WO2012104450A1

WO2012104450A1 - Fenestrated contact lens and method for the production thereof

Info

Publication number: WO2012104450A1
Application number: PCT/ES2012/000020
Authority: WO
Inventors: Miguel Angel GALLEGO GONZÁLEZ; Francisco Javier BELLO FERNÁNDEZ
Original assignee: Fit And Cover Servilens, S.L.
Priority date: 2011-02-04
Filing date: 2012-01-31
Publication date: 2012-08-09

Abstract

Fenestrated contact lens and method for the production thereof, with holes (2) in the form of dots, forming lines (3) in the perimeter area (4) close to the edge (5) of the lens (1), leaving at least 9 mm for the central optical area (6), in a position that is inclined by 45° with respect to the edge (5). Each line (3) is formed by three dots (2), is 4 mm in length, and the lines are inclined in one direction or the other in accordance with each eye and are arranged in an equidistant manner around the central optical area (6). The holes (2) are elliptical. The process comprises: cutting on the dehydrated contact lens; carrying out fenestration using CO₂ laser and specific software for obtaining the expected measurements upon increasing the size thereof; immersing the lens in a hydrating solution; carrying out parameter and quality control; sealing the hermetic envelope; and performing sterilization thereon.

Description

CONTACT LENS FENESTED AND PROCEDURE FOR OBTAINING THE SAME

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The invention, as expressed in the present specification, relates to a fenestrated contact lens and a method for obtaining it.

More particularly, the object of the invention focuses, on the one hand, on a fenestrated contact lens, that is, of the type that has small through holes intended to allow the tear to pass through it, presenting the particularity of that the aforementioned holes incorporated by the new lens are preferably elliptical and are practiced in an aligned arrangement, forming various lines that improve the tear exchange function, which, in addition, are located near the end of the lens, so that they respect the area center of the same, and have a lateral inclination that facilitates the rotating displacement of the lens when blinking.

A second aspect of the present invention refers to a process for obtaining a fenestrated contact lens as above, that is, of the type that has small through holes intended to allow greater tear exchange, said holes being mainly elliptical. and optionally forming aligned groups, in any case located around the central area and near the end of the lens with a lateral inclination with respect to the edge thereof that facilitates the rotating displacement of the lens on the cornea, it being precisely this rotating movement that favors tear exchange and the exit of the possible debris trapped between the lens and the cornea. This process has the particular fenestration that is performed by _CO2 laser and dry or dehydrated lens in order to subsequently hydration.

FIELD OF APPLICATION OF THE INVENTION

The scope of the present invention is part of the technical sector of the industry dedicated to the manufacture of contact lenses.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

At present, and as a reference to the state of the art, it should be noted that, although contact lenses fenestrated with holes to allow the tear to pass through are known, there is no known existence that has aligned and inclined elliptical holes with respect to of the outer edge of the lens, nor of any other procedure for obtaining it that has similar characteristics to those presented here, which aims to facilitate its fenestration and, at the same time, ensure that the holes made retain the particular structural, configuration, layout and, especially, size characteristics, in the perimeter crown of the lens and which improve performance and use Of the same.

Thus, at least on the part of the applicant, the existence of any other contact lens and similar invention that presents technical, structural and constitutive characteristics similar to those presented here is unknown, the distinctive and characterizing details of the application being unknown. it and its manufacturing process conveniently included in the final claims that accompany the present specification.

EXPLANATION OF THE INVENTION

Specifically, what the invention advocates is, as already noted above, a contact lens of those with holes, with the advantageous feature that said holes are preferably elliptical and are aligned in order to achieve greater exchange tear, with the consequent greater contribution of oxygen, and also favor that the debris that is trapped between the contact lens and the cornea have greater circulation, that is, that they have more facility to exit to the torrent of the tear and be eliminated.

In short, the new configuration and arrangement of these holes more optimally favors the entry of oxygen and the exit of carbon dioxide. As there is more tear exchange, in addition, it favors at the same time that there are fewer negative effects on the physiology of the conjunctival surface and, as the metabolic cells trapped between the contact lens and the cornea more easily exit, prevents an infection from occurring that can lead to keratitis, for example.

For all this, and already in a concrete way, the contact lens that the invention proposes has four lines that are formed from tiny holes in the form of elliptical points, specifically three points, each of them aligned so that they form a 4 mm long line.

