Innovations in ocular surgery

Cataract operations are currently performed by means of a tiny corneal incision.

It is through this aperture that the opaque elements of the crystalline that produce the cataract are removed and replaced by an intraocular lens placed in the posterior capsular sack of the eye.

Some patients, however, do not have a sufficiently solid and stable capsular sack to keep the contact lens firmly in place.

There are alternative methods available for patients of this kind in the form of lenses fitted with haptics, i.e., filaments that secure the lens to the eye, although operations based on this approach require a high level of skill on the part of the medical team and may entail significant risks for the patient’s vision.

In order to avoid injuries involving the retina and other ocular layers, IK4-TEKNIKER has developed a device made of biocompatible materials that makes it easier to insert intraocular lenses with haptics and prevents luxations, ruptures and other risks associated with the operation.

The device is inserted through the incision in the cornea and comes back out through the sulcus, thus indicating the path to be followed by filaments of the intraocular lens and simplifying the operation.

This device provides a significant degree of support that reduces stress levels for the medical team and allows surgery to performed in a much quicker and safer manner.

The technology centre registered a European patent application for this biomedical development with the Spanish Patent & Trademark Office in February.