top of page

FUTURE IOLS

SHAPE/ CURVATURE CHANGE DESIGNS

 

NuLens

  • Influenced by the mechanism of an avian eye

    • A highly muscular iris constriction causes bulging of the anterior lens surface

 

  • Sulcus-based accommodating IOL 

 

  • The lens has a small chamber which houses silicone gel

  • During accommodation:

    • The gel is forced into the lens optic

    • This causes a steepening effect on the anterior surface curvature

 

  • Unique feature: it works as a reverse of normal crystalline lens accommodation:

    • When focusing of near objects (accommodation), the ciliary muscle relaxes

    • The reverse occurs for distance, where the ciliary muscle is contracted 

 

 

 

FluidVision

  • PowerVision FluidVision IOL

    • Acrylic IOL

    • Hollow haptics and optics

    • Connected to a central fluid cavity

 

 

 

  • During accommodation:

- Zonular tension on the capsule decreases

- Reduction of the equatorial diameter of capsule

 - This compresses the haptics, displacing fluid from the haptic into the optic

- Anterior surface curvature increases 

- Therefore, a change in power is induced, causing a focus at near 

LENS FILLING DESIGN

 

With IOL surgery, capsular opacification and leakage of silicone polymer have caused difficulties

  • With a refilling lens, these problems can be minimised

 

Comprised of:

  • An anterior foldable IOL with a posterior silicone IOL attached 

    • Which serves as both an optic and a plug for sealing the CCC.

  • A transparent, liquid polymer is used to refill the lens, which lies between both IOLs

    • This polymerises at body temperature when inserted into the eye.

    • It enters via the small opening within the haptic of the silicone IOL 

 

  • Although many problems still remain with this technique, this method could help develop the IOL market further. 

 

 

DYNAMIC CHANGE IN POWER DESIGNS

 

LiquiLens

  • Contains two immiscible liquids

  • Relies on the movement of liquid due to gravity during downward gaze

    • The change in fluid in this direction alters the refractive index

    • This in turn changes the focal length, to introduce new increase                                         in power for near tasks 

  • However, intermediate vision is non-existent - works like a bifocal lens

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ELECTRONIC IOL DESIGN

 

Sapphire AutoFocal (Elenza)

  • First electronic IOL being developed

 

  • Visual accommodation occurs as an ‘autofocus’ without the lens implant moving

  • Distance and near focus automatically occurs as a result of individual pupillary responses

  • Once implanted, the lens can be customised and programmed, adapting to the patient 

 

  • The fail-safe system means that if the IOL experiences a problem, the patient goes back to having distance vision only and has to wear reading glasses to correct for near 

 

  • The Elenza IOL electrically controls the refractive index of the liquid crystal which is inserted between a circular array of transparent electrodes.

    • These diffractive crystal molecules are electroactivated to allow for near objects to be focused

 

Click             for more information about the future of IOLs.

Click below to test your knowledge on the future IOLs
bottom of page