Ocular implant with stiffness qualities, methods of implantation and system
View Patent ↗Described herein are devices and methods for treating eye conditions. Described is an ocular implant including an elongate member having an internal lumen forming a flow pathway, at least one inflow port communicating with the flow pathway, and at least one outflow port communicating with the flow pathway. The elongate member is adapted to be positioned in the eye such that at least one inflow port communicates with the anterior chamber, at least one outflow port communicates with the suprachoroidal space to provide a fluid pathway between the anterior chamber and the suprachoroidal space when the elongate member is implanted in the eye. The elongate member has a wall material imparting a stiffness to the elongate member. The stiffness is selected such that after implantation the elongate member deforms eye tissue surrounding the suprachoroidal space forming a tented volume.
1. An ocular implant system, comprising:
a tubular, ocular implant formed of an elongate member having an internal lumen forming a flow pathway, the flow pathway configured to drain fluid from an anterior chamber of an eye to a suprachoroidal space of an eye wherein the elongate member comprises a wall material that expands into a bulbous shape upon implantation into an eye such that the implant exerts a radially-inward force on the ciliary body of the eye sufficient to reduce aqueous production of the ciliary body and wherein the elongate member is able to transition from a curved shape to a straight shape so as to deform sub-scleral eye tissue adjacent the elongate member so as to form a tented volume beneath the sclera;
a delivery device configured to deliver the implant into an eye via an opening in a cornea of the eye, the delivery device including:
(a) a proximal handle portion;
(b) a delivery portion coupled to the handle portion and configured to releasably couple to the ocular implant, the delivery portion including a guidewire that fits through the inner lumen of the ocular implant wherein the guidewire includes at least one retention feature that assists in retaining the ocular implant on the guidewire, and wherein the retention feature is a non-inflatable retention layer on the guidewire that provides an interference fit with the implant when the implant is on the guidewire, the retention layer forming a cylindrical and smooth outer surface; and
(c) an actuator configured to be actuated to cause the ocular implant coupled to the delivery portion to release from the delivery portion upon actuation of the actuator.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the delivery portion of the delivery device further includes a sheath positioned axially over the guidewire, wherein a distal end of the sheath abuts a proximal end of the ocular implant when the ocular implant is positioned on the guidewire.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the implant is adapted to be positioned in the eye such that at least one inflow port of the lumen communicates with the anterior chamber and at least one outflow port of the lumen is positioned between the ciliary body and the sclera within the supraciliary space and the flow pathway drains from the anterior chamber into the suprachoroidal space when the implant is implanted in the eye.
4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the implant forms a chord relative to a curvature of the supraciliary space.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the implant has an inner diameter of about 0.012 inch and an outer diameter of about 0.015 inch.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the implant has a length in the range of about 0.250 inch to about 0.300 inch.