Patents Assigned to Alcon, Inc.
  • Patent number: 12324605
    Abstract: A cannula with an augmented frictional surface to enhance physical security thereof. The augmented surface may be of unique morphology with rows or ribs. The ribs may be continuous or individual projections. They may be horizontal or screw-like. In one embodiment of screw-like ribs, rotations during placement and removal of the cannula may be employed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2025
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventor: Niels Alexander Abt
  • Publication number: 20250177121
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for compensating for a tilt of an intraocular lens (IOL) and systems and methods for adjusting the IOL. For example, one of the methods can comprise capturing one or more optical coherence tomography (OCT) images of an eye of a subject when the IOL is implanted within the eye of the subject. The method can also comprise generating a fixation target such that the fixation target is visible to the eye of the subject and moving the fixation target until a transverse plane of the IOL is perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to an optical axis of an ophthalmic system. The method can also comprise directing a laser beam generated by a laser of the ophthalmic system at the IOL.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2025
    Publication date: June 5, 2025
    Applicant: Alcon Inc.
    Inventor: Zsolt BOR
  • Patent number: 12318343
    Abstract: Particular embodiments disclosed herein provide a retina massage and smoothing device. In certain embodiments, the device comprises a tip configured to be used for manipulating a surface of a retina inside an eye, and a shaft coupled to the tip, the shaft having a proximal end configured to be coupled to a handle, wherein the shaft is further configured to be at least partially housed by an outer tube of the handle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2025
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Niccolo Maschio, Reto Grueebler, Timo Jung
  • Patent number: 12323749
    Abstract: A method for enhancing digital images during an eye surgery includes producing warm white light via a lighting source by blocking blue and green wavelengths of light using an excitation filter. The method includes illuminating a pupil and iris of the eye with the warm white light during the eye surgery and collecting digital images of target anatomy using a digital camera. Within the images, a processor digitally isolates a pupil pixel region from an iris pixel region and adjusts a characteristic of constituent pixels of one of the regions. The method may be performed by executing instructions from a computer-readable storage medium to enhance a red reflex at predetermined stages of an eye surgery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2024
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2025
    Assignee: Alcon, Inc.
    Inventors: Gillian Myers, Alan Fridman, Maximiliano Ramirez Luna
  • Patent number: 12318279
    Abstract: Delivery devices for delivering an ophthalmic device into an eye. In some embodiments the delivery devices are adapted to deliver an intraocular lens into an eye.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2025
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Terah Whiting Smiley, John A. Scholl, David John Smith, Russell J. Redmond, Derek L. Moran, Barry Cheskin, John Reggie, Gregory Vinton Matthews, Claudio Argento
  • Patent number: 12318280
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatuses for removably attaching a drive mechanism handpiece to an intraocular lens (IOL) cartridge that folds the IOL upon removal of a cap, are provided. The IOL cartridge comprises a nozzle and a housing comprising a slide. A compartment configured to receive an IOL is disposed within the housing. An interior portion of the slide is exposed to the compartment. The nozzle is in fluid communication with the compartment. The cap covers the nozzle and the slide. The cap is configured to expose the nozzle and advance the slide to fold the IOL upon removal of the cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2025
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Sudarshan B. Singh, Todd Taber, Yinghui Wu, Douglas Brent Wensrich, Sam Jang, Chris Pinkham
  • Patent number: 12310842
    Abstract: Various systems and techniques for inserting an intraocular lens are disclosed. In particular implementations, a system and a technique for inserting an intraocular lens may include the ability to move, in response to a force being applied in a first direction along a longitudinal axis, a first plunger tip along the longitudinal axis and into a delivery cartridge to fold an intraocular lens and move in a second direction along the longitudinal axis in response to the applied force being reduced. The system and the technique may also include the ability to engage a second plunger tip and move, in response to a force being applied in the first direction along the longitudinal axis, the second plunger tip along the longitudinal axis and into the delivery cartridge to insert the intraocular lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2025
    Assignee: ALCON INC.
