Patents Assigned to Alcon
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Patent number: 11950969Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 30, 2021Date of Patent: April 9, 2024Assignee: Alcon Inc.Inventor: Niccolo Maschio
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Patent number: 11952449Abstract: The invention is related to a class of hydrophilic poly(meth)acrylamide-based copolymers each comprising dangling (i.e., pendant) reactive chains each terminated with a carboxyl group groups and at least 50% by mole of (meth)acrylamide repeating units relative to all repeating units of the hydrophilic poly(meth)acrylamide-based copolymer. The hydrophilic copolymers have a relatively high affinity to a base coating of a polyanionic polymer on a medical device or contact lens and are highly reactive towards azetidinium groups of an azetidinium-containing polymer upon heating. They can find particular use in producing water-soluble highly-branched hydrophilic polymeric material and in producing water gradient contact lenses.Type: GrantFiled: January 13, 2021Date of Patent: April 9, 2024Assignee: Alcon Inc.Inventors: Frank Chang, Feng Jing, Troy Vernon Holland, Chung-Yuan Chiang, John Dallas Pruitt
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Patent number: 11944379Abstract: Systems and methods for determining a compatibility between a multi-focal contact lens and a patient seeking presbyopia vision correction include receiving, from a first device associated with a first eye-care professional (ECP), a request for selecting a contact lens for a consumer, wherein the request comprises biometric information associated with the consumer; obtaining a performance metric associated with the first ECP; determining, using the machine learning model and based on the performance metric, a customized compatibility index indicating a compatibility between a particular contact lens and the consumer for the first ECP; and presenting a report indicating the compatibility index on the first device. Additional systems, methods, and non-transitory machine-readable mediums are also provided.Type: GrantFiled: June 8, 2020Date of Patent: April 2, 2024Assignee: Alcon Inc.Inventors: Ramesh Sarangapani, Kevin Baker
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Patent number: 11945181Abstract: Described herein is a method for producing photochromic silicone hydrogel contact lenses in a relatively efficient and consistent manner from a polymerizable composition under a controlled thermal curing scheme. The main polymerizable components in the polymerizable composition are a high radical-reactive hydrophilic (meth)acrylamido monomer, a high radical-reactive siloxane-containing (meth)acrylamido monomer, and a polysiloxane vinylic crosslinker(s) free of low-reactive ethylenically unsaturated group as the main crosslinker. The thermal free radical initiator having a 10 hour half-life temperature (T10h?) of from about 50° C. to about 90° C. The controlled thermal curing scheme includes maintaining a first curing temperature of from about (T10h??20)° C. to about T10h?° C. for a first curing time and maintaining a second curing temperature of from about (T10h?+10)° C. to about (T10h?+35)° C. for a second curing time.Type: GrantFiled: October 27, 2021Date of Patent: April 2, 2024Assignee: Alcon Inc.Inventors: Junhao Ge, Yuan Chang, Steve Yun Zhang, Michelle Plavnik, Augustine Twum Kumi, Daqing Wu
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Patent number: 11944535Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: May 17, 2022Date of Patent: April 2, 2024Assignee: Alcon Inc.Inventors: Xin Hong, Shinwook Lee
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Patent number: 11945895Abstract: The invention provides a class of photochromic polydiorganosiloxane vinylic crosslinkers. Each of the photochromic polydiorganosiloxane vinylic crosslinkers of the invention comprise (1) a polydiorganosiloxane polymer chain comprising dimethylsiloxane units and photochromic siloxane unit having one methyl substituent and one organic substituent having a photochromic moiety that capable of undergoing a reversible color change upon exposure to UV-irradiation or high-energy-violet light; (2) two terminal ethylenically-unsaturated groups. The invention also provides a soft photochromic contact lens, especially a photochromic silicone hydrogel contact lens, which comprises a crosslinked polymeric material comprising repeating units of at least one of such a class of photochromic polydiorganosiloxane vinylic crosslinkers.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 2021Date of Patent: April 2, 2024Assignee: Alcon Inc.Inventors: Yuan Chang, Junhao Ge, Steve Yun Zhang, Weihong Lang
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Publication number: 20240099807Abstract: Apparatus and methods are described which guide a surgeon in performing a reconstructive or cosmetic procedure. The apparatus and methods utilize three-dimensional presentations of the target surgical site incorporating one or more virtual surgical guides which help attain proper alignment and orientation of the post-surgical outcome.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 12, 2023Publication date: March 28, 2024Applicant: Alcon Inc.Inventors: Ashok Burton Tripathi, Michael A. Weissman
