Patents Assigned to Alcon
  • Patent number: 12109147
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2024
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventor: Sean Christopher Madden
  • Patent number: 12111443
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2024
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Michelle Plavnik, Richard Charles Breitkopf, Steve Yun Zhang, Zahra Bassampour, Chandana Kolluru
  • Publication number: 20240325093
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2024
    Publication date: October 3, 2024
    Applicant: Alcon Inc.
    Inventor: Steven T. Charles
  • Publication number: 20240325139
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2024
    Publication date: October 3, 2024
    Applicant: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew R. WALZ, Gregory Vinton MATTHEWS, Stephen COLLINS, Raza Ulabdin SHAH, Hanyang HUANG, William DOLLA, Paul MISSEL
  • Publication number: 20240325140
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2024
    Publication date: October 3, 2024
    Applicant: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Terah Whiting SMILEY, Andrew R. WALZ, Gregory Vinton MATTHEWS, Stephen COLLINS, Hanyang HUANG, William DOLLA, Raza Ulabdin SHAH, Paul MISSEL
  • Patent number: 12102408
    Abstract: The disclosure herein provides methods, systems, and devices for a sterile ophthalmic surgical drape system that can provide a sterile operating field for use by a doctor, surgeon, nurse, and the like during ophthalmic medical procedures. The sterile field created by the drape system can allow a doctor, surgeon, nurse and the like to perform a medical procedure, such as ophthalmic surgery, outside of an operating room and in locations such as a doctor's office or a military operating room war setting. The sterile ophthalmic surgical drape system can comprise a drape, a frame apparatus, a hole of sufficient size for a microscope, a fan, a filter, air directors, and slits. The drape system can comprise a collapsible frame apparatus. The drape system may be configured to be used in conjunction with a surgical tray that houses pre-sterilized tools for use in a medical procedure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2024
    Assignee: Alcon Pharmaceuticals, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ralph Kerns, Mark Humayun, Matthew T. McCormick
  • Patent number: 12102567
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2024
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Conrad Sawicz, Derek Y Chen
  • Patent number: 12102559
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2024
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Howard Allen Ketelson, Rekha Rangarajan, Walter R Laredo, Stephen John Collins
  • Patent number: 12096917
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a tip camera system that includes a probe including a probe body and a probe tip, an optical fiber light source, and an optical fiber positioned within the probe body that emits light at the probe tip to illuminate a local view of an interior of an eye. The system further includes a tip camera positioned in the probe tip and includes a sensor that detects light emitted by the optical fiber and reflected off the interior of the eye, and that sends a signal corresponding to the detected light to a processor. The system also includes an image processing system that includes the processor and that executes instructions to produce a tip camera digital image of the eye. The system also includes a digital display that displays the tip camera digital image of the eye.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2024
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Joshua Anderson, Paul Hallen
  • Patent number: 12097149
    Abstract: In certain embodiments, an ophthalmic surgical system for adjusting a dimension of an eye includes a camera and a computer. The camera generates a surgical image of the eye in contact with a patient interface, which distorts the cornea. The surgical image includes the pupil with a real pupil diameter. The computer accesses a diagnostic image of the eye with the cornea having a natural curvature. The natural curvature affects the real pupil diameter to yield a diagnostic pupil diameter of the diagnostic image that is different from the real pupil diameter of the surgical image. The computer adjusts the real pupil diameter of the surgical image using an eye model to yield a refracted pupil diameter that takes into account the curvature of the cornea and uses the refracted pupil diameter to compensate for the difference between the diagnostic and real pupil diameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2024
    Assignee: ALCON INC.
    Inventors: Mario Abraham, Michael Wittnebel, Friederike Rubin-Schwarz, Evi Goos
  • Patent number: 12097112
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an ophthalmic lens that is disposed to balance coma aberrations if the lens, when inserted in a patient's eye, is decentered or tilted with respect to an optical axis of the patient's eye, and maintain a substantially diffraction-limited image quality if the lens, when inserted in the patient's eye, is centered with respect to the optical axis of the patient's eye. The lens may include an optic having an anterior surface and an opposing posterior surface disposed about an optical axis of the lens. One of the surfaces (e.g., the anterior surface) may have a semi-aspheric surface profile, which includes an inner region having a substantially spherical surface profile and extending radially from the optical axis of the lens to a first boundary, and an outer region having an aspherical surface profile and extending radially at least beyond the first boundary to a second boundary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2024
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Ryan Lutkenhaus, Shinwook Lee, Sangyeol Lee, Daniel Robert Carson, Zaiwei Xu
  • Publication number: 20240307225
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2024
    Publication date: September 19, 2024
    Applicant: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew T. SCHIEBER, Charles L. EUTENEUER, David T. VAN METER, Kenneth M. GALT
  • Patent number: 12089894
