Patents Assigned to Alcon, Inc.
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Patent number: 12156805Abstract: An apparatus for delivering an implant to an eye using hydraulic fluid flow or pressure. An implant may be stored, advanced, and delivered to an eye using hydraulic fluid stored in a sterile container through a hollow advancement plunger. The plunger may rigidly advance the implant to a sealed position in a first phase, and then the implant may be advanced into the eye via hydraulic pressure or fluid flow in a second phase.Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 2023Date of Patent: December 3, 2024Assignee: ALCON INC.Inventors: Todd Taber, Kathryn Jensen, Michael Piazza, Jestwin Edwin Lee, IV, Saumya Dilip Yadav, Pradeep Shivalingappa Magadum, Austin Xavier Rodeheaver
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Patent number: 12150709Abstract: The devices and methods described herein provide improved methods for accurately identifying and locating the visual axis of the eye and its intersection with the iris plane. In one embodiment, a visual axis identification system includes a fixation light source, a camera, and a processing system. During operation thereof, the patient focuses their gaze onto two or more fixation light spots provided by the fixation light source upon an optical axis thereof, which creates two or more corresponding images on or near to the patient's retina. The patient's head is then rotated relative while the patient continuously maintains their gaze on the fixation light spots. The patient's visual axis may be located by determining the location of the optical axis of the fixation light source relative to the patient's eye when the centers of the multiple images coincide in the patient's view.Type: GrantFiled: April 8, 2021Date of Patent: November 26, 2024Assignee: Alcon Inc.Inventor: Zsolt Bor
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Patent number: 12150707Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for systems and methods to provide improved ocular aberrometry recovery. An ocular aberrometry system includes a wavefront sensor configured to provide wavefront sensor data associated with an optical target monitored by the ocular aberrometry system and a logic device configured to communicate with the wavefront sensor. The logic device is configured to receive ocular aberrometry output data including at least the wavefront sensor data provided by the wavefront sensor, identify imaging artifact induced singularities in the received ocular aberrometry output data, determine corrected aberrometry output data based, at least in part, on the identified singularities and the received ocular aberrometry output data, and generate user feedback corresponding to the received ocular aberrometry output data based, at least in part, on the corrected aberrometry output data.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2023Date of Patent: November 26, 2024Assignee: Alcon Inc.Inventors: Max Hall, Thomas Padrick, Edwin Jay Sarver
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Patent number: 12144920Abstract: A surgical cassette for an ophthalmic surgical system includes an irrigation conduit that is in fluid communication with a handpiece and carries fluid toward a surgical site. An aspiration conduit is in fluid communication with the handpiece and carries fluid away from the surgical site. An aspiration pump creates a vacuum pressure in the aspiration conduit to draw fluid through the aspiration conduit towards a drain reservoir. A reservoir couples with a pressure-vacuum source to manage the reservoir pressure. A valve is in fluid communication with the aspiration conduit and the reservoir and provides one or more channels between the aspiration conduit and the reservoir. One or more pressure sensors detect a pressure associated with the surgical site. A computer controls the valve in response to the pressure detected by the one or more pressure sensors.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2023Date of Patent: November 19, 2024Assignee: Alcon Inc.Inventors: Vincent A. Baxter, David Dyk, Satish Yalamanchili, Raphael Gordon
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Patent number: 12144723Abstract: Modular IOL systems including a base and a lens, wherein the lens includes tabs for connection to the base. The modular IOL allows for the lens to be adjusted or exchanged while leaving the base in place, either intra-operatively or post-operatively.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2021Date of Patent: November 19, 2024Assignees: Alcon Inc., The Regents of the University of Colorado, a body corporateInventors: Malik Y. Kahook, Glenn Sussman, Rudolph F. Zacher, Paul J. McLean, Harvey Uy, Robert Cionni, Kerry Solomon
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Patent number: 12135452Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a fiber and a laser probe assembly with a probe tip that houses the fiber. In certain aspects, the fiber includes a core, an outer cladding surrounding the core, and an end face at a proximal and/or distal end of the fiber. The core is configured to transmit a laser light beam while the core and the outer cladding are both configured to transmit an illumination light. In certain aspects, a surface area of the end face corresponding to a cross-section of at least the outer cladding is treated with a roughening or polishing process to modulate an illumination light output angle of the fiber. Using a fiber that is configured to transmit a laser light beam as well as a wide-angle illumination light allows for a more compact fiber and probe tip, allowing for medical procedures that require a narrower probe.Type: GrantFiled: February 17, 2022Date of Patent: November 5, 2024Assignee: Alcon Inc.Inventors: Chenguang Diao, Ronald T. Smith, Alireza Mirsepassi
