Patents Assigned to Alcon, Inc.
  • Patent number: 10830666
    Abstract: A method for determining the inversion state of a soft contact lens (1), comprising imaging a soft contact lens having a convex surface (2, 3) and a concave surface (3, 2), a lens center and a lens edge (5) surrounding said soft contact lens (1), the method comprising using an optical coherence tomography system to obtain at least one sectional image of at least a part of the contact lens (1) comprising the lens edge (5), determining a cross-sectional edge geometry of the contact lens (1) extending from the lens edge (5) towards the lens center of the contact lens in the sectional image, the cross-sectional edge geometry corresponding to the convex and concave surface boundaries of the contact lens (1) in the sectional image, selecting a parameter defining the cross-sectional edge geometry of the contact lens (1) imaged and comparing the parameter defining the cross-sectional edge geometry of the contact lens (1) with a predetermined parameter defining a cross-sectional edge geometry of a non-inverted contact
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Sarah Unterkofler, Susanne Fechner, Marcus Heift, Matthias Schwab
  • Patent number: 10823983
    Abstract: Described herein are water-soluble UV-absorbing vinylic monomers and their uses in preparing UV-absorbing contact lenses capable of blocking ultra-violet (“UV”) radiation and optionally (but preferably) violet radiation with wavelengths from 380 nm to 440 nm, thereby protecting eyes to some extent from damages caused by UV radiation and potentially from violet radiation. This invention also provides a UV-absorbing contact lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Chang, Ryan DeSousa, Troy Vernon Holland, John Dallas Pruitt, Jared Nelson
  • Patent number: 10823636
    Abstract: Method for determining the refractive index (n) of a material of a contact lens, in particular of a soft contact lens, the contact lens (1) having a first surface and a second surface defining a lens geometry there between, by measuring the wavefront issued by the contact lens (1) with a wavefront sensor (4), obtaining data of the geometry of at least one section of the contact lens (1) with an optical coherence tomography system (3) and communicating the geometry of the at least one section of the contact lens (1) from the optical coherence tomography system (3) to an analyzer, particularly a computer, and determining the refractive index (n) of the material of the contact lens from the geometry of the at least one section of the contact lens and from the wavefront issued by the contact lens (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Susanne Fechner, Roger Biel, Marcus Heift, Thomas Tonn
  • Patent number: 10806566
    Abstract: The present invention provides novel intraocular lens compositions comprising a hydroxyl functional acrylic monomer and have a high Abbe number, minimal glistenings, and suitable mechanical properties for small incision delivery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Xuwei Jiang, Thomas A. Callaghan, Ahmad R. Hadba
  • Patent number: 10809181
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus (5) for determining a coefficient of friction at a test site (11) on a surface (10) of a contact lens (1). The apparatus comprises: a lens holder (2) arranged at least partially in a receptacle (6); a slide (4) comprising a counter surface (40) made of lapped aluminum for contacting the test site (11); a load generator (7) configured to apply a predetermined normal load (Fn) between the counter surface (40) and the test site; a drive (8) configured to generate a sliding movement between the counter surface (40) and the contact lens in direction located in a plane perpendicular to the normal load (Fn); and a force sensor (9) configured to measure a tangential frictional force (Ft) between the test site and the counter surface (40) along the direction of the sliding movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Justyna Justynska-Reimann, Markus Grebe, Michael Ruland, André Wicklein
  • Patent number: 10799340
    Abstract: An IOL system includes a capsular ring having a concave exterior surface extending around its circumference that is configured, upon insertion into a capsular bag of a patient's eye, to engage an equatorial region of the capsular bag. The concave exterior surface extends between an anterior surface and a posterior surface of the capsular ring. A first one or more flaps are arranged on the anterior surface such that at least a portion of each of the first one or more flaps, upon insertion into the capsular bag of a patient's eye, engages an anterior portion of the capsular bag. Similarly, a second one or more flaps are arranged on the posterior surface such that at least a portion of each of the second one or more flaps, upon insertion into a capsular bag of a patient's eye, engages a posterior portion of the capsular bag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Collins, Niranjana Nandakumar, John Radle, Stephen Van Noy, Douglas B. Wensrich
  • Patent number: 10786348
