Patents Assigned to Alcon, Inc.
  • Publication number: 20240216172
    Abstract: An ocular implant delivery system is provided with a number of features. In some embodiments, the delivery system comprises a rotation mechanism configured to rotate and orient a cannula of the system, and an advancement mechanism configured to advance and retract an ocular implant through the delivery system and into an eye of a patient. In some embodiments, the cannula is sized and configured to be inserted into Schlemm's canal of the eye. The ocular implant is configured to maintain its orientation within the delivery system as the cannula is rotated. In some embodiments, the ocular implant automatically disengages the delivery system when it is advanced beyond a distal tip of the delivery system. Methods of implanting an ocular implant are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2024
    Publication date: July 4, 2024
    Applicant: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: John WARDLE, Andrew T. SCHIEBER
  • Publication number: 20240207014
    Abstract: A tracking system for quantifying retinal traction on a retina of a patient eye includes an indicator device, a stereo camera, and an electronic control unit (ECU). The stereo camera collects and outputs stereo image data. The ECU, which is in communication with the indicator device, executes a method by receiving the stereo image data from the stereo camera during an ophthalmic procedure and thereafter assigning tracking points as coinciding pixels within stereo image pairs. The ECU also automatically performs a digital image correlation (DIC) process using the stereo image pairs to ascertain relative motion of the tracking points, and associates relative motion of the tracking points with the retinal traction using a traction map. A numeric traction quotient is generated that is indicative of magnitude of retinal traction. The ECU executes a control action using the indicator device based on the numeric traction quotient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2024
    Publication date: June 27, 2024
    Applicant: ALCON INC.
    Inventor: Niccolo Maschio
  • Patent number: 12016796
    Abstract: An ocular implant having an inlet portion and a Schlemm's canal portion distal to the inlet portion, the inlet portion being disposed at a proximal end of the implant and sized and configured to be placed within an anterior chamber of a human eye, the Schlemm's canal portion being arranged and configured to be disposed within Schlemm's canal of the eye when the inlet portion is disposed in the anterior chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew T. Schieber, Charles L. Euteneuer
  • Patent number: 12011393
    Abstract: In certain embodiments, a system for sensing occlusions in an optical system includes a first laser source configured to generate optical signals and a set of optical elements arranged to receive the optical signals from the first laser source and to direct the optical signals along a beam path. The system also includes a detector arranged to receive reflections of the optical signals traveling along at least a portion of the beam path and a control system communicably coupled to the detector. The control system is configured to detect, based on signals generated by the detector, reflection signals associated with the reflections of the optical signals, and disable a second laser source based on detection of the reflection signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2024
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Gerald David Bacher, Nikki Koe, Bruno Lassalas, Alireza Mirsepassi, Dean Richardson, Ronald T. Smith
  • Patent number: 12004823
    Abstract: Ophthalmic surgical systems and methods for displaying graphical user interfaces in ophthalmic surgical systems are disclosed. An example ophthalmic surgical system has alternative setup conditions, and a host computer is configured to detect the setup condition and to display on a display screen a graphical user interface corresponding to the detected setup condition. The alternative setup conditions may be based upon a configuration of an ophthalmic surgical console and/or based upon which type of fluidics cassette is installed on the ophthalmic surgical console. In some embodiments, the host computer is configured to display on the display screen a graphical user interface that graphically indicates the instrument ports that are available and/or that are not available for instrument connections in the detected setup condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2024
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Kyle Carbone, Cory Costantino, Sean Christopher Madden, Prateet Verma
  • Patent number: 11999908
    Abstract: Described herein is a cost-effective and time-efficient method for producing photochromic contact lenses, in particular, preferably photochromic silicone hydrogel contact lenses, from a polymerizable composition comprising an unique selection and combination of main polymerizable components, a photochromic compound and a visible-light photoinitiator, based on the Lightstream Technology™. This invention also provides photochromic contact lenses or more preferably photochromic silicone hydrogel contact lenses made according to a method of the invention. A photochromic contact lens of the invention is capable of undergoing a reversible color change upon exposure to UV-irradiation or high-energy-violet light (HEVL) (with wavelengths from 380 nm to 440 nm).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2024
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Feng Jing, Frank Chang, Houliang Tang
  • Patent number: 11998445
