Patents Assigned to Alcon, Inc.
  • Fine membrane forceps with integral scraping feature
    Patent number: 10864001
    Abstract: Membrane forceps for performing an ILM or ERM peel procedure include a handle, a tube extending from the handle, and forceps jaws extending from the tube. The forceps jaws may be configured to grasp an ILM or ERM, and may include an outer surface having a roughened surface. The roughened surface may be structurally configured to aid in gaining an edge of the ILM or ERM.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventor: Guido Vezzu
  • Tri-axial ergonomic footswitch
    Patent number: 10864054
    Abstract: A foot-operated controller includes a base configured to rest on a floor surface, and a movable contact surface coupled to the base. The contact surface includes an anterior region to support a toe region and a posterior region to support a heel region, and is configured to roll about a roll axis in response to inversion or eversion of a foot engaged with the contact surface, pitch about a pitch axis in response to plantar flexion or dorsiflexion of the foot, and yaw about a yaw axis in response to abduction or adduction of the foot. The roll, pitch, and yaw axes intersect at a point superior to the contact surface, and may align with the operator's ankle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Mauricio Jochinsen, Fred Mercado, Lingfeng Yu
  • Method and apparatus for the measurement of the refraction index of a hydrogel contact lens
    Patent number: 10859465
    Abstract: The invention is generally directed to an apparatus and a method for measuring a refractive index of a soft contact lens under a consistent pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: David Andrew Icenogle, Yeming Gu
  • Diverging light from fiber optics illumination delivery system
    Patent number: 10859748
    Abstract: An illumination fiber optics is provided that includes an optical fiber, configured to receive illumination light at a proximal end from a light source; and a light-scattering element, at a distal end of the optical fiber, configured to receive the illumination light from the optical fiber at a proximal end and to emit the illumination light at a distal end in a wide angle. The illumination fiber optics can be prepared by providing an optical fiber, configured to receive illumination light at a proximal end from a light source; and creating a light-scattering element at a distal end of the optical fiber, configured to receive the illumination light from the optical fiber at a proximal end and to emit the illumination light at a distal end in a wide angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Alireza Mirsepassi, Ronald T. Smith, Michael J. Papac, Chenguang Diao
  • Intraocular lens having hinged haptic structures
    Patent number: 10849737
    Abstract: An ophthalmic device includes an optic including an optic axis and a haptic structure coupled with the optic. The haptic structure includes an inner ring comprising a plurality of hinges such that portions of the inner ring reside at different radii from the optic axis. The haptic structure further includes a first loop extending from the inner ring and having two points of connection to the inner ring and a second loop extending from the inner ring and having two points of connection to the inner ring. The second loop is oriented opposite the first loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventor: William Jacob Spenner Dolla
  • Predictive apparatus for assisting a physician during ophthalmic surgery
    Patent number: 10842573
    Abstract: A method and system assist a physician in performing an ophthalmic surgery. The method includes receiving a quasi-real time image of at least a first portion of the eye. The at least the first portion of the eye includes an operating field for the ophthalmic surgery. A recommended next region and a recommended next procedure are determined based on the quasi-real time image and a computational model of the eye. An expected next result for the recommended next procedure is calculated using the quasi-real time image and the computational model. The recommended next region, the recommended next procedure and the expected result are provided to the physician.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Michael J. Papac, Robert Joseph Sanchez, Jr.
  • Method for producing silicone hydrogel contact lenses
    Patent number: 10843422
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to a method for producing inherently wettable silicone hydrogel contact lenses with a robusteness of lens shape and having relatively high oxygen permeability, relatively high equilibrium water content and relatively low elastic modulus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: Alcon, Inc.
    Inventors: Daqing Wu, Steve Yun Zhang, Xinming Qian, Zach Munoz, Frank Chang, Wei Liang, Ying Zheng, Richard Charles Breitkopf, Matthew D. Nelson, Augustine Twum Kumi
  • Intraocular lenses having zone-by-zone step height control
    Patent number: 10842617
    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: November 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Xin Hong, Shinwook Lee
  • Corneal marks in vision correction surgery
    Patent number: 10835420
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for marking an undeformed cornea with a mark to allow later detection of a selected location on the cornea after deformation and to systems of methods for performing vision correction surgery based on the mark.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Sissimos Lemonis, Joerg Klenke
  • Accommodating intraocular lenses and methods of use
    Patent number: 10835373
    Abstract: Accommodating intraocular lenses containing a flowable media and their methods of accommodation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Terah Whiting Smiley, David John Smith, Steven Choi, Henry Wu, John A. Scholl, Denise Horrilleno Burns
  • Patient adapter for an eye laser apparatus
    Patent number: 10835421
    Abstract: A patient adapter for an eye laser apparatus comprises a first partial adapter unit, including a suction ring portion to be placed on an eye and affixed on the eye by means of suction force, the suction ring portion having a ring axis; and a second partial adapter unit formed separately from the first partial adapter unit, the second partial adapter unit being configured for releasable coupling to the eye laser apparatus and including an eye contact element for shaping the surface of the eye, wherein the two partial adapter units are held together mechanically in a module between a first relative position, in which the eye contact element has a first axial position with respect to the suction ring portion, and a second relative position, in which the eye contact element has a second axial position with respect to the suction ring portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Deisinger, Daniel Thimm
  • Optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging surgical target tissue by nonlinear scanning of an eye
    Patent number: 10828198
    Abstract: Systems and techniques for laser surgery are described. Scan data may be created by determining a coordinate of the object at a set of points along an arc by the imaging system, wherein the coordinate of the object is a Z coordinate of an object layer. An object shape parameter and position parameter may be determined based on the scan data by a system control module by extracting an amplitude and a phase of the scan data determining a center of the object layer based on the extracted amplitude and phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Ilya Goldshleger, Guy Holland, Ferenc Raksi
  • Hydrophilic copolymer with pendant thiol groups
    Patent number: 10829574
    Abstract: The invention is related to a class of hydrophilic copolymers comprising loosely dangling thiol-containing pendant groups. The hydrophilic copolymers are highly reactive towards azetidinium groups of an azetidinium-containing polymer upon heating and can find particular use in for producing water-soluble highly-branched hydrophilic polymeric material useful for producing water gradient contact lenses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Chang, Troy Vernon Holland, Feng Jing, Ryan DeSousa
  • Crosslinking control
    Patent number: 10828506
    Abstract: A crosslinking control system, the use of the crosslinking control system, a laser system comprising the crosslinking control system, a crosslinking control method and a method for laser treatment are provided. The crosslinking control system comprises a photosensitizer providing unit, a light source configured to provide light having a wavelength suitable to activate the photosensitizer introduced into or applied onto the tissue for crosslinking, and a control computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Christof Donitzky, Armin Wellhoefer
  • Iris edge detection in Optical Coherence Tomography
    Patent number: 10827921
    Abstract: A-lines are obtained from an OCT scan of the eye, some of which pass through the iris and the lens and some of which pass through the lens but not the iris. An interface is detected from the A-lines; at least some of this interface is assumed to correspond to either the anterior or posterior of the iris. For each A-line, a first metric is derived from pixels near the detected first interface, such that the first metric reflects an OCT signal intensity associated with the interface, and a second metric is derived from pixels further from the interface, such that the second metric reflects OCT signal attenuation below the detected interface. An attenuation parameter is calculated for each A-line, based on the first and second metrics, and the iris's edge is detected by determining whether each A-line passes through the iris, based on the attenuation parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Hugang Ren, Muhammad K. Al-Qaisi
  • Method for producing MPS-compatible water gradient contact lenses
    Patent number: 10830923
    Abstract: The invention is related to a process for producing contact lenses that not only comprise a water gradient structural configurations, but also have a minimized uptakes of polyquaternium-1 and a long-lasting surface hydrophilicity and wettability even after being undergone a simulated 30-days lens care regime.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Yongxing Qiu, Kasey Jon Minick, John Dallas Pruitt, Newton T. Samuel, Chung-Yuan Chiang, Kelly Kayi Tallau, Matthew McCollum, Richard Govan
  • Collar connector
    Patent number: 10828402
    Abstract: In various embodiments, a connector system may include at least two connectors and a collar configured to detachably align the at least two connectors for coupling to a mating collar with at least two mating connectors. The collar may also be configured to at least partially disengage from the at least two connectors to allow movement of the connectors relative to each other. The relative movement may allow the connectors to couple to mating connectors that are in different configurations (than the mating collar configurations). In some embodiments, the connectors and/or mating connectors may include complementary male/female connectors. In some embodiments, the collar/mating collar may circumscribe their respective connectors and/or a perimeter of the other of the collar/mating collar. In some embodiments, the collar/mating collar may include interfacing features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Lee, Robert Balsamo
  • Composite frame system
    Patent number: 10828121
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes composite frame systems. The internal composite frame system may include at least one composite frame component including an intermediate frame element having a first side and a second side. A first plate may be positioned on the first side, and a second plate may be positioned on the second side. One or more fastener assemblies are operable to couple the first and second plates to the intermediate frame element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventor: Geoffrey C. Jawidzik
  • Ophthalmic compositions with improved dessication protection and retention
    Patent number: 10828320
    Abstract: The present invention relates to artificial tear compositions and ophthalmic compositions suitable for drug delivery. In one embodiment of the present invention, the compositions comprise a galactomannan polymer such as guar or hydroxypropyl guar, hyaluronic acid, and a cis-diol such as sorbitol. In a preferred embodiment, the compositions also comprise a borate compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: James W. Davis, Howard Allen Ketelson, Elaine E. Campbell, David L. Meadows, Rekha Rangarajan
  • Reconfigurable optical coherence tomography (OCT) system
    Patent number: 10827919
    Abstract: An optical coherence tomography (OCT) apparatus includes an optical source module comprising two or more selectable optical sources or an optical source configured to selectively operate in two or more source operating modes, or a combination of both, and further comprises an OCT engine coupled to the optical source module, the OCT engine comprising an OCT interferometer. The OCT apparatus still further includes a mode-switching optics module coupled to the OCT engine and comprising one or more swappable, selectable, or adjustable optical components, such that the mode-switching optics module is configured to selectively provide two or more optical configurations for the optical path between the OCT engine and an imaged object, according to two or more corresponding operating modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Craig Bender, Michael Papac, Lingfeng Yu