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Patent number: 11938058Abstract: An illustrative method for reducing intraocular pressure in a patient may comprise deploying an ocular implant adapted to reside at least partially in a portion of Schlemm's canal of an eye and administering a therapeutic agent comprising a Rho kinase (ROCK) inhibitor to the patient. The ocular implant may be configured to lower the intraocular pressure from an initial to a second pressure within a first range and the therapeutic agent may lower an intraocular pressure to a third pressure within a second range, the third pressure lower than the second pressure.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2016Date of Patent: March 26, 2024Assignee: Alcon Inc.Inventors: Andrew T. Schieber, Charles L. Euteneuer, David T. Van Meter, Kenneth M. Galt
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Patent number: 11930902Abstract: A system and techniques for identifying an absence of any contact fitting lens in an user-friendly manner for automated replenishment. The system includes an assembly stocked with fitting lenses of know types that are depletable from known compartment locations of the assembly. Further, depletion of a compartment through the natural course of fitting lens distribution to customers results in the automatic display of a visual indicator at the corresponding compartment location. Thus, an imaging application of the front of the assembly may be utilized to immediately ascertain lens types of the assembly which are depleted. As a result, the image may be used to facilitate automatic replenishment of such depleted fitting lenses.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2021Date of Patent: March 19, 2024Assignee: Alcon Inc.Inventors: Simone Jacqueline Stad, Adam Kayser
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Patent number: 11931104Abstract: A system and method of assessing vision quality of an eye is presented, with a controller having a processor and tangible, non-transitory memory on which instructions are recorded. The controller is configured to selectively execute at least one machine learning model. Execution of the instructions by the processor causes the controller to: receive wavefront aberration data of the eye and express the wavefront aberration data as a collection of Zernike polynomials. The controller is configured to obtain a plurality of input factors based on the collection of Zernike polynomials. The plurality of input factors is fed into the at least one machine learning model, which is trained to analyze the plurality of input factors. The machine learning model generates at least one vision correction factor based in part on the plurality of input factors.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2020Date of Patent: March 19, 2024Assignee: Alcon Inc.Inventors: Ramesh Sarangapani, Mark VonTress
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Patent number: 11931297Abstract: Certain embodiments describe an endoilluminator having a tube that includes an interior compartment between a proximal end and a distal end of the tube, wherein the distal end of the tube is configured to be inserted into an eye. The endoilluminator also includes a handpiece coupled to a light source and the proximal end of the tube, wherein the endoilluminator is configured to filter an incident component of light transmitted by the light source and emit a polarized component of the transmitted light through the distal end of the tube.Type: GrantFiled: June 10, 2020Date of Patent: March 19, 2024Assignee: Alcon Inc.Inventor: Steven T. Charles
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Patent number: 11931454Abstract: The invention is generally related to a soft hydrogel ocular insert that is composed of at least one hydrogel material in fully hydrated state and can be comfortable for wearing. The hydrogel material comprises polymer chains, which are derived from at least one arylborono-containing hydrophilic copolymer and at least one mucoadhesive polymer, and cyclic boronic ester crosslinks for crosslinking those mucoadhesive polymer chains and arylborono-containing hydrophilic copolymer chains to form a 3-dimensional polymer network. Those cyclic boronic ester crosslinks can be hydrolyzed slowly in the tear of the eyes of a patient, resulting in the disintegration (dissolution) of the 3-dimensional polymer network and thereby providing mucoadhesisve polymers and optionally drugs impregnated in the hydrogel ocular insert in a controlled manner.Type: GrantFiled: September 17, 2020Date of Patent: March 19, 2024Assignee: Alcon Inc.Inventors: Junhao Ge, Steve Yun Zhang, Daqing Wu, Jing Cheng