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices for inserting an intraocular lens (IOL) assembly into an eye may be provided. An apparatus for delivery of a lens component into an eye may include a housing. The apparatus may further include a plunger at least partially disposed in the housing, wherein the housing comprises an elongated portion and a viscoelastic soft tip at a distal end of the elongated portion, wherein the viscoelastic soft tip has a storage modulus of about 1 megapascal (MPa) to about 300 MPa and a loss module of about 1 MPa to about 300 MPa. The apparatus may further include a drive mechanism operatively coupled to plunger and configured to cause the plunger to translate in the housing. The apparatus may further include a nozzle operatively coupled to the housing through which the plunger delivers the lens component into the eye.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2024
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventor: Mark Andrew Zielke
  • Patent number: 11998483
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to microsurgical instruments having variable stiffness such as microsurgical instruments having variable stiffness for ophthalmic surgical procedures. In one embodiment, a surgical instrument includes a probe and a stiffener assembly. The stiffener assembly further includes a stiffener formed of a hollow tubular member substantially surrounding at least a portion of a length of the probe. Actuation of the stiffener along the length of the probe adjusts the stiffness of the probe, thus providing a user better control of the surgical instrument.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2024
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Bill Chen, James Y. Chon, John R. Underwood
  • Patent number: 11992437
    Abstract: An ocular implant adapted to be disposed within Schlemm's canal of a human eye with a body extending along a curved longitudinal central axis in a curvature plane, a first strut on one side of the implant and a second strut on an opposite side of the implant, the circumferential extent of the first strut with respect to the plane of curvature being greater than the circumferential extent of the second strut with respect to the plane of curvature. The invention also includes methods of using the implant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: John Wardle, Andrew T. Schieber
  • Publication number: 20240164850
    Abstract: A visualization system for an ophthalmic procedure on a target eye, e.g., lens replacement surgery, includes first and second light sources respectively operable for directing visible and NIR light toward the target eye. A hot mirror directs reflected light from the eye along two paths, i.e., a visible light path for reflected visible light and an NIR light path for reflected NIR light. First and second cameras are respectively positioned in the visible and NR light paths to detect the reflected visible or NIR light and output a visible or NIR image. An electronic control unit (ECU) executes a method to detect a perimeter edge of an imaged portion of the target eye in the NIR image using edge detection logic, merges the visible image with the NIR image to construct a combined image, and indicates the perimeter edge in the combined image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2023
    Publication date: May 23, 2024
    Applicant: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Maximiliano Ramirez Luna, Hillary Schatz, John Park
  • Patent number: 11986240
    Abstract: A system for guiding an ophthalmic procedure is disclosed. The system includes a housing assembly with a head unit configured to be at least partially directed towards a target site in an eye. An optical coherence tomography (OCT) module and stereoscopic visualization camera are at least partially located in the head unit and configured to obtain a first set and a second set of volumetric data, respectively. A controller is configured to register the first set and second set of volumetric data to create a third set of registered volumetric data. The third set and second set of registered volumetric data are rendered, via a volumetric render module, to a first and second region. The first region and the second region are overlaid to obtain a shared composite view of the target site. The controller is configured to extract structural features and/or enable visualization of the target site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Ashok Burton Tripathi, George Charles Polchin, Maximiliano Ramirez Luna, Patrick Terry, Thomas Paul Riederer
  • Patent number: 11980575
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a multi-core optical fiber cable (MCF). In some embodiments, an MCF comprises a plurality of cores surrounded by a cladding and a coating surrounding the cladding, wherein a refractive index of one or more of the plurality of cores is greater than a refractive index of the cladding. The MCF further comprises a probe comprising a probe tip coupled with a distal end of the MCF and a lens located at a distal end of the probe tip. In some embodiments, the lens is configured to translate laser light from the distal end of the MCF to create a multi-spot pattern of laser beams on a target surface and a distal end of the MCF terminates at an interface with the lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Chenguang Diao, Mark Harrison Farley, Alireza Mirsepassi, Ronald T. Smith, Dean Richardson
  • Publication number: 20240148554
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for adjusting an intraocular lens (IOL) with optical coherence tomography (OCT) guidance. The IOL can comprise an optic portion and a plurality of haptics. In one embodiment, a method can comprise directing a laser beam generated by a laser system at a composite material making up part of the IOL. At least part of the composite material can expand in volume in response to the laser beam directed at the composite material. The method can also comprise measuring a volume change of the composite material or a change in at least part of the IOL by analyzing OCT images produced by an OCT imaging apparatus and determining a change in a base power of the IOL based on the measurements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2023