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Patent number: 12127972Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to ophthalmic surgery, and more particularly, to methods and apparatuses for controlling intraocular pressure (IOP) and administering ocular tamponades during or after ophthalmic surgery. An exemplary apparatus generally includes a proximal segment having a first inner diameter (ID), a first proximal end, and a first distal end. The apparatus further includes a distal segment having a second ID smaller than the first ID, a second proximal end, and a second distal end configured to be disposed inside a hub or a cannula transition of a valved cannula comprising the hub, a shaft, and the cannula transition between the hub and the shaft.Type: GrantFiled: June 8, 2022Date of Patent: October 29, 2024Assignee: Alcon Inc.Inventors: Ashish Sinha, Robert Jeffrey Heng
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Patent number: 12127933Abstract: Systems and methods for non-invasively assessing ciliary muscle accommodative potential in phakic eyes may include receiving a plurality of signals generated by a plurality of bipolar electrodes during a ciliary muscle assessment procedure, each of the plurality of signals indicating an electrical field associated with a patient's ciliary muscle, and analyzing the signals to evaluate the patient's ciliary muscle accommodative potential.Type: GrantFiled: January 24, 2022Date of Patent: October 29, 2024Assignee: Alcon Inc.Inventors: John Alfred Campin, Kevin Liedel, George Hunter Pettit
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Patent number: 12127802Abstract: The systems and methods described herein provide improved techniques for OCT guided robotic ophthalmic procedures. A method includes receiving, during OCT scanning of an eye, position data of a plurality of galvanometer scanners from a plurality of absolute and incremental encoders coupled to the corresponding galvanometer scanners. The method further includes receiving scan data related to one or more tissues of the eye. The method further includes determining, a set of first positions of the one or more tissues of the eye in a first 3D coordinate system. The method further includes determining, based on the set of first positions and a mapping between the first and a second 3D coordinate systems, a position in the second 3D coordinate system for a surgical instrument coupled to a robotic device. The method includes causing the robotic device to move the surgical instrument to the position in the second 3D coordinate system.Type: GrantFiled: May 3, 2023Date of Patent: October 29, 2024Assignee: Alcon Inc.Inventor: Steven T. Charles
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Publication number: 20240350256Abstract: Materials and methods of manufacturing intraocular lenses, including polymeric materials for the intraocular lenses, fluids for intraocular lenses, and adhesives for intraocular lenses. The intraocular lenses can include an optic portion and a peripheral region in fluid communication.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 2, 2024Publication date: October 24, 2024Applicant: Alcon Inc.Inventors: Sharad HAJELA, Gomaa ABDELSADEK, Sean HALENBECK
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Publication number: 20240348759Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: June 20, 2024Publication date: October 17, 2024Applicant: Alcon Inc.Inventors: Gillian Myers, Alan Fridman, Maximiliano Ramirez Luna
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Patent number: 12116442Abstract: The invention provides a contact lens manufacturing method comprising a process for removing unprocessed molded silicone hydrogel contact lenses from mold halves in a relatively efficient and consistent manner. The method of the invention involves using a silicone fluid (or so-called silicone oil) as non-reactive diluent in SiHy lens formulation for making SiHy contact lenses. Resultant SiHy contact lenses cast-molded from such a SiHy lens formulation can have a significantly reduced adhesion force with the molding surfaces of a lens mold and consequently a higher efficiency and consistency in removing unprocessed molded SiHy contact lenses from mold halves can be achieved. This method of the invention can be easily implemented in a production environment for enhancing the production yield.Type: GrantFiled: May 6, 2021Date of Patent: October 15, 2024Assignee: Alcon Inc.Inventors: Jing Cheng, Yang Zheng, Steve Yun Zhang, Lindsay Olson
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Patent number: 12111443Abstract: Described herein is a method for producing a contact lens comprising a central photochromic zone that has a diameter of about 13 mm or less and is concentric with the central axis of the contact lens. The method comprises: applying a first polymerizable fluid composition containing at least one photochromic compound on a central portion of the molding surface of a female mold half to form a circular layer; partially photocuring, in situ, the circular layer in the female mold half by using a visible light; dispensing a second polymerizable fluid composition over the partially-cured circular layer on the molding surface of the female mold half; and a step of thermally curing the second polymerizable fluid composition and the partially-cured circular layer immersed therein in the mold cavity formed between the molding surfaces of the female mold half and a male mold half.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 2022Date of Patent: October 8, 2024Assignee: Alcon Inc.Inventors: Michelle Plavnik, Richard Charles Breitkopf, Steve Yun Zhang, Zahra Bassampour, Chandana Kolluru
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Patent number: 12109147Abstract: An ophthalmic surgical system includes a robotic arm disposed above a patient's eye. A positioning camera is disposed on the robotic arm and positioned to visualize the patient's eye. A processor is electrically coupled to the positioning camera. The processor is configured to receive an indication of a position of the robotic arm relative to a fixed datum, determine a focal length between the positioning camera and the patient's eye, compare the focal length to the position of the robotic arm, and determine a patient eye level relative to the fixed datum.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 2021Date of Patent: October 8, 2024Assignee: Alcon Inc.Inventor: Sean Christopher Madden
