Every great idea starts with a spark of innovation, but turning that spark into reality can take years of persistence and hard work. That’s where patents come in. These legal shields are guardians of originality, giving companies like Hanita Lenses the freedom to keep pushing boundaries.
From intraocular lenses to specialized packaging and surgical devices, our patented technologies secure the future of eye care by fostering unique solutions that deliver better vision for patients worldwide.
The Intensity IOL, a Standout in Patent-Protected Innovation
A prime example of our innovation is the Intensity Pentafocal IOL, a lens that earned different types of patents in several countries by breaking the mold of conventional multifocal design.
“Most multifocal lenses were built like Lego bricks,” explains Alex Maliarov, Hanita Lenses’ Chief Technological Officer. “You take one brick that’s a bifocal giving far and near, another brick that’s a bifocal giving far and intermediate, and when you put them together, you have alternating steps and you get near, far, and intermediate.”
“But we did things differently,” he continues. “We didn’t start with known shapes, we didn’t focus on surfaces. Instead, the Intensity was the first lens developed using an algorithm. We told the computer what performance we wanted, and it iteratively created the surface that delivered it with very high efficiency.”
Maliarov explains why the Intensity’s unique, symmetrical design is also a game-changer that was granted a patent: “To put it simply, it’s like people were placing the internet router in the corner of the room and expecting it to reach every part of the room evenly; what we did with the light distribution here was the equivalent of placing the router in the middle of the room.”
“Thanks to these two things – method and design -, we were able to get sufficient energy for 5 focal points, allowing for continuous defocus without decrease at any distance, which also contributes to diminished disturbances,” he says about the Intensity IOL’s unmatched performance. “I’m excited we got the patents for both method and design, as it will allow us to continue developing lenses using this same procedure. This opens lots of new possibilities,” he hints.
The Future is Bright, Multidisciplinary, and Patented
Innovation at Hanita Lenses doesn’t stop with IOLs. The company’s CTO Alex Maliarov highlights other technological breakthroughs in the pipeline: “While Hanita is focused on premium intraocular lenses, it’s difficult not to enter surrounding areas when we see smart, innovative developments there, such as the AssiAnchor. Or, our upcoming CleaRing, which was originally designed to prevent posterior capsule opacification (PCO), but has many more functions that could change how cataract surgery looks in the future – preserving the shape of the capsular bag; preventing tilt, decentration, and rotation of the intraocular lens; and even allowing the replacement of intraocular lenses, as the lens does not encounter fibrosis.”
Pushing Boundaries in Ophthalmology
At Hanita Lenses, patents are more than a testament of originality and functionality; they reflect our commitment to innovation that improves precision, predictability, and satisfaction for surgeons and patients alike. Protecting these breakthroughs fuels our drive to push boundaries in ophthalmology – and keeps the future of vision care firmly in sight.