    Inventor: Yinghui Wu
  • Patent number: 12311098
    Abstract: Control methods for generating a venturi vacuum in a substantially oscillation-free manner for a surgical system. The control methods generally include utilizing real-time readings from a venturi vacuum generator inlet pressure transducer and a vacuum pressure transducer on the vacuum side of the venturi vacuum generator. These values may be employed in real-time to ascertain the emergence of an oscillation region on the vacuum side which may then be addressed by way of a bleed control proportional valve. When employed in combination with a throttle control proportional valve at the inlet side of the venturi vacuum generator, pressures may be manipulated in light of one another and/or individually as directed through a central controller. Thus, the presentation of oscillations on the vacuum side may be avoided to provide for a more stable vacuum supported surgical procedure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2025
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventor: Jiansheng Zhou
  • Patent number: 12311621
    Abstract: The invention is related to a cost-effective method for making a silicone hydrogel contact lens having a crosslinked hydrophilic coating thereon. A method of the invention involves heating a silicone hydrogel contact lens in an aqueous solution in the presence of a water-soluble, highly branched, thermally-crosslinkable hydrophilic polymeric material having positively-charged azetidinium groups, to and at a temperature from about 40° C. to about 140° C. for a period of time sufficient to covalently attach the thermally-crosslinkable hydrophilic polymeric material onto the surface of the silicone hydrogel contact lens through covalent linkages each formed between one azetidinium group and one of the reactive functional groups on and/or near the surface of the silicone hydrogel contact lens, thereby forming a crosslinked hydrophilic coating on the silicone hydrogel contact lens. Such method can be advantageously implemented directly in a sealed lens package during autoclave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2025
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Yongxing Qiu, Newton T. Samuel, John Dallas Pruitt, Chandana Kolluru, Arturo Norberto Medina, Lynn Cook Winterton, Daqing Wu, Xinming Qian, Jared Nelson
  • Publication number: 20250161111
    Abstract: Described herein are devices and methods for treating eye conditions. Described is an ocular implant including an elongate member having an internal lumen forming a flow pathway, at least one inflow port communicating with the flow pathway, and at least one outflow port communicating with the flow pathway. The elongate member is adapted to be positioned in the eye such that at least one inflow port communicates with the anterior chamber, at least one outflow port communicates with the suprachoroidal space to provide a fluid pathway between the anterior chamber and the suprachoroidal space when the elongate member is implanted in the eye. The elongate member has a wall material imparting a stiffness to the elongate member. The stiffness is selected such that after implantation the elongate member deforms eye tissue surrounding the suprachoroidal space forming a tented volume.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2025
    Publication date: May 22, 2025
    Applicant: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas A. SILVESTRINI, Eugene DE JUAN, JR.
  • Publication number: 20250165595
    Abstract: A system includes a machine learning (ML) engine in which a data store is coupled to a processing system. The processing system executes code to receive a dataset from the data store, and produces three models each comprising three tests. Each of the tests seeks to detect one of three anomaly types corresponding to each of the models. The processing system performs at least two of the three tests relating to each of the three anomaly types. Separately for each anomaly type, the processing system detects an anomaly when two-out-of-three (2oo3) tests conclude that the anomaly is present in the dataset. The dataset including the flagged anomalies is stored in a data repository. The anomaly is filtered from the dataset. The processing system is configured to use data from the dataset to retrain an existing trained ML model.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2024
    Publication date: May 22, 2025
    Applicant: Alcon, Inc
    Inventors: Shruti Siva Kumar, Thomas E. Jackson, Sinchan Bhattacharya, Ramesh Sarangapani, Uma Chandrashekhar, Pranava Kumar Vemula
  • Publication number: 20250166798
    Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus for displaying a fused reconstructed image with a multidimensional image are disclosed. An example imaging system receives a selection corresponding to a portion of a displayed multidimensional visualization of a surgical site. At the selected portion of the multidimensional visualization, the imaging system displays a portion of a three-dimensional image which corresponds to the selected multidimensional visualization such that the displayed portion of the at least one of the three-dimensional image or model is fused with the displayed multidimensional visualization.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2025
    Publication date: May 22, 2025
    Applicant: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Ashok Burton Tripathi, George Charles Polchin, Yen Ting Ng
  • Patent number: 12302010
    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 26, 2024
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2025
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventor: Patrick Terry
  • Publication number: 20250143923
    Abstract: A medical implant is disclosed. The medical implant includes a body having a first end having a first cross-sectional dimension, a second end having a second cross-sectional dimension, and a tapered portion extending between the first end and the second end. The first cross-sectional dimension is larger than the second cross-sectional dimension. In some embodiments, the body comprises multiple layers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2025
    Publication date: May 8, 2025
    Applicant: ALCON INC.