    Abstract: A method and system provide an ophthalmic lens including a lens body having a chamber therein, a reservoir module coupled with the lens body and an optical fluid. At least part of the lens body is flexible. The reservoir module includes a reservoir and a heat sensitive portion bordering the reservoir. The reservoir has a reservoir volume and is fluidically connected with the chamber. The heat sensitive portion has a shape responsive to a temperature of at least forty five degrees Celsius such that the reservoir volume changes in response to at least part of the heat sensitive portion reaching the temperature. The optical fluid resides in the chamber and the reservoir. A change in the reservoir volume flows a portion of the optical fluid between the reservoir and the chamber such that the flexible portion of the lens body undergoes a shape change corresponding to a base power change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Ahmad Hadba, Ramiro Ribeiro, Douglas Schlueter, Marcel Ackermann, Lukas Scheibler, Stefan Troller
  • Patent number: 10786390
    Abstract: An apparatus for laser eye surgery comprises a laser module, which is equipped to emit pulsed, focused laser radiation of a variable pulse repetition rate, and a processor-based control unit, which is equipped to receive at least one user input pertaining to a selection of one of several predefined pulse repetition rates over a user input and to control the laser module in accordance with the selected pulse repetition rate. In certain specific embodiments, the user interface enables input of two user entries, each of which relates to a selection of one of several predefined pulse repetition rates. The control unit controls the laser module for a first phase of a laser treatment in accordance with one input, and for a second phase of the laser treatment, it controls the laser module in accordance with the other input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Evi Goos, Christian Wuellner
  • Patent number: 10779721
    Abstract: An optical coherence tomography (OCT) system and method for cross view imaging using at least two B-scan images transformed and coupled to each other at an angle to generate a cross view image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Mauricio Jochinsen, Hugang Ren, Lingfeng Yu
  • Patent number: 10779728
    Abstract: A system and method for ophthalmic surgery in which a light field camera is used to capture a digital image of the surgical field including the eye. The digital image is used to create image information and directional information, which is then used to from a three dimensional (3D) image with motion parallax.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventor: Niels A. Abt
  • Patent number: 10781340
    Abstract: The invention is related to a hydrated silicone hydrogel contact lens having a layered structural configuration: a lower water content silicone hydrogel core (or bulk material) completely covered with a layer of a higher water content hydrogel totally or substantially free of silicone. A hydrated silicone hydrogel contact lens of the invention possesses high oxygen permeability for maintaining the corneal health and a soft, water-rich, lubricious surface for wearing comfort.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Yongxing Qiu, John Dallas Pruitt, Sibichen J. Thekveli, Robert Carey Tucker, Jared Nelson
  • Patent number: 10779989
    Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for a laser-assisted eye-surgery treatment system, comprising a first image-acquisition unit that is designed to acquire a first image (39) of an eye to be treated. The apparatus further comprises a computer arrangement which is designed to detect at least one first feature (40?) of the eye by means of image processing of the first image, and to determine a position and an orientation of the first feature in a coordinate system (S?) of the treatment system. The computer arrangement is also designed to determine a position and an orientation of an incision (66?) to be produced in the eye in the coordinate system (S?) of the treatment system as a function of the determined position and orientation of the first feature (40?) in the coordinate system and as a function of a previously determined relative position and orientation of at least one second feature (64?) of the eye with respect to the first feature (40?).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Christof Donitzky, Christian Wuellner, Peter Riedel
  • Patent number: 10782450
    Abstract: The invention is generally related to soft contact lenses which comprise a polyvinylalcohol-based hydrogel lens body and a durable lubricious coating thereon which are covalently attached to the polyvinylalcohol-based hydrogel lens body through 6-membered acetal rings and to a method for producing the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Harald Bothe, Bernhard Seiferling, Heike Arndt, Thomas Wasse, Stephan Wittmar
  • Patent number: 10779905
    Abstract: Focusing optics for mode mixing may be used to homogenize different modes in an optical fiber used for surgical illumination. A vibration stage may impart mechanical motion to a condenser lens to generate a homogeneous illumination field from a coherent light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Cesario Dos Santos, Gerald David Bacher, Ronald Smith, Alireza Mirsepassi, Michael Papac
  • Patent number: 10765315
