Ocular implant delivery system and method

1. An ocular implant and delivery system comprising:

a cannula comprising a distal cutting portion, a distal exit port adapted to be inserted into a Schlemm's canal portion of an eye, and a distal stop element;

an ocular implant disposed within the cannula and comprising a plurality of openings through a longitudinal side of the implant;

a pusher disposed within the cannula and engaged with the ocular implant; and

a proximal control operably connected to the pusher and adapted to be operated from exterior to an eye to move the implant when the distal exit port of the cannula is within the eye.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the cannula forms an arc of a circle.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the cannula has a radius of curvature less than about 0.1 inches.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the cannula has a diameter less than about 0.03 inches.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the cutting portion comprises a cutting edge angled with respect to a central axis of the cannula.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the cutting edge is at an angle of between about 10 degrees and about 80 degrees with respect to the central axis.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein the stop element is disposed at a proximal extent of the cutting edge.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the distal cutting portion at least partially defines the exit port.

9. The system of claim 1 further comprising a carrier disposed within the implant, oriented to block the implant openings and movable with the implant within the cannula.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the ocular implant and carrier together comprise a blunt distal end.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the carrier has a larger diameter portion and a smaller diameter portion, the ocular implant being engaged with the larger diameter portion of the carrier.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the pusher comprises an implant engagement mechanism adapted to hold an ocular implant during advancement out of the exit port of the cannula.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the ocular implant is engaged with the implant engagement mechanism when the implant is disposed between the larger diameter portion of the carrier and the implant engagement mechanism, and the ocular implant is disengaged with the implant engagement mechanism when the implant is disposed between the smaller diameter portion of the carrier and the implant engagement mechanism.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein the engagement mechanism comprises a friction fit between the implant and the carrier.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the engagement mechanism further comprises a friction fit between the implant and the pusher.

16. The system of claim 12 wherein the engagement mechanism is adapted to attach the implant to the pusher such that the implant and pusher can be moved as a unit.

17. The system of claim 12 wherein the engagement mechanism is adapted to attach the implant to the pusher such that the implant, carrier and pusher can be moved as a unit.

18. The system of claim 9 wherein the carrier comprises a material delivery lumen in communication with a material inlet in the proximal control.

19. The system of claim 9 wherein the proximal control comprises a distal handle connected to the cannula and a proximal handle comprising a carrier movement actuator, the proximal handle and the distal handle being movable with respect to each other.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the proximal handle further comprises an implant movement actuator.

21. The system of claim 9 wherein the carrier extends proximally into the pusher.

22. The system of claim 9 wherein the carrier is further adapted to move with the implant through the distal exit port of the cannula.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the proximal control is further adapted to move the carrier through the distal exit port of the cannula and to retract the carrier back into the cannula.

24. The system of claim 1 wherein the distal cutting portion comprises two convex edges meeting at a tip.