Patents Assigned to Alcon
  • Patent number: 10987119
    Abstract: Surgical instruments and, particularly, ophthalmic surgical instruments are disclosed. Example surgical instruments include forceps for removal of an internal limiting membrane (ILM). The example forceps may include a textured surface formed at a distal end of the forceps jaws. The textured surface may have a plurality of microposts that operate to increase a coefficient of friction between the ILM and the forceps in order to reduce a normal force, applied by the forceps, needed to engage the ILM.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Reto Grueebler, Markus Hupp, Pooria Sharif Kashani
  • Patent number: 10987183
    Abstract: The disclosure herein provides ophthalmic surgical systems, methods, and devices. In one embodiment, a surgical apparatus for use by a surgeon during a surgical procedure comprises one or more sealed sterilized surgical packs configured to be disposed of after a single or a limited number of surgical procedures, the one or more sealed sterilized surgical packs comprising: a sterile surgical instrument; and a sterile surgical tray comprising a top surface configured to be part of a sterile field of the surgical procedure, the top surface comprising a receiving structure for positioning therein of the sterile surgical instrument, the sterile surgical tray further comprising walls that define a recess sized and configured to receive a reusable non-sterile module, the recess configured to encapsulate the reusable non-sterile module to isolate the reusable non-sterile module from the sterile field of the surgical procedure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey David Brennan, Mark Humayun
  • Patent number: 10983604
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to a method for controlling a medical device. The method may comprise tracking movement of a foot with a hands-free device and processing movement of the foot to move a cursor, wherein the cursor is disposed on a display screen of the medical device. The method may further comprise receiving a selection of at least one icon with the cursor through the hands-free device. A system for controlling a medical device may comprise a console and a display screen coupled to the console and may be configured to display a cursor. The system may further comprise a hands-free device. The hands-free device may be communicatively coupled to the console and may be operable to track movement within a tracking area and generate an output. The system may further comprise a medical device connected to the console and a processor configured to execute instructions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventor: Tobias Jura Rapoport
  • Patent number: 10980672
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a system for femtosecond ophthalmic surgery in which the position of a suction cone in the z direction is measured via the measuring device to generate data that is processed and used to create a pictorial representation, a histogram, or other graph based on the data. The pictorial representation may include at least one threshold marker. The disclosure further provides a method of performing docking in femtosecond laser ophthalmic surgery including measuring the position of a suction cone with a measuring device, and transmitting data regarding the position to a processor which processes the data and uses it to create a pictorial representation, histogram, or other graph that is presented on a display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Wittnebel, Mario Abraham, Stefan Schmid, Martin Starigk
  • Patent number: 10980629
    Abstract: Fluids incorporated into intraocular lenses and their methods of use. In some embodiments the fluids are silicone oils, and in some embodiments they are used in accommodating intraocular lenses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: David J. Anvar, Andrew Goodwin, David Chazan
  • Patent number: 10982667
    Abstract: In certain embodiments, a fluidic pump system includes a brushless slotless direct current (BSDC) motor mechanically coupled to a fluidic pump, and a motor controller communicably coupled to the BSDC motor. The BSDC motor is configured to drive the fluidic pump, and the motor controller is configured to generate command signals to drive the BSDC motor. The fluidic pump system further includes commutation circuitry coupled to the BSDC motor that is configured to provide digital sine-wave commutation of the BSDC motor and to provide an indication of movement of the BSDC motor to the motor controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventor: Steven T. Charles
  • Patent number: 10983251
    Abstract: A manufacturing module (MM) for contact lenses comprises a plurality of manufacturing stations (300, 301, 302, 310, 320, 321, 322, 330, 331, 340, 341, 342, 350, 351, 352) arranged in a closed loop and a plurality of lens mold carriers (1, 2) which are transported through the manufacturing stations. Each lens mold carrier (1, 2) comprises a frame (10, 20) having a predetermined number of mounting sites (100, 200) arranged along the frame. Each lens mold carrier (1, 2) further comprises a predetermined number of molds (112, 212) removably mounted to the frame (10, 20) at the mounting sites (100, 200), the molds being reusable male or female molds (212, 112). Two lens mold carriers (1, 2) are assigned to each other to form a pair, so that upon mating the pair of lens mold carriers (1, 2) the male and female molds (212, 112) are mated to form mold cavities defining the shape of the lenses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Shu Zong, Peter Hagmann, Roger Biel, Axel Heinrich, Stephan Piri
  • Patent number: 10973682
    Abstract: A surgical instrument such as for use in vitreoretinal surgeries is described. The surgical instrument may include a pair of pincers resiliently biased toward an opened configuration and being movable toward each other into a closed configuration to engage a membrane. Each pincer may include a rounded grasping edge. The grasping edges may include a textured surface operable to induce a capillary effect between a membrane and the forceps to promote adhesion therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Guido Vezzu, Reto Grueebler
  • Patent number: 10968319
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to silicone hydrogel contact lenses each inherently having, on lens surfaces, a relatively-high concentration of primary amino groups and to a method for producing the same. The invention is also related to silicone hydrogel contact lens precursors each inherently having, on lens surfaces, a relatively-high concentration of N-Boc-protected primary amino groups which can be easily and conveniently deprotected during lens extraction and/or hydration steps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Steve Yun Zhang, Maria F. Gubitosi Raspino, Richard Charles Breitkopf, Daqing Wu, Junhao Ge, Augustine Twum Kumi, Zach Munoz, Weihong Lang
  • Patent number: 10966607