    Abstract: A system for predicting post-operative vignetting in an eye of a subject includes a controller having a processor and a tangible, non-transitory memory on which instructions are recorded. The controller is in communication with a diagnostic module adapted to store pre-operative anatomic data of the eye as an eye model. The system includes a projection module and a ray tracing module selectively executable by the controller. The projection module is adapted to determine imputed post-operative variables of the eye based at least partially on the pre-operative anatomic data and the intraocular lens. The ray tracing module is adapted to calculate propagation of light through the eye. The ray tracing module is executed to determine a light distribution for respective visual field angles across a predefined field of view. The controller is configured to determine one or more post-operative vignetting parameters based at least partially on the light distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: George Hunter Pettit, Mark Andrew Zielke, Victor Manuel Hernandez, Philip Matthew McCulloch
  • Patent number: 12083756
    Abstract: A method of providing a male mold half for molding a toric contact lens at a predetermined target rotational orientation is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of: —providing the male mold half at a predetermined rotational orientation, —picking the male mold half up with a gripper having a central axis, —rotating the gripper with the male mold half about the central axis of the gripper by a predetermined rotational angle (?) towards the predetermined target rotational orientation, and —releasing the rotated male mold half from the gripper. Prior to picking the male mold half up, the method comprises centering the grippe and the male mold half relative to each other such that the central axis of the gripper and a central axis of the male mold half coincide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2024
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Matthias Schwab, Udo Schuessler, Steffen Lieb, Eduard Jetzlaff, Jan Bernard, Halina Heidrich, Thomas Tonn
  • Patent number: 12083045
    Abstract: In certain embodiments, a system for calibrating the focal point of a laser beam comprises a laser, focusing optics, detector optics, a two-photon absorption (TPA) detector, and a computer. The laser generates the laser beam. The focusing optics direct the focal point of the laser beam along a z-axis towards a zero-surface corresponding to a zero-plane, and receives a portion of the laser beam reflected by the zero-surface. The detector optics receive the reflected portion from the focusing optics, and directs the reflected portion towards a TPA detector. The TPA detector senses the peak intensity of the reflected portion, which indicates a proximity of the focal point to the zero-surface, and generates a signal representing the peak intensity of the reflected portion. The computer determines whether the focal point of the laser beam is calibrated in response to the signal representing the peak intensity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2024
    Assignee: ALCON INC.
    Inventors: Evi Goos, Claudia Gorschboth, Matthias Foesel, Olaf Kittelmann
  • Patent number: 12083823
    Abstract: Particular embodiments disclosed herein provide a retractable guard assembly coupled to a caster of a mobile equipment, comprising a housing and one or more guards at least partially disposed in the housing. The one or more guards are independently movably coupled to the housing. The retractable guard assembly further comprises corresponding one or more biasing elements coupled to the one or more guards and to the housing for biasing the one or more guards towards a fully deployed state. When the one or more guards are in the fully deployed state, contact between a fixed object and a portion of the one or more guards disposed outside the housing causes the one or more guards to transition into a retracted state, and when the contact is removed, the corresponding one or more biasing elements cause the one or more guards to transition into the fully deployed state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2024
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventor: Brandon L. Spoelstra
  • Patent number: 12083728
    Abstract: To achieve molding insert is properly mounted to the tooling plate of the injection molding machine, a sensor head comprising confocal sensors is used. The sensor heads are placed on the tooling plate at the respective position to determine whether the desired mold insert has been mounted to that position and whether the desired mold insert has been precisely and accurately mounted to the tooling plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2024
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Jan Bernard, Michael Stutz, Thomas Tonn
  • Publication number: 20240293192
    Abstract: A robotic system includes a base, a support column, and a selective-compliance-articulated robot arm (SCARA) connected to the base via the support column. The SCARA is configured with ophthalmic visualization-specific kinematics. The SCARA includes first, second, and third revolute joints. A first link is connected to the base via the first revolute joint. A second link is connected to the first link via the second revolute joint, has a distal end connected to the third revolute joint, and is configured as a four-bar mechanism. The second link is connectable to a microscope. A linear actuator is connected to the second link. In response to electronic control signals from an electronic control unit, the linear actuator controls vertical motion of the SCARA. None of the revolute joints of the SCARA functions in an anti-gravity mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2024
    Publication date: September 5, 2024
    Applicant: Alcon Inc.
    Inventor: Steven T. Charles
  • Publication number: 20240293260
    Abstract: A method of inserting an ocular implant into Schlemm's canal, the method comprising: moving the ocular implant into Schlemm's canal; and injecting a visco-elastic medium in front of the implant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2024
    Publication date: September 5, 2024
    Applicant: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew T. SCHIEBER, Charles L. EUTENEUER
  • Patent number: 12076273
    Abstract: A method of deploying an ocular implant into Schlemm's canal of an eye. The method includes the steps of inserting a distal end of a cannula through a cornea of the eye and into an anterior chamber of the eye, the cannula having a distal opening extending from the distal end and through a side wall; placing the distal opening of the cannula into fluid communication with Schlemm's canal; advancing the ocular implant distally through the cannula with a delivery tool engaged with the ocular implant, a proximal portion of the ocular implant engaging the delivery tool proximal to a distal portion of the delivery tool; and disengaging the ocular implant and the delivery tool when the proximal portion of the ocular implant reaches the cannula distal opening. The invention also includes a system for practicing the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2024
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: John Wardle, Andrew T. Schieber