ATTACHMENT PLATE FOR ACCOMMODATING INTRAOCULAR LENS (AIOL)
An attachment plate for a haptics system for retaining an intraocular lens in a human eye having a visual axis and including a sclera of tough connective tissue, and an annular ciliary sulcus. The haptics system includes a longitudinal axis intended to be co-directional with the human eye's visual axis, a main body with at least two elongated haptics extending therefrom in opposite directions in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. Each of the elongated haptics has an attachment plate including (1) at least two pointed puncturing members, (2) each puncturing member terminating at a tip for penetrating the tough connective tissue of the human eye's sclera for self-anchoring implantation of the haptics system in the human eye's annular ciliary sulcus at least two spaced apart stationary anchor points, (3) the at least two pointed puncturing members having a minimum tip separation between their tips of at least 1 mm in said plane perpendicular to said longitudinal axis.
1 - 25 . (canceled)
26 . An attachment plate for a haptics system for retaining an intraocular lens in a human eye having a visual axis and including a sclera of tough connective tissue, and an annular ciliary sulcus, the haptics system having a longitudinal axis intended to be co-directional with the human eye's visual axis, a main body with at least two elongated haptics extending therefrom in opposite directions in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, each of the elongated haptics having an attachment plate comprising:
(1) at least two pointed puncturing members,
(2) each puncturing member terminating at a tip for penetrating the tough connective tissue of the human eye's sclera for self-anchoring implantation of the haptics system in the human eye's annular ciliary sulcus at least two spaced apart stationary anchor points,
(3) said at least two pointed puncturing members having a minimum tip separation between their tips of at least 1 mm in said plane perpendicular to said longitudinal axis.
27 . The attachment plate according to claim 26 , wherein said tip separation is between about 2 mm and about 3 mm.
28 . The attachment plate according to claim 26 wherein said attachment plate has a bifurcated shape including a central narrow juncture between a pair of spaced apart pointed puncturing members for enabling a minimum penetration of at least 0.5 mm on abutment against a human eye's sclera on self-anchoring implantation of the haptics system in the human eye's annular ciliary sulcus.
29 . The attachment plate according to claim 26 , wherein said attachment plate includes at least one manipulation aperture accessible from an anterior direction for use with a manipulation tool having an elongated handle and a tip, said aperture being sized and located for selectively receiving the tip of a manipulation tool for enabling in situ manipulation of said attachment plate.