US3776230A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of rapidly reshaping the cornea to eliminate refractive errors
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1973-04-18
•
Granted: 1973-12-04
•
Expires: 1993-04-18
Abstract
Abstract A method of correcting refractive errors of the eye by changing the shape of the cornea by softening the corneal tissue by the application of heat and reshaping the convex cornea to the curvature of the surface of a concave mold applied to the cornea.
Inventors
- 👤 C Neefe
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 14:11
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61F; A61F9/00; A61F9/0008; A61F9/0017; A61F9/007; A61F9/013; A61K; A61K9/00; A61K9/0012; A61K9/0048; A61K9/0051
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
99 words
A method of making the eye emmetropic by reshaping the cornea comprising the step of providing a concave mold having a preselected central concave radius said concave radius being equal to the convex radius required on the cornea to render the eye emmetropic and a peripheral curvature substantially equal to the peripheral corneal curvature applying said mold to the cornea, heating the mold and the cornea to shape the cornea to a convex curvature equal to the concave curvature present on the concave mold, the resulting curvature of the cornea being the curvature required to make the eye emmetropic.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
99 words
A method of making the eye emmetropic by reshaping the cornea comprising the step of providing a concave mold having a preselected central concave radius said concave radius being equal to the convex radius required on the cornea to render the eye emmetropic and a peripheral curvature substantially equal to the peripheral corneal curvature applying said mold to the cornea, heating the mold and the cornea to shape the cornea to a convex curvature equal to the concave curvature present on the concave mold, the resulting curvature of the cornea being the curvature required to make the eye emmetropic.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method as in claim 1 wherein the said mold and cornea are heated by infrared radiation.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method as in claim 1 wherein the concave mold is made of metal.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method as in claim 1 wherein the concave mold is heated before being placed on the cornea.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method as in claim 1 wherein the concave mold is heated after being placed on the cornea.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method as in claim 1 wherein selected non-permanent cornea softening chemical compounds are applied to the cornea.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as in claim 1 wherein the said concave mold has a central transparent segment of a preselected concave radius and a plano or zero refractive power.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method as in claim 1 wherein the mold material is permeable to oxygen and carbon dioxide.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method as in claim 1 wherein preselected non-permanent cornea softening chemical compounds are applied within the peripheral segment of the concave mold and the release rate of said compounds from the mold to the eye is controlled.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2241415A
Cited
US3228741A
Cited
US3548819A
Cited
US3364340A
Cited
US3680548A
Cited
US3710795A
Cited
US3710796A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-12-03 | 1977-06-04 | 1977-12-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-12-03 | 1981-06-04 | 1981-12-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-12-03 | 1985-06-04 | 1985-12-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |