The invention generally relates to contact lenses and refractive correction by applications of contact lenses or other structures to the eye.
Known contact lenses generally cover virtually all of the cornea or cover the cornea centrally while leaving a portion of the peripheral cornea uncovered. Contact lenses known to the Applicant achieve refractive correction because of the optical nature of an optically transparent, rigid, semi-rigid or flexible material that refracts light and thus alters the refraction of light striking the cornea and passing through the other optical parts of the eye to an image formed on the retina.
The concept of a tear lens is known to exist in the context of conventional contact lenses. The tear lens is formed by a layer of tears bounded on an anterior surface by the back of a contact lens optical zone and at a posterior surface of the tear lens by the surface of the corneal epithelium. A tear lens, as understood in this conventional sense, contributes to refractive correction primarily in the context of rigid contact lenses. This is because the posterior surface of the rigid contact lens maintains its shape and curvature independent of the shape of the cornea and affects the focusing of light in addition to the refractive power of the contact lens. While a tear lens technically exists in the context of flexible or soft contact lenses, the effect of the tear lens on refraction is negligible because of the general conformity of the soft contact lens shape to the shape of the cornea.
Numerous possible complications are known to exist with use of contact lenses on the cornea even though modern contact lenses cause fewer complications than contact lenses of decades ago. The presence of contact lenses can lead to stasis and entrapment of the tear film which can lead to an accumulation of corneal epithelial waste products in the entrapped tear film. Corneal epithelial waste products in high enough concentrations can be toxic to the cells of the corneal epithelium. Mechanical interaction between the posterior surface of the contact lens and the corneal epithelium can lead to abrasion or distortion. Entrapment of solid objects, however tiny between the posterior surface of the contact lens and the anterior corneal epithelium can also lead to corneal epithelial abrasion. Under some circumstances, the reduction of oxygen available to the corneal epithelium by having the barrier of the contact lens between the corneal epithelium and the atmosphere can lead to health complications for the corneal epithelium as well.
There is still room for improvement in the arts of refractive correction by application of lenses to the eye.
The invention solves many of the above stated problems by providing a lens having a central opening which centers on the optical axis of the eye. The central opening is structured such that capillary action forms a meniscus of tears in the opening. According to an example embodiment of the invention, the inventive lens is structured so that a concave meniscus is formed. The concave meniscus is provided for correction of myopia. It is expected that a concave meniscus will form in a relatively larger diameter opening according to embodiments of the invention.
According to another example embodiment of the application, a convex meniscus is formed. A convex meniscus is expected to form in a case of a smaller diameter opening in the lens which generally overlies the optical axis of the eye.
According to another example embodiment of the invention, the opening is non-circular in structure. For example, an oval opening is expected to create a meniscus having a first curvature in a first axis and a second curvature in a second axis and thereby permitting correction of astigmatism by the tear meniscus formed. According to example embodiments of the invention, the central opening may be oval in shape or polygonal having a first axis longer than a second axis to achieve the astigmatic correction.
According to example embodiments of the invention, the cross-sectional shape of the edge or periphery of the opening may vary when viewed in cross-section.
According to an example embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the periphery of the opening may demonstrate a thick rim. According to another example embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the periphery of the opening may demonstrate the thin rim.
According to another embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the periphery of the opening may demonstrate a straight rim. The straight rim may be substantially radial in orientation as compared to the curvature of the lens and opening or may be tilted to create an acute or obtuse angle relative to a tangent to the corneal surface.
According to another example embodiment of the invention, the periphery of the opening may demonstrate a concave shape when viewed in cross section.
According to another example embodiment of the invention, the periphery of the opening may demonstrate a convex shape when viewed in cross section.
According to another example embodiment of the invention, the cross-sectional shape of the periphery of the opening may demonstrate a polygonal cross-section which may be either concave or convex.
According to other example embodiments of the invention, the cross-sectional shape of the rim may vary around the circumference of the periphery of the opening. For example, a portion or portions of the periphery of the opening when viewed in cross-section may be concave while other portions may be convex.
According to another example embodiment of the invention, the perimeter of the rim may vary in shape when viewed in an anterior-posterior direction.
According to another example embodiment of the invention, the perimeter of the rim viewed anterior to posterior may have a smooth continuous curved shape.
According to another example embodiment of the invention, the perimeter of the rim when viewed anterior to posterior may include indentations in the rim perimeter.
According to another example embodiment of the invention, the rim perimeter may include appendages extending inwardly from the rim.