It is important to note that said fenestration is done respecting the optical zone of the contact lens, so that they remain free, at least 9 mm in diameter.

In turn, the said lines (formed by said three points) are arranged close to the edge of the lens with a certain inclination with respect to said edge, so that they are specifically inclined 45 ° with respect to the circumference. Said inclined arrangement of the lines causes an effect destined to favor that, when blinking, the lens makes small turns and thus facilitates the tear and waste material resulting from the corneal metabolism.

Thus, compared to conventional contact lenses that are manufactured with fenestration so far they are only with points, the recommended lens that is fenestrated with lines, constituted from points, and inclined with respect to the edge of it, favor more and better the entry and exit of oxygen and metabolic cells respectively, thanks to the fact that said arrangement of the fenestration favors the rotation of the lens.

For its part, the aforementioned oxygen contribution to The cornea entails the consequent comfort for the user, apart from respecting the integrity of the conjunctival surface.

Finally, it should be noted that the described contact lens may consist of both a hydrogel contact lens and a silicone hydrogel lens, both of which may be of the monthly replacement lens type or of conventional replacement lenses, that is, any material soft or permeable and any replacement, even daily.

Likewise, the lens can consist of a hybrid contact lens which, as is known, are those that carry the center in rigid gas permeable material and the outer ring in hydrogel and therefore a softer material that makes them more comfortable.

It should be noted that in the case of the aforementioned hybrid type lenses, when they are conventionally fenestrated by means of points, they present the problem that waves can be formed in the junction zone between permeable gas and hydrogel material due to the difference in thickness and stiffness of the two materials.

With the fenestration in the form of lines of the lens recommended here, the tension points are broken, and therefore, the waves that occur in the area of union of the two materials are avoided, achieving more comfortable and smooth lenses, which they adapt better to the surface of the cornea, maintaining the optical advantages of the rigid lens, for example in cases of high astigmatisms or irregular astigmatisms.

Continuing with the peculiarities of the Invention, and as already noted above, a second aspect thereof focuses on a method for obtaining the described contact lens, which comprises the following steps:

Work on a dehydrated contact lens, which as we have already mentioned can be of different materials and of different types of replacement.

- On the dehydrated contact lens, the fenestration is done by a _CO2 laser and using a specific software in already done the necessary calculations so that, once the lens is hydrated, the holes have the finally expected measures, since its size will increase.

- The next step in the manufacturing process is to immerse the contact lens, already fenestrated, in a moisturizing solution, to achieve the desired degree of hydration depending on the material we are working on.

- Once the lens is hydrated, the parameters and quality control are carried out to subsequently carry out the sealing of the "blister" or airtight packaging in which it is packed and sterilized.

It should be noted that the number of fenestrations that can be carried out in each lens can be variable, the most common being 4 or 6 holes in the form of an ellipse or 4 or 6 lines formed by points. Thus, although, preferably and as noted above, the recommended lens has four lines consisting of three holes each, the The procedure described for obtaining it is equally applicable for obtaining lenses with different number of holes and dotted lines.

Given the foregoing, it is found that the described fenestrated contact lens and the procedure for obtaining it represent an innovation of structural and constitutive characteristics unknown until now, reasons that together with its practical utility, provide it with sufficient foundation to obtain the privilege of exclusivity requested.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To complement the description that is being made of the device object of the invention and to help a better understanding of the characteristics that distinguish it, the present descriptive report is attached, as an integral part thereof, of a set of drawings, in the that the following has been represented by way of illustration and not limitation:

Figure number 1.- Shows a schematic plan view of an embodiment example of the fenestrated contact lens object of the invention, the line arrangement of the fenestration points it incorporates as well as the inclined arrangement of said lines being appreciated. .

Figure 2 shows a schematic plan view of another embodiment of a fenestrated contact lens of the type to which the recommended process can also be applied, said lens example counting with four elliptical holes inclined at 45 °.

Figure number 3.- It shows a view similar to that shown in figure 1, in this case again an example of a fenestrated lens with four lines of three elliptical holes each, said holes having been represented in an excessively disproportionate size in order to appreciate their elliptical configuration.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

In view of the aforementioned figures, and according to the numbering adopted therein, it can be seen as the lens (1) in question, which may consist of a contact lens of hydrogel, silicone hydrogel or hybrid type, whose center is rigid with an external hydrogel ring, and said lens (1) of the fenestrates having holes (2) in the form of points that open a passageway through the lens between the cornea and the outside , it has the particularity that said holes, which are preferably elliptical holes, are arranged in line forming several lines (3), where, preferably, each of said lines (3) is formed by three points and reaches a length of approximately 4mm.