    Inventors: Thomas A. Shepard, Tyler Pegoraro, Stuart Williams, Sanjib Kumar Das, Leo Anthony Trevino, Cheng Li
  • Patent number: 12290435
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatuses for storing and/or shipping an intraocular lens (IOL) cartridge are provided. A system comprises a packaging comprising a passage. The IOL cartridge is removably disposed within the passage. The IOL cartridge comprises a nozzle and a compartment configured to receive an IOL. The nozzle is in fluid communication with the compartment. The IOL cartridge further comprises a dial configured to rotate upon withdrawal of the IOL cartridge from the passage, wherein an inner surface of the dial is exposed to the compartment. The dial is configured to fold the IOL and release the IOL cartridge from the packaging upon rotation of the dial.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2024
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2025
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Sudarshan B. Singh, Todd Taber, Yinghui Wu, Douglas Brent Wensrich, Trevor Haney, Andrew Check, Justin Benaquisto, Joe Marietta, Jonathan Penrod, Tim Laroy, Bryce Porter
  • Patent number: 12290312
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for measuring pulsed laser output. An example system comprises a laser configured to emit output in pulses; at least one sensor positioned to sense laser output and configured to convert that output into electrical signals; an edge detector configured to detect at least leading edges of a plurality of laser pulses; an analog to digital converter configured to convert electrical signals from a sensor into digital signals indicative of laser power output; and a controller; wherein, based on the detection of at least the leading edges of the laser pulses, the controller is configured to obtain samples of laser power output during each of the laser pulses. The system may use the samples of laser power output in a feedback loop to automatically adjust laser power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2025
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Gerald David Bacher, Derek Chen, Conrad Sawicz, Dan Teodorescu
  • Patent number: 12290281
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein provide devices, systems, and methods for instrument exchanges during ophthalmic surgery. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to valved cannula assemblies and methods of use thereof. A valved cannula assembly includes a cannula having a head at a proximal end of the cannula and a hollow rod extending from the head to a distal end of the cannula. The valved cannula assembly includes a valved hub coupled to the head and including a septum having two or more curved flaps configured to provide an opening for an instrument.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2025
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: James Y. Chon, Joel Cicchella, Robert Jeffrey Heng, Grace Chuang Liao, Ashish Sinha
  • Patent number: 12285329
    Abstract: A method and system provide an ophthalmic device. The ophthalmic device includes an ophthalmic lens having anterior surface, a posterior surface and at least one diffractive structure including a plurality of zones. The at least one diffractive structure is for at least one of the anterior surface and the posterior surface. Each zone includes at least one echelette having a least one step height. The step height(s) are individually optimized for each zone. To compensate chromatic aberration of eye from distance to a range of vision, a greater than 2? phase step height may be employed and the step height(s) folded by a phase, which is an integer multiple of two multiplied by ?. Hence chromatic aberration of eye may be compensated to improve vision from distance to near.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2024
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2025
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Xin Hong, Shinwook Lee
  • Patent number: 12285596
    Abstract: An intracameral injector needle having a substantially cylindrical body defining a longitudinal flow path therein, and having a proximal end, a distal end, an outer peripheral face and a bevel region. A first bevel of the bevel region has a first bevel angle with respect to the outer peripheral face. A second bevel of the bevel region extends from the first bevel to the proximal end. The second bevel includes a tip of the intracameral injector needle, and has a second bevel angle with respect to the outer peripheral face, where the second bevel angle is different from the first bevel angle, the first bevel and the second bevel defining a transition therebetween. The transition is at least one of: (1) longitudinally positioned between the tip of the intracameral injector needle and a location of a maximum width of the bevel region; and (2) vertically disposed at a position below 50% of a maximum height of the bevel region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2025
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Tomas Navratil, Akshay Nitish Nadkarni, Gretchen Willard, Andrew Corson, Matthew Walker
  • Patent number: 12286501
    Abstract: The invention provides a hydrophilized polydiorganosiloxane vinylic crosslinker which comprises (1) a polydiorganosiloxane polymer chain comprising dimethylsiloxane units and hydrophilized siloxane units each having one methyl substituent and one monovalent C4-C40 organic radical substituent having two to six hydroxyl groups, wherein the molar ratio of the hydrophilized siloxane units to the dimethylsiloxane units is from about 0.035 to about 0.15, and (2) two terminal (meth)acryloyl groups. The hydrophilized polydiorganosiloxane vinylic crosslinker has a number average molecular weight of from about 3000 Daltons to about 80,000 Daltons. The present invention is also related to a silicone hydrogel contact lens, which comprises repeating units derived from a hydrophilized polydiorganosiloxane vinylic crosslinker of the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2024
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2025
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Jinyu Huang, Frank Chang, Steve Yun Zhang, Feng Jing