    Abstract: Systems and methods for high-resolution, wide-angle viewing of a retina of an eye using an ophthalmic microscope that can view a high-resolution image of a retina formed using a wide field of view optical system. A wide field of view optical system can involve a first lens having a diffractive surface on at least one surface and a second lens housing in a shared housing. A wide field of view optical system can involve one or more lens formed from an optical grade polymer and manufactured at a cost that allows the lens to be disposable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Valentina Doushkina, Lingfeng Yu
  • Patent number: 10767973
    Abstract: Techniques and apparatus for producing sampled Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) interference signals without aliasing, based on a swept-source OCT interference signal. An example apparatus comprises a k-clock circuit configured to selectively output a k-clock signal at any of a plurality of k-clock frequencies ranging from a minimum k-clock frequency to a maximum k-clock frequency, and an anti-aliasing filter configured to filter a swept-source OCT interference signal, to produce a filtered OCT interference signal, where the anti-aliasing filter has a cut-off frequency greater than one-half the minimum k-clock frequency but less than the minimum k-clock frequency. The apparatus further comprises an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter circuit configured to sample the filtered OCT interference signal at twice the k-clock frequency, to produce a sampled OCT interference signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Bing Wang, Muhammad K. Al-Qaisi, Hugang Ren
  • Patent number: 10758419
    Abstract: A surgical probe system comprising a surgical probe having a probe needle, an optical fiber incorporated onto the probe needle, wherein a proximal end of the optical fiber is connected to a light source and a distal end of the optical fiber projects illumination light from the light source over a tip of the probe needle; and an adjustment mechanism that varies the illumination light between a first beam having a first numerical aperture that facilitates vitreous visualization and a second beam having a second numerical aperture that facilitates background illumination, wherein the second numerical aperture is larger than the first numerical aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Alireza Mirsepassi, Michael J. Papac, Kambiz Parto
  • Patent number: 10758411
    Abstract: A handheld reciprocating surgical tool may contain an inertial damper to counteract the momentum of a diaphragm assembly of the reciprocating surgical tool. A momentum of the inertial damper may be tuned such that the momentum of the inertial damper is comparable in magnitude and opposite in direction to a momentum of the diaphragm assembly. The diaphragm assembly may include a cutting tool. The combined momentum of a diaphragm assembly and the inertial damper may result in a reduced net momentum, which may reduce vibration of the reciprocating surgical tool haptically experienced by a surgeon, thereby improving surgeon comfort.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Joshua Dean, Nicholas Max Gunn, Andrew David Johnson
  • Patent number: 10759126
    Abstract: A carrier for carrying an ophthalmic lens comprises: a basket (10) comprising a basket wall defining a concave cavity for accommodating an ophthalmic lens (100), the basket further comprising at least three recesses (12) arranged in the basket wall at different locations along the circumference of the basket (10); and a retainer (20) comprising at least three retainer arms (21) arranged in a star-shaped configuration corresponding to the arrangement of the recesses (12) along the circumference of the basket (10). In an assembled state each retainer arm (21) of the retainer (20) engages with a corresponding one of the recesses (12) in the basket wall of the basket (10) to retain the ophthalmic lens (100) in the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Stutz, Thomas Leibold, Jennifer Schmitt, Roger Biel, Matthias Braun, Katrin Sylke Struckmeier, Michael Frederick Waldern, Daniel Wilhelm
  • Publication number: 20200268552
    Abstract: Performance of enhanced visually directed procedures under low ambient lighting conditions. An imaging system includes a first high resolution photosensor configured to acquire at least one first real-time high resolution video signal representing at least one view of the eye in at least one wavelength of light outside of the wavelengths of visible light. A second high resolution photosensor is configured to acquire at least one second real-time high resolution video signal representing the at least one view of the eye inside of the wavelengths of visible light. A control unit is configured to acquire the at least one first real-time high resolution video signal and the at least one second real-time high resolution video signal after the light conditions are low enough such that a pupil of the eye does not constrict substantially from its maximum pupillary diameter, via the first and the second high resolution photosensor, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2020
    Publication date: August 27, 2020
    Applicant: Alcon Inc.
    Inventor: Ashok Burton Tripathi