According to another example embodiment of the invention, the periphery of the opening when viewed in an anterior to posterior direction may have a circular shape. According to another example embodiment of the invention, the periphery of the opening when viewed in an anterior to posterior direction may have an oval shape and according to another example embodiment of the invention, the periphery of the opening in viewed in an anterior to posterior direction may have a polygonal shape. The polygonal shape may include a regular polygon or an irregular polygon shape. The polygon may be generally radially symmetrical or may be other than radially symmetrical.
Referring to
Referring particularly to
Referring now to
Referring to
Referring particularly to
Referring now to
Referring now to
Referring now to
Referring now to
Referring particularly to
It is expected that to a certain point smaller diameter of central opening 26 will create a more steeply curved concave tear meniscus imparting greater negative refractive power and stronger correction for myopia. It is also expected that increasing depth 56 of tear shaping edge 28 will increase negative refractive power to a certain degree. As discussed above, central opening 26 may have various shapes, some of which include a long axis 36 and short axis 38.
It is expected that by judicious selection of the size of long axis 36 and short axis 38 that astigmatism may be corrected by creating a concave tear meniscus 54 having different shape and therefore differing power on various meridians.
Referring now to
Referring now to
Referring now to
Referring now to
Referring now to
Referring now to
Lens for refractive tear shaping 20 according to the various embodiments described herein may be formed from hydrogel polymers of the types used in soft contact lens that are now available or any hydrogel polymer materials to be developed in the future. Hydrogel polymers are generally water absorbent and hydrogel polymers may be used to manufacture lenses for refractive tear shaping 20 according to the invention by methods including but not limited to lathe cutting, cast molding, spin casting and injection molding. Lenses for refractive tear shaping 20 may also be manufactured from rigid oxygen permeable materials by known manufacturing processes including lathe cutting. It is to be understood that lens for refractive tear shaping 20 may be manufactured by any known contact lens manufacturing process or contact lens manufacturing processes to be developed in the future.
Lenses for refractive tear shaping 20 are expected to be made in diameters ranging from approximately 5 mm to 16 mm. Certain features of lens for refractive tear shaping 20 such as central opening 26 diameter, the structure of tear shaping edge 28, the appropriate length of long axis 36 and short axis 38 to achieve desired refractive correction are expected to be developed with a certain degree of experimentation. It is expected that this degree of experimentation will not be undue and that those of ordinary skill in the art based on the present application disclosure will be able to engage in such experimentation without significant difficulty.
It is expected that for formation of concave tear meniscus 54, that smaller diameter central openings 26 will result in higher refractive power of concave tear meniscus 54, thus permitting higher degrees of refractive correction for myopia. It is also expected that when the diameter of central opening 26 becomes sufficiently small, tear meniscus 66 will transition from concave tear meniscus 54 to convex tear meniscus 58. Determination of this transition diameter for transition is expected to be achievable by reasonable levels of experimentation.
The effect of depth 56 of tear shaping edge 28 on refractive power of tear meniscus 66 also should be determinable by reasonable experimentation. It is expected that greater depth 56 will generally create a thicker periphery of tear meniscus 66 resulting in higher degrees to concavity of concave tear meniscus 54 and greater myopic correction.
Further, understanding of the effect of other features of the disclosed lenses including anterior acute tear shaping edge 60, anterior obtuse tear shaping edge 62, concave tear shaping edge 64, convex tear shaping edge 74 and faceted tear shaping edge 76 are expected to be achieved by reasonable experimentation well within the ability of one of ordinary skill in the art. It is expected that such experimentation will not be undue. It is also expected that the effect of stellate opening 40 with indentations 42 as well as stellate opening with appendages 44 and appendages 46 can also be determined experimentally.