    Publication date: May 9, 2024
    Applicant: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Sumit PALIWAL, Zsolt BOR
  • Patent number: 11974642
    Abstract: A lens care container (1), in particular for contact lenses such as hard or soft contact lenses, comprises: a receptacle (2) for receiving a lens and a lens care liquid, a cap (3) configured to be attached to the receptacle (2) to close the receptacle (2), a sensor (5) configured to indicate an actual loading of the container (1) with germs or configured to indicate a pH value of the lens care liquid in the receptacle (2). The sensor (5) is arranged in the receptacle (2) when the cap (3) is attached to the receptacle (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Roger Biel, Matthias Schwab, Justyna Justynska-Reimann
  • Patent number: 11975499
    Abstract: Described herein is a method for producing photochromic contact lenses, in particular, photochromic silicone hydrogel contact lenses. The method comprises a step of cast molding of a lens-forming composition including a vinylic monomer having a primary amino or thiolactone group to form an unprocessed contact lens having the polymer matrix of which have pendant primary amino or thiolactone groups, a step of one-pot multistep reactions based on thiolactone chemistry (aminolysis and thiol-induced graft polymerization of a photochromic vinylic monomer to the polymer matrix) which are carried out only in its central region which is circular and concentric with the central axis of the unprocessed contact lens. The obtained photochromic contact lens has a central pupillary region that only can undergo a reversible color change upon exposure to UV/HEVL-radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Yuan Chang, Junhao Ge, Steve Yun Zhang
  • Patent number: 11975881
    Abstract: A carrier (1) for the simultaneous measurement of sealing temperature, sealing time and sealing force in a primary packaging line for ophthalmic lenses comprises a temperature sensing plate (2), a force sensing plate (3), and a supporting plate (4). Temperature sensing plate (2) is arranged atop force sensing plate (3), which is arranged atop supporting plate (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Jens Wolfstädter, Alfred Fischer, Felix Brinckmann, Nils Schweizer
  • Publication number: 20240138675
    Abstract: A visualization system for dynamically visualizing an eye includes a laser module operable for outputting a primary laser beam along a beam axis, a beam splitter positioned in the beam axis and configured to direct a first beam portion along the beam axis and a second beam portion along a detection axis that is orthogonal to the beam axis. A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) scanner is arranged on the beam axis and configured, in response to the first beam portion, to output a scanning laser along a visualization path. An avalanche photodiode (APD) detector receives the second beam portion. A 4F correlator optical system has a spatial filter arranged along the visualization path. An optional optical flat may be disposed between the eye and the 4F correlator optical system to achieve stereo parallax.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2023
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Applicant: Alcon Inc.
    Inventor: Steven T. Charles
  • Patent number: 11969215
    Abstract: System and method for imaging a target site with a housing assembly having a head unit configured to be at least partially directed towards the target site. An optical coherence tomography (OCT) module and stereoscopic visualization camera are at least partially located in the head unit and configured to obtain a first set and a second of volumetric data of the target site, respectively. A controller is configured to register the first set of volumetric data with the second set of volumetric data to create a third set of registered volumetric data. The third set of registered volumetric data and second set of volumetric data are rendered, via a volumetric render module, to a first and second region. The first region and the second region are overlaid to obtain a composite shared view of the target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Ashok Burton Tripathi, George Charles Polchin, Maximiliano Ramirez Luna, Patrick Terry, Thomas Paul Riederer
  • Patent number: 11974053
    Abstract: A stereoscopic imaging platform includes a stereoscopic camera configured to record left and right images of a target site. A robotic arm is operatively connected to the stereoscopic camera, the robotic arm being adapted to selectively move the stereoscopic camera relative to the target. The stereoscopic camera includes a lens assembly having at least one lens and defining a working distance. The lens assembly has at least one focus motor adapted to move the at least one lens to selectively vary the working distance. A controller is adapted to selectively execute one or more automatic focusing modes for the stereoscopic camera. The automatic focusing modes include a continuous autofocus mode adapted to maintain a focus of the at least one stereoscopic image while the robotic arm is moving the stereoscopic camera and the target site is moving along at least an axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Alcon, Inc.
    Inventor: Patrick Terry
  • Patent number: D1029239
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Niels Alexander Abt, Reto Grüebler, Simon Nicola Kunz, Niccolo Maschio, Christoph Siegenthaler