Surgical correction of
human eye refractive errors such as
presbyopia, hyperopia, myopia, and
stigmatism by using transcutaneously inductively energized
artificial muscle implants to either actively change the
axial length and the anterior curvatures of the eye globe. This brings the
retina / macula region to coincide with the focal point. The implants use transcutaneously inductively energized scleral constrictor bands equipped with composite
artificial muscle structures. The implants can induce enough
accommodation of a few diopters, to correct
presbyopia, hyperopia, and myopia
on demand. In the preferred embodiment, the
implant comprises an active sphinctering smart band to encircle the
sclera, preferably implanted under the
conjunctiva and under the
extraocular muscles to uniformly constrict the eye globe, similar to a scleral buckle band for
surgical correction of
retinal detachment, to induce active temporary myopia (hyperopia) by increasing (decreasing) the active length of the globe. In another embodiment, multiple and specially designed constrictor bands can be used to enable surgeons to correct
stigmatism. The composite artificial muscles are either resilient composite shaped memory
alloy-
silicone rubber implants in the form of endless active scleral bands, electroactive ionic polymeric
artificial muscle structures, electrochemically contractile endless bands of ionic polymers such as
polyacrylonitrile (PAN), thermally contractile
liquid crystal elastomer artificial
muscle structures, magnetically deployable structures or solenoids or other deployable structures equipped with smart materials such as preferably piezocerams, piezopolymers, electroactive and eletrostrictive polymers, magnetostrictive materials, and electro or magnetorheological materials.