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Patent number: 11934209Abstract: Certain embodiments provide a vacuum generation system with an override PID controller, a proportional valve, and a vacuum generator. The override PID controller allows the vacuum generation system to control the operating range of supply air pressure that is provided to the vacuum generator. By controlling the operating range of the supply air pressure, the vacuum generation system is able to avoid entering the decreasing or non-monotonic region of the vacuum generator.Type: GrantFiled: July 15, 2021Date of Patent: March 19, 2024Assignee: Alcon Inc.Inventor: Brian T. Chiem
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Patent number: 11933941Abstract: The invention is related to contact lenses that not only comprise the much desired water gradient structural configurations, but also have a minimized uptakes of polycationic antimicrobials and a long-lasting surface hydrophilicity and wettability even after going through a 30-days lens care regime. Because of the water gradient structural configuration and a relatively-thick, extremely-soft and water-rich hydrogel surface layer, a contact lens of the invention can provide superior wearing comfort. Further, a contact lens of the invention is compatible with multipurpose lens care solutions present in the market and can endure the harsh lens care handling conditions (e.g., digital rubbings, accidental inversion of contact lenses, etc.) encountered in a daily lens care regime. As such, they are suitable to be used as weekly- or monthly-disposable water gradient contact lenses.Type: GrantFiled: January 11, 2022Date of Patent: March 19, 2024Assignee: Alcon Inc.Inventors: Yongxing Qiu, John Dallas Pruitt, Newton T. Samuel, Chung-Yuan Chiang, Robert Carey Tucker, Yuan Chang, Ethan Leveillee
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Patent number: 11931247Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatuses for storing and/or shipping an intraocular lens (IOL) cartridge are provided. A system comprises the IOL cartridge. The IOL cartridge comprises a nozzle and a compartment comprising an IOL. The nozzle is in fluid communication with the compartment. The IOL cartridge further comprises a dial disposed adjacent to the compartment, wherein an inner surface of the dial is exposed to the compartment. The dial is configured to fold the IOL upon rotation of the dial. The IOL cartridge further comprises a plunger case in fluid communication with the compartment, wherein a plunger is movably disposed within the plunger case. The IOL cartridge is configured to removably attach to a handpiece.Type: GrantFiled: August 21, 2020Date of Patent: March 19, 2024Assignee: Alcon Inc.Inventors: Sudarshan B. Singh, Todd Taber, Douglas Brent Wensrich, Yinghui Wu, Trevor Haney, Andrew Check, Justin Benacquisto, Joe Marietta, Jonathan Penrod, Tim LaRoy, Bryce Porter
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Patent number: 11931248Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 9, 2020Date of Patent: March 19, 2024Assignee: Alcon Inc.Inventors: Stephen Collins, Niranjana Nandakumar, John Radle, Stephen Van Noy, Douglas B. Wensrich
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Publication number: 20240089616Abstract: 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 controller has a processor and tangible, non-transitory memory on which instructions are recorded. The automatic focusing modes include a target locking mode. The target locking mode is adapted to maintain a focus of the at least one stereoscopic image while the robotic arm is moving the stereoscopic camera.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 21, 2023Publication date: March 14, 2024Applicant: ALCON INC.Inventors: Patrick Terry, David Roe
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Patent number: 11926689Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: July 21, 2022Date of Patent: March 12, 2024Assignee: Alcon Inc.Inventors: Jinyu Huang, Frank Chang, Steve Yun Zhang, Feng Jing
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Patent number: 11927512Abstract: The invention provides a method for imaging and thickness determination of coatings on coated contact lenses. The method comprises selectively staining a negatively-charged-groups-containing coating over the lens body of a coated contact lens by immersing the coated contact lens in an aqueous solution comprising a fluorescently-labeled polycationic polymer and having a pH of from about 6.5 to 8.0; orthogonally cutting the selectively-stained coated contact lens; and determining the thickness of the coating on the coated contact lens. In addition, the invention provides a method for selecting a candidate coating material comprising negatively charged groups for applying a coating with a desired thickness onto silicone hydrogel contact lenses and for optimizing a coating process for producing coated silicone hydrogel contact lenses with a desired thickness coating thereon.Type: GrantFiled: November 3, 2020Date of Patent: March 12, 2024Assignee: Alcon Inc.Inventors: Yuan Chang, Ying Zheng, Junhao Ge, Steve Yun Zhang, Karen Belinda Sentell, Jinbo Dou
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Publication number: 20240074900Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: October 31, 2023Publication date: March 7, 2024Applicant: Alcon Inc.Inventors: Thomas A. SILVESTRINI, Eugene DE JUAN, JR.