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Patent number: 12109107Abstract: An ophthalmic lens includes an optic comprising an anterior surface, a posterior surface, and an optical axis. At least one of the anterior surface and the posterior surface has a surface profile including a base curvature, a refractive region having the base curvature, and a diffractive region comprising a diffractive profile including a plurality of diffractive steps. At least a portion of the diffractive profile constitutes a combination of a base diffractive profile defining multiple foci for the ophthalmic lens and an achromatizing structure that reduces longitudinal chromatic aberrations.Type: GrantFiled: April 13, 2021Date of Patent: October 8, 2024Assignee: Alcon Inc.Inventors: Xin Hong, Xin Wei
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Publication number: 20240325140Abstract: Disclosed herein are intraocular lenses with features that counteract the effects of anterior capsular contraction and methods for implanting such intraocular lenses. In some embodiments, the intraocular lenses can comprise an optic fluid chamber and a haptic having a haptic fluid lumen in fluid communication with the optic fluid chamber. The haptic fluid lumen can comprise a thickened anterior portion such that a thickness of the anterior haptic wall of the haptic is greater than the thickness of the posterior haptic wall. Moreover, the intraocular lenses can comprise one or more support columns disposed within the haptic fluid lumen. The support columns and/or the thickened anterior portion of the haptic can maintain a shape of the haptic fluid lumen in response to forces applied to the haptic as a result of anterior capsular contraction.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 25, 2024Publication date: October 3, 2024Applicant: Alcon Inc.Inventors: Terah Whiting SMILEY, Andrew R. WALZ, Gregory Vinton MATTHEWS, Stephen COLLINS, Hanyang HUANG, William DOLLA, Raza Ulabdin SHAH, Paul MISSEL
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Publication number: 20240325093Abstract: The systems and methods described herein provide improved techniques for OCT guided robotic ophthalmic procedures. A method includes receiving, during OCT scanning of an eye, position data of a plurality of galvanometer scanners from a plurality of absolute and incremental encoders coupled to the corresponding galvanometer scanners. The method further includes receiving scan data related to one or more tissues of the eye. The method further includes determining, a set of first positions of the one or more tissues of the eye in a first 3D coordinate system. The method further includes determining, based on the set of first positions and a mapping between the first and a second 3D coordinate systems, a position in the second 3D coordinate system for a surgical instrument coupled to a robotic device. The method includes causing the robotic device to move the surgical instrument to the position in the second 3D coordinate system.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 11, 2024Publication date: October 3, 2024Applicant: Alcon Inc.Inventor: Steven T. Charles
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Publication number: 20240325139Abstract: Disclosed herein are intraocular lenses comprising an optic portion and at least one haptic having a proximal end coupled to the optic portion and a distal end. The haptic comprising a haptic lumen extending through at least part of the haptic. The haptic can comprise one or more haptic isolators disposed within the haptic lumen. The one or more haptic isolators can be configured to counteract or reduce unintended shape changes caused by an external energy directed at the haptic.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 25, 2024Publication date: October 3, 2024Applicant: Alcon Inc.Inventors: Andrew R. WALZ, Gregory Vinton MATTHEWS, Stephen COLLINS, Raza Ulabdin SHAH, Hanyang HUANG, William DOLLA, Paul MISSEL
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Patent number: 12102567Abstract: Particular embodiments disclosed herein provide a surgical laser system comprising a laser source, a lens, a memory, and a processor in data communication with the memory and configured to execute instructions which cause the processor to control the laser source based on a detection signal received from a circuit. The circuit comprises a first amplifier, a second amplifier, and a switch coupled between the second amplifier and a reference potential node and whose state is based on an output of a first comparator. The circuit further comprises a second comparator coupled to the second amplifier and a logic gate coupled to the first comparator and the second comparator.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 2021Date of Patent: October 1, 2024Assignee: Alcon Inc.Inventors: Conrad Sawicz, Derek Y Chen
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Patent number: 12102559Abstract: Polymeric eye inserts are provided that may be dissolvable when placed in the cul-de-sac of the eye. These inserts may contain one or more polymers as well as a softener/plasticizer so that, when inserted into the eye, they may absorb tears, and dissolve and slowly release lubricant into the tear film to lubricate and protect the ocular surface for an extended duration of time. Increased retention time on the ocular surface for longer lasting relief may reduce dosing frequency and patient burden typically associated with topical drop usage. These polymeric eye inserts also may include one or more pharmaceutically active agents.Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 2020Date of Patent: October 1, 2024Assignee: Alcon Inc.Inventors: Howard Allen Ketelson, Rekha Rangarajan, Walter R Laredo, Stephen John Collins