DESIGN OF MECHANISMS FOR STORAGE, FOLDING, AND DELIVERY OF AN INTRAOCULAR LENS (IOL) DURING CATARACT SURGERY

摘要

Surgical techniques for extraction of a cataract and implantation of a replacement intraocular lens (IOL) into the eye have improved dramatically in recent years. An important advance has been the development of foldable IOLs, which can be inserted into the eye through incisions approximately 50% smaller than those required for rigid IOLs. This paper reports on another evolutionary step in cataract surgery: the design of mechanisms for handling foldable IOLs during surgery. Mechanism designs are discussed for retrieving an IOL from its sterile storage container, folding the IOL in a desired configuration, and finally, placing the IOL accurately into a delivery tube.