    Abstract: Techniques for measuring optical aberrations of the eye are disclosed. An example method comprises positioning the eye in a measurement location adjacent to a measurement arm of an optical coherence tomography (OCT) interferometer apparatus, so that source light from the measurement arm passes into the anterior segment of the eye and detecting an interference pattern, the interference pattern resulting from a combination of light reflected from the eye and light reflected from a reference arm of the OCT interferometer apparatus. Based on the interference pattern, an optical delay between a reference surface in the anterior segment of the eye and a measured surface in the eye is calculated, the reference surface being the anterior surface of the cornea or the lens, wherein said calculating comprises measuring an optical phase shift between the reference surface and the measured surface, based on the detected interference pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventor: Muhammad K. Al-Qaisi
  • Patent number: 10962803
    Abstract: The invention is generally related to a soft contact lens which comprises a hydrogel lens body and a coating of a hydrophilic copolymer thereon and to a method for producing the same. The hydrogel lens body comprises or is made of a polymeric material having 1,2- and/or 1,3-diol moieties, and the hydrophilic copolymer comprises arylborono-containing repeating units each having a boronic acid group. The coating is covalently-attached to the hydrogel lens body through cyclic boronic ester linkages each formed between one boronic acid group and one 1,2-diol or 1,3-diol group. The soft contact lens has a surface lubricity higher than the surface lubricity of the lens body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Steve Yun Zhang, Daqing Wu, Richard Charles Breitkopf, Weihong Lang, Junhao Ge, Maria F. Gubitosi Raspino, Frank Chang, Thomas M. Moy, Troy Vernon Holland
  • Patent number: 10952808
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides illumination apparatus for ophthalmic surgery comprising a light that provides planar field illumination, as well as methods of using the illumination apparatus. The illuminators of the present disclosure can be used in intraocular refractive and vitroretinal surgery to better enable visualization of anatomical structures of the eye currently difficult to view, capturing detail that would normally be obscured using conventional illumination apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Alcon, Inc.
    Inventor: Andrew David Johnson
  • Patent number: 10945834
    Abstract: An ophthalmic device includes at least one ophthalmic lens and at least one diffractive structure for the at least one ophthalmic lens. The ophthalmic lens(es) have at least one base focal length and a base power for a first wavelength of visible light. The diffractive structure(s) have a chromatic aberration such that the diffractive structure(s) have a first power for the first wavelength of visible light and a second power for a second wavelength of visible light. A difference between the first power and the second power is at least two diopters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Zsolt Bor, Mikhail Ovchinnikov
  • Patent number: 10939815
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a vitreous visualization system including a general light source, a general conduit that transmits light from the general light source through a conduit portion of a general illumination optical fiber, and a combined vitreous visualization and general illumination tool that receives light from the general conduit. The combined vitreous visualization tool includes a vitreous visualization light source, a controller for the vitreous visualization light source, a vitreous visualization optical fiber, a tool portion of the general illumination optical fiber, and a probe tip through which at least parts of both the vitreous visualization optical fiber and the tool portion of the general illumination optical fiber pass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Mark David LaBelle, Ryan Takakawa, Alireza Mirsepassi, Cesario Dos Santos, Gerald David Bacher, Eyad Ammari
  • Patent number: 10933566
    Abstract: A method for determining whether or not a single use mold is acceptable, comprises providing a closed lens mold (1) comprising two lens mold halves, and having a first and a second optical lens molding surface forming a molding cavity (15) and defining a molding cavity thickness therebetween, providing at least one interferometer (3), each having at least one thickness measurement beam (31), providing a lens mold holder (2), positioning the lens mold (1) such that the thickness measurement beam (31) of the interferometer (3) impinges on the lens mold (1) for measurement of the distance between the two molding surfaces surrounding the molding cavity (15), measuring the thickness profile of the molding cavity (15) with the interferometer (3) on at least three positions of the molding cavity (15) of the lens mold (1), comparing the measured thickness profile with a predetermined thickness profile to determine whether or not the lens mold (1) is acceptable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas Tonn
  • Patent number: 10925680
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments of the present technology relate to a foot controller with an adjustable treadle assembly including an adjustable treadle surface member slidably coupled to a fixed treadle plate and a latch assembly to adjust the adjustable treadle surface member to fixed positions relative to the treadle plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventor: Geoffrey C. Jawidzik
  • Patent number: 10925892
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a lipid-based ophthalmic emulsion. The emulsion has an increased amount of a mucoadhesive galactomannan polymer that promotes a long-lasting protection against desiccation and moisture retention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Howard Allen Ketelson, James W. Davis, Rekha Rangarajan
  • Patent number: 10918411
    Abstract: A vitrectomy apparatus for performing an ocular surgery may include a vitrectomy probe body graspable by a user and a cutter extending from the body and comprising an inner tube and an outer tube. The inner tube may be moveable relative to the outer tube. The apparatus also may include an actuator within the body and configured to actuate the inner tube relative to the outer tube. A valve may be carried by the body and may be configured to selectively direct a pressurized fluid to the actuator to actuate the inner tube relative to the outer tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventor: Brian William McDonell
  • Patent number: 10918522
    Abstract: In a general aspect, a vitrectomy system is adapted to use photodisruption to rupture eye tissue. In some aspects, a photodisruption-based vitrectomy system includes a laser source configured to generate optical pulses having a pulse energy greater than a threshold energy for causing photodisruption in vitreous humor. The system also includes an optical switching device arranged to receive an output of the laser source, and an optical fiber with multiple cores that is arranged to receive an output of the optical switching device. The optical switching device is configured to select a core of the optical fiber and direct optical pulses received from the laser source into the selected core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Gerald David Bacher, Brian William McDonell, Michael J. Papac
  • Patent number: 10920099
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Chang, Feng Jing, Troy Vernon Holland, Chung-Yuan Chiang, John Dallas Pruitt