Abstract: Apparatus for inserting intraocular lenses (IOLs) into eyes include a hollow tube including a material and having an interior wall defining a hollow space through which an IOL is passed and an outlet through which the IOL is passed from the hollow space into an eye, and a lubricity enhancing component physically secured to said hollow tube and concentrated at or near the interior wall in an amount effective to facilitate the passage of the IOL through the hollow space.

Abstract: An IOL insertion apparatus including a cartridge with an IOL-receiving chamber, a handpiece into which the cartridge is loaded, and a plunger rod that extends through a lumen in the cartridge to reliably engage the IOL therein. The chamber has a recess in one wall that creates a space adjacent the proximal edge of the IOL positioned therein. A lip or projection on the plunger rod is aligned with the space to extend underneath the proximal edge of the IOL. The plunger rod may define a forked end with a groove into which the proximal edge of the IOL is captured. The cartridge may be of the type that folds the IOL therein. The recess may continue the entire length of the cartridge to guide the plunger rod therethrough. The cartridge lumen may converge so that the IOL is further compressed therealong. An inwardly-directed wall portion in the cartridge may help guide the lip of the plunger rod into the recess.

Abstract: Intraocular lenses include an optic adapted to focus light toward a retina of an eye and a movement assembly coupled to the optic. In one embodiment, the optic has a far vision correction power and the movement assembly is adapted to cooperate with the eye to effect accommodating movement of the optic, preferably upon radial compression by a capsular bag of the eye. The optic preferably vaults anteriorly relative to the movement assembly. The movement assembly preferably circumscribes the optic and includes a member having a proximal end portion coupled to the optic and a distal end portion extending away from the optic and adapted to contact a capsular bag of the eye.

Abstract: Apparatus for inserting intraocular lenses (IOLs) into eyes include a hollow tube including a material and having an interior wall defining a hollow space through which an IOL is passed and an outlet through which the IOL is passed from the hollow space into an eye, and a lubricity enhancing component physically secured to said hollow tube and concentrated at or near the interior wall in an amount effective to facilitate the passage of the IOL through the hollow space.

Abstract: Apparatus for inserting intraocular lenses (IOLs) into eyes include a hollow tube including a material and having an interior wall defining a hollow space through which an IOL is passed and an outlet through which the IOL is passed from the hollow space into an eye, and a water soluble lubricity enhancing component physically secured to said hollow tube and concentrated at or near the interior wall in an amount effective to facilitate the passage of the IOL through the hollow space.

Abstract: Apparatus for inserting intraocular lenses (IOLs) into eyes include a hollow tube including a material and having an interior wall defining a hollow space through which an IOL is passed and an outlet through which the IOL is passed from the hollow space into an eye. The interior wall is configured, for example, roughened, so that a portion of the interior wall remains out of contact with the deformable optic of the IOL as the IOL passes through the hollow space. Advantageously reduced amounts of force are required to pass the IOL through the hollow space.

Abstract: Apparatus for inserting intraocular lenses (IOLs) into eyes include a hollow tube including a material and having an interior wall defining a hollow space through which an IOL is passed and an outlet through which the IOL is passed from the hollow space into an eye, and a lubricity enhancing component physically secured to said hollow tube and concentrated at or near the interior wall in an amount effective to facilitate the passage of the IOL through the hollow space.

Abstract: Method of making an apparatus for inserting intraocular lenses (IOLs) into eyes include a hollow tube including a material and having a plasma exposed interior wall defining a hollow space through which an IOL is passed and an outlet through which the IOL is passed from the hollow space into an eye, and a lubricity enhancing component physically secured to said hollow tube and concentrated at or near the interior wall in an amount effective to facilitate the passage of the IOL through the hollow space.

Abstract: Apparatus for inserting intraocular lenses (IOLs) into eyes include a hollow tube including a material and having an interior wall defining a hollow space through which an IOL is passed and an outlet through which the IOL is passed from the hollow space into an eye, and a lubricity enhancing component physically secured to said hollow tube and concentrated at or near the interior wall in an amount effective to facilitate the passage of the IOL through the hollow space.

Abstract: The invention provides a disposable plastic mold assembly for an intraocular lens or the optic body thereof, which is inexpensive, less labor intensive than prior art intraocular lens molding techniques, and produces an intraocular lens having smooth, polished edges which require little or no post-mold finishing work. Numerous innovative features of the invention include an edge design which assures a seal between the male and female molds to thereby minimize flash during the cast molding operation, and the provision of a way to pre-align the male and female molds during assembly, consisting of an interference fitting relationship between the male and female molds.

Abstract: The process of reproducibly making a wholly spuncasted, non-truncated, ballasted soft contact lens containing a compound anterior surface. The process comprises spincasting a polymer-forming, lens forming monomeric mixture in a cavity mold having a surface that is offset to allow for generation of a prismatic ballast, a compound curvature and a central axis that is symmetrical to the peripheral edge of the lens being formed. This is done by rotating the monomer mixture in the mold whereby the mixture replicates the mold's surface while at the same time undergoes polymerization and forms a prismatic lens with the central axis of its posterior surface symmetrical to its peripheral edge, a corneal bowl free of the compound curvature and possessing a thickness profile that is asymmetrical with respect to its geometric center.

Abstract: A reproducibly-made, wholly spuncast, non-truncated ballasted, compound surfaced soft contact lens and the method of making the same by spincasting a polymer forming monomer mixture.

Abstract: An improved mold apparatus and spin casting method adapted for use in the molding of precisely configured articles, e.g., a contact lens, from a liquid polymerizable reaction mixture containing at least one volatile component is disclosed. Loss of this volatile component from the reaction mixture is prevented by providing a separate reservoir filled with a liquid volatile substance which volatilizes and fills the space above the liquid polymerization mixture.

Abstract: A centrifugal casting device and method employing a rotatable polymerization column adapted to accommodate a plurality of vertically aligned molds and being associated with an arrangement of advancing means and mold feeding means which are synchronized to intermittently and automatically advance a mold containing a polymerizable or curable composition in the mold cavity over the polymerization column and then automatically force feeding said mold into the polymerization column.

Abstract: A device and method for spin casting articles such as lenses employing a polymerization tube in conjunction with a plurality of molds such that the tube is adapted to accommodate the plurality of molds in an interference fitting and sliding relationship so that rotation of the polymerization tube will cause the molds to rotate at the same speed while maintaining the concentricity of the molds to the spinning axis of the tube to produce quality spun cast articles.