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The present invention relates to the field of ophthalmology, and more specifically to a new device to replace the current ocular axis marking apparatus.
This device serves to indicate in the eye the position in which the lens has to be placed, and it achieves this in a single step, mechanically and even with the patient seated. In addition, it allows capturing images and videos for later analysis.
It essentially consists of two circular, transparent discs, one of which is at least axially stationary, in which the angles from 0º to 180º are marked, which are aligned with the angles from 0º to 180º of the patient's eye; and the other one of which is movable both angularly and axially, with a reference mark and moving rigidly connected to a marking part, impregnated with die, which is responsible for marking the eye. Not only does the device make it possible to carry out said marking in a precise and comfortable manner, it also measures the angle of toric lenses already implanted.
This new device provides a precise mapping of the desired ocular axis in the immediate phase to surgery for the treatment of astigmatism. It can also be used to measure the precise position in which the lens is placed in the postoperative period and quantify possible misalignments of the toric lens, which may be responsible for the appearance of unwanted astigmatisms after surgery. Additionally, the invention can be used to measure any axis in the anterior part of the eye for any eventuality in which said procedure is required. These characteristics are especially useful in the surgical treatment of astigmatism.
As an added value, the ocular goniometer is also useful to view the position a mark. For example, it may be used to measure which axis an intraocular toric lens is placed in and if it is shifted, since the ocular goniometer axis is centered on the patient's visual axis.
This feature, not included in any of the other devices, is useful in the management of the immediate postoperative status of patients operated with toric intraocular lenses. It is known that most of the lenses that rotate do it in the first few hours. This feature helps to detect whether the lens rotated before discharging the patient, being able to replace it if needed in practically the same surgery.
The University is looking for partners to licence this patent pending technology.

Advantages & innovations

The ocular goniometer is precise, fast, easy and simple to use and very economical. It favors the surgical treatment of astigmatism precisely. By centering the axis of the goniometer on the visual axis of the patient, it could easily detect possible lens offsets, which would help in the management of the postoperative cataract surgery, especially with multifocal lenses, which are very sensitive to the tilting. The following advantages derive from this structuring: Against automatic systems: Automatic systems are very expensive, they involve the use of very sophisticated surgical microscopes. They also need to occupy a physical space that is not always available and are not portable. The eye goniometer has a much lower cost, occupies a minimum space and is portable and can be used in any operating room. Against manual systems: Marking is performed in a single step, minimizing errors and avoiding annoying maneuvers for the patient. At the same time the measurement and the marking are much more precise, the ink mark occupying a fine line, and not a diffuse spot such as the mark of a marker. The prototype won the first prize at the Congress of the Andalusian Ophthalmology Society.

Stage of development

Prototype available for demonstration

Partner sought

Companies that want to enter into a licensing agreement or alternatively technical agreement in order to explore the new possibility in the ophthalmology sector, and secondarily to the optics sector. It may be an added benefit for companies that manufacture and sell cataract and refractive surgery devices, as well as intraocular lenses. It could increase sales of multifocal and monofocal intraocular toric lenses and toric ICL, because it can be used to measure the precise position in which the lens is placed in the postoperative period and quantify possible misalignments of the toric lens, which are responsible for the appearance of unwanted astigmatisms after surgery.