The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit of the essential attributes thereof; therefore, the illustrated embodiments should be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being made to the appended claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
2641161 | Silvertstein | Jun 1953 | A |
3246941 | Moss | Apr 1966 | A |
3594074 | Rosen | Jul 1971 | A |
3995635 | Higuchi et al. | Dec 1976 | A |
4194815 | Trombley | Mar 1980 | A |
4353849 | Lewison | Oct 1982 | A |
4886350 | Wichterle | Dec 1989 | A |
5929968 | Cotie et al. | Jul 1999 | A |
7249849 | Marmo et al. | Jul 2007 | B2 |
7559649 | Cotie et al. | Jul 2009 | B2 |
7695135 | Rosenthal | Apr 2010 | B1 |
7699464 | Iuliano | Apr 2010 | B2 |
7864440 | Berge | Jan 2011 | B2 |
8118426 | Cotie et al. | Feb 2012 | B2 |
8149512 | Kim | Apr 2012 | B2 |
8216306 | Coroneo | Jul 2012 | B2 |
8459793 | de Juan, Jr. et al. | Jun 2013 | B2 |
8506944 | Sullivan et al. | Aug 2013 | B2 |
8599490 | Lee | Dec 2013 | B2 |
8742623 | Biederman et al. | Jun 2014 | B1 |
8764185 | Biederman et al. | Jul 2014 | B1 |
8864306 | de Juan, Jr. et al. | Oct 2014 | B2 |
8867141 | Pugh | Oct 2014 | B2 |
8895763 | Reif | Nov 2014 | B2 |
9046699 | Caldarise | Jun 2015 | B2 |
9198752 | Woods | Dec 2015 | B2 |
20040096477 | Chauhan et al. | May 2004 | A1 |
20050046794 | Silvestrini | Mar 2005 | A1 |
20070225691 | Silvestrini et al. | Sep 2007 | A1 |
20070298220 | Noda | Dec 2007 | A1 |
20100092452 | Sullivan et al. | Apr 2010 | A1 |
20100232031 | Batchko | Sep 2010 | A1 |
20100233241 | Leahy et al. | Sep 2010 | A1 |
20110059902 | Sullivan et al. | Mar 2011 | A1 |
20110070222 | Sullivan et al. | Mar 2011 | A1 |
20110142908 | Sullivan et al. | Jun 2011 | A1 |
20110184358 | Weiner | Jul 2011 | A1 |
20110282328 | Ambati et al. | Nov 2011 | A1 |
20120245444 | Otis et al. | Sep 2012 | A1 |
20120321611 | Sullivan et al. | Dec 2012 | A1 |
20130077044 | de Juan, Jr. et al. | Mar 2013 | A1 |
20130261569 | Weiner et al. | Oct 2013 | A1 |
20130265507 | Ford et al. | Oct 2013 | A1 |
20150157315 | Theobald | Jun 2015 | A1 |
20150366708 | Lerner | Dec 2015 | A1 |
20160067035 | Gontijo | Mar 2016 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
2 539 395 | Apr 2005 | CA |
1 629 317 | Mar 2006 | EP |
2 276 496 | Jan 2011 | EP |
2 276 497 | Jan 2011 | EP |
2 632 532 | Sep 2013 | EP |
20-2014-003482 | Jun 2014 | KR |
WO 9508135 | Mar 1995 | WO |
WO 0133284 | May 2001 | WO |
WO 2004109368 | Dec 2004 | WO |
WO 2005034730 | Apr 2005 | WO |
WO 2005121874 | Dec 2005 | WO |
WO 2007008666 | Jan 2007 | WO |
WO 2009137602 | Nov 2009 | WO |
WO 2009137603 | Nov 2009 | WO |
WO 2010105130 | Sep 2010 | WO |
WO 2011050287 | Apr 2011 | WO |
WO 2012058382 | May 2012 | WO |
Entry |
---|
Adaptive Liquid Lens by Changing Aperture, Lichun Ren, Sunwoo Park, Hongwen Ren, and Il-Sou Yoo, Journal of Microelectromechanical Systems, vol. 21, No. 4, pp. 953-958, Aug. 2012. |
STIC Search. |
PCT International Search Report for International Application No. PCT/US2014/063696, dated Feb. 12, 2015. |
Written Opinion for International Application No. PCT/US2014/063696, dated Feb. 12, 2015. |
Ciolino et al., “In vivo performance of a drug-eluting contact lens to treat glaucoma for a month”, Biomaterials, 35 (2014), 432-439. |
Severinsky et al., “Curent applications and efficacy of sclera contact lenses—a retrospective study”, 2010, 5 pages. |
“Innovative drug-dispensing contact lens delivers glaucoma mediation continuously for a month”, Ophthalmology, Dec. 9, 2013, 2 pages. |
“Piggyback Lens” for Advanced Keratoconus, prior to Dec. 6, 2013, pp. 18-19. |
PCT International Search Report for International Application No. PCT/US2016/017792 dated May 11, 2016. |
International Preliminary Report on Patentability for International Application No. PCT/US2016/017792, dated Sep. 12, 2017, 8 pages. |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20160266405 A1 | Sep 2016 | US |