SIDE PUSH BUTTON FOR INTRAOCULAR LENS INJECTOR

1 . An intraocular lens injector comprising:

an injector body defining a bore;

a nozzle coupled to the injector body, the nozzle comprising an opening in fluid communication with the bore

a plunger receivable into the bore and moveable therein; and

an IOL compressor coupled to the injector body, the IOL compressor comprising:

a housing;

a compression chamber formed within the housing and adapted to receive an IOL;

a transversely depressible button extending through a slot formed in the housing, the transversely depressible button moveable within the slot, the transversely depressible button comprising:

a pad located outside of the housing of the compression chamber;

an internal portion located inside of the compression chamber, the internal portion having a compression surface adapted to compress the IOL disposed in the compression chamber; and

a stem connecting the pad and the internal portion, the stem slideably disposed within the slot.

2 . The IOL injector of claim 1 wherein the housing of the compressor comprises an exterior surface that defines a seat,

wherein the pad of the transversely depressible button comprises a seating surface, and

wherein the seating surface is adapted to contact the seat to stop movement of the transversely depressible button in a first transverse direction.

3 . The IOL injector of claim 1 wherein the transversely depressible button further comprises:

at least one flexible wing extending from the stem, the at least one wing is adapted to flex inwardly when passing through the slot and to expand outwardly when the at least one flexible wing is received into the compression chamber.

4 . The IOL injector of claim 3 , wherein the compression chamber defines an interior surface, and wherein the at least one flexible wing cooperates with the interior surface to form a lock that is adapted to hold the transversely depressible button into a depressed state when the at least one flexible wing is received into the compression chamber.

5 . The IOL injector of claim 1 wherein the compression chamber defines a slot adapted to receive a leading haptic of the IOL and to restrain longitudinal movement of the leading haptic as the IOL is compressed within the compression chamber.

6 . The IOL injector of claim 1 wherein the compression chamber comprises and interior surface that includes a curved portion adapted to guide a trailing haptic of the IOL into a tucked configuration as the IOL is compressed within the compression chamber.

7 . A method of compressing an intraocular lens, comprising:

applying a transverse compression force to an intraocular lens comprising a base, a trailing haptic coupled to the base, and a leading haptic coupled to the base;

positioning a trailing haptic of the intraocular lens into a tucked configuration as the intraocular lens is compressed;

restraining longitudinal displacement of the leading haptic as the intraocular lens is compressed;

positioning the leading haptic into a tucked configuration as the compressed intraocular lens is longitudinally displaced; and

maintaining both the leading haptic and the trailing haptic in a tucked configuration as the compressed intraocular lens continues to be longitudinally displaced.

8 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising delivering the compressed intraocular lens from an intraocular lens injector.

9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein applying a transverse compression force to an intraocular lens comprises depressing a transversely depressible button to compress the intraocular lens between the button and an interior surface of an intraocular lens compressor.

10 . The method of claim 7 , wherein positioning a trailing haptic of the intraocular lens into a tucked configuration as the intraocular lens is compressed comprises engaging a tip of the trailing haptic with a curved surface to guide the trailing haptic into an abutting and conforming relationship with a base of the intraocular lens.

11 . The method of claim 7 , wherein restraining longitudinal displacement of the leading haptic as the intraocular lens is compressed comprises positioning the leading haptic in a slot that is adapted to define a path of travel of the leading haptic as the intraocular lens is compressed.

12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein positioning the leading haptic into a tucked configuration as the compressed intraocular lens is longitudinally displaced comprises longitudinally displacing the compressed intraocular lens while restraining longitudinal movement of the leading haptic such that the leading haptic abuts and conforms to the a shape of the base.