificial lenses used to replace natural crystalline lenses of patients' when their natural lenses are diseased or otherwise impaired. Under some circumstances a natural lens may remain in a patient's eye together with an implanted IOL. IOLs may be placed in either the posterior chamber or the anterior chamber of an eye. IOLs come in a variety of configurations and materials (e.g., hydrophilic materials or hydrophobic materials). Various inserter instruments and methods for implanting such IOLs in an eye are known. Typically, an incision is made in a patient's cornea and an IOL is inserted into the eye through the incision. In one technique, a surgeon uses surgical forceps to grasp the IOL and insert it through the incision into the eye. While this technique is still practiced today, more and more surgeons are using IOL injectors, which offer advantages such as affording a surgeon more control when inserting an IOL into an eye and permitting insertion of IOLs through smaller incisions.
IOLs are packaged and presented to an operating room facility in a primary package (i.e. in a package capable of maintaining an IOL in a sterile state). Configuration of a package in a manner that facilitates removal and readying for use with an inserter is important to efficient, clean, and accurate IOL insertion.
IOLs made of hydrophylic materials (e.g., hydrophilic acrylics) present a particular issue during loading the IOL. The liquid (e.g., saline) in which the IOL is packaged tends to be difficult to control. Spillage or leakage or, general, a lack of control of liquid matter during loading and insertion process may cause a surgeon reduced tactile control or other consternation.
SUMMARYAspects of the present invention are directed to an IOL package that provides increased liquid control. In particular, the package is constructed in a manner such that a gripping surface on an IOL holder is disposed so as to be maintained in a sterile state, yet protected from the liquid.
Aspects of the invention are directed to an IOL package, comprising a container comprising a first surface containing a liquid inside, a holder comprising a second surface and a handle with a gripping surface, an IOL held inside said container by said holder, and a lid stock attached to said first surface and said second surface, so as to form a first liquid barrier with said container and a second liquid barrier with said holder, whereby the gripping surface is protected from the liquid.
In some embodiments, the holder comprises a recess and said handle is formed in said recess. The first liquid barrier may be a sterile barrier.
The IOL may be directly connected to the holder or the IOL may be coupled to the holder by one or more intermediary components. In some embodiments, the one or more intermediary components comprise a shuttle having a lumen extending therethrough. The IOL may be disposed in the shuttle in an unstressed state.
Illustrative, non-limiting embodiments of the present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the same reference number is used to designate the same or similar components in different figures, and in which:
Aspects of the present invention are directed to an IOL package comprising elements as follows: a container including a first surface and containing a liquid inside, a holder including a second surface and a handle with a gripping surface, an IOL held inside said container by said holder, and a lid stock. The lid stock is attached to said first surface and said second surface so as to form a liquid barrier with both said container and said holder. The gripping surface is disposed so as to be protected from the liquid.
As is described in greater detail below, according to aspects of the present invention, the container comprises a first surface 112 and the holder comprises a second surface 138. The lid stock (shown in
In the fully packaged state, the lid stock is attached to the first surface and the second surface, so as to form a first liquid barrier with said container and a second liquid barrier with said holder. It will be appreciated that, in the illustrated embodiment, the lid stock attachment to first surface 112 prevents leakage of the liquid from the package; and the second surface keeps the liquid from reaching the gripping surface of the holder 130. That is, the gripping surface is disposed so as to be protected from the liquid. It will be appreciated that holder 130 is configured so as not to permit transmission of the liquid through the holder to the gripping surface (e.g., no holes or conduits permitting fluid flow to the gripping surface).
Either one or both of the attachments of the lid stock to the first surface and the second surface may form a sterile barrier. However, it will be appreciated that the attachment at the first barrier will typically be sterile since it prevents communication of the outside environment with the inside of the container where the IOL (shown in
It will be appreciated that liquid is prevented from reaching the gripping surface 134 (shown in
The container and holder may be made of any suitable material (e.g., polypropylene). The lid stock may comprise any suitable material or materials that are suitable for forming a seal with the container. The lid stock may be connected to the container and holder using any suitable sealing technology (e.g., heat, RF or adhesive). Technologies for forming liquid barriers or sterile barriers are known. For example, if the container and holder are made of polypropylene, the lid stock may comprise a foil with a film of polypropylene deposited thereon such that heat or RF energy can be applied to attach (i.e., seal) the lid stock with the container and holder.
Further details of the holding mechanism are given below with reference to
As discussed below, the shuttle is attached to one or more injector components when the injector is prepared for injection of the IOL into a patient's eye. In the illustrated embodiment, a lumen 172 extends through the shuttle so that a plunger (shown in
Referring again to
Holder 830 is directly connected to the IOL without an intermediary structure. In such embodiments, the IOL may be placed into an injector portion using the holder in preparation for subsequent ejection of the IOL from the injector into a patient's eye. The holder may constitute a lens folder device to permit folding of the lens prior to loading of the lens into an injector. For example, forces F may be applied to presses 810 and 812 as indicated in
Having thus described the inventive concepts and a number of exemplary embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention may be implemented in various ways, and that modifications and improvements will readily occur to such persons. Thus, the embodiments are not intended to be limiting and presented by way of example only. The invention is limited only as required by the following claims and equivalents thereto.
Claims
1. An IOL package, comprising:
- a container comprising a first surface, containing a liquid inside;
- a holder, comprising a second surface and a handle with a gripping surface;
- an IOL held inside said container by said holder; and
- a lid stock attached to said first surface and said second surface, so as to form a first liquid barrier with said container and a second liquid barrier with said holder, whereby the gripping surface is protected from the liquid.
2. The IOL package of claim 1, wherein the holder comprises a recess and said handle is formed in said recess.
3. The IOL package of claim 1, wherein said first liquid barrier is a sterile barrier.
4. The IOL package of claim 1, wherein the container and holder are configured such the liquid can contact the lid stock.
5. The IOL package of claim 1, wherein the IOL is directly connected to the holder.
6. The IOL package of claim 1, wherein the IOL is coupled to the holder by one or more intermediary components.
7. The IOL package of claim 6, wherein the one or more intermediary components comprise a shuttle having a lumen extending therethrough.
8. The IOL package of claim 7, wherein the IOL is disposed in the shuttle in an unstressed state.
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 30, 2007
Publication Date: Mar 5, 2009
Inventor: Brian D. Rathert (Largo, FL)
Application Number: 11/847,398
International Classification: B65D 81/22 (20060101);