In addition, the aforementioned lines (3) of points presented by the proposed lens (1), which are preferably four, are arranged, located in the area or perimeter ring (4) near the edge (5) of the lens (1), respecting the central optical zone (6) of at least 9 mm in diameter, in an inclined position, so that the lines (3) are inclined 45 ° with respect to the circumference of said edge (5) of the lens (1) and, preferably, oriented in one direction or another depending on the lens for the left or right eye, so than the end closest to the edge of each line

(3) Orient towards the tear of the corresponding eye.

Finally, it should be noted that, preferably, the described lines (3) are arranged equally spaced around the central optical zone (6), in the aforementioned perimeter ring

(4) of the lens (1).

For its part, the recommended process allows to practice the mentioned holes (2) in the form of points that open a passageway through the lens between the cornea and the outside, both in a lens as described or in another type of lens fenestrated, so that said holes (2), can be practiced either one at a time (as in the example shown in Figure 2) or grouped in lines (3) of two or three holes each (such as example shown in figures 1 and 3), in any case with an inclination of 45 ° with respect to the edge (5) of the lens, preferably oriented in one direction or another depending on the lens for the right or left eye, so that the end closest to the edge of the lens is oriented towards the tear of the corresponding eye, existing between 4 and 6 holes (2) or lines (3) of holes equally distributed around the central optical zone (6), in the aforementioned perimeter ring of the lens

In the example depicted in Figure 1, a monthly replacement contact lens with a total diameter of 14.20 mm is shown in which the holes are 2mm long (1) by 1mm wide (a).

It is important to highlight that these measures are those that have said holes with the hydrated lens, which is finally after the recommended fenestration process, since this is carried out with the dry contact lens, that is, dehydrated, being carried out with a CO2 laser equipped with the specific software that manages to make the holes (2) with the dehydrated contact lens so that, once hydrated, it reaches the aforementioned dimensions of 2 mm long by 1 mm wide.

Describing sufficiently the nature of the present invention, as well as the way of putting it into practice, it is not considered necessary to make its explanation more extensive so that any expert in the field understands its scope and the advantages that derive from it, stating that, within its essentiality, it may be carried out in other embodiments that differ in detail from that indicated by way of example, and to which it will also achieve the protection that is sought provided that it does not alter, change or modify its fundamental principle .

Claims

1. - FENESTRATED CONTACT LENS, which may consist of a contact lens of hydrogel, silicone hydrogel or hybrid, being called "fenestrated" with holes (2) in the form of points that open a passageway through the lens between the cornea and the outside, it is characterized in that said holes (2) in the form of points, are arranged alignedly forming several lines (3), which are arranged, located in the area or perimeter ring (4) close to the edge (5) of the lens (1), respecting the central optical zone (6) of at least 9mm in diameter, in an inclined position of 45 ° with respect to the circumference of said edge (5) of the lens (1 ).

2. - FACTORED CONTACT LENS, according to claim 1, characterized in that each of the lines (3) is formed by three holes (2) in the form of points; and because they have a length of approximately 4mm.

3. - FACTORED CONTACT LENS, according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the lines (3) of holes (2) in the form of points that the lens (1) has are four.

4. - FACTORED CONTACT LENS, according to claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the lines (3) of holes (2) in the form of points are inclined in one direction or another depending on the lens for the left or right eye, so that the end closest to the edge of each line (3) is oriented towards the tear of the corresponding eye.

5. - CONTACT LENS FENESTRATED, according to the claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the dotted lines (3) are arranged equally spaced around the central optical zone (6), in the perimeter ring (4) of the lens (1).

6. - FENESTRATED CONTACT LENS, according to claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the holes (2) that make up the lines (3) are constituted by elliptical holes.

7. - PROCEDURE FOR OBTAINING A FACTORED CONTACT LENS, as described in claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it comprises the following steps:

Work on the dehydrated contact lens.

- Perform the fenestration by laser C0 ₂ , with the help of a specific software in which the necessary calculations have been made so that, once the lens is hydrated, the holes (2) have the expected measurements finally, since their size will increase .

- Immerse the contact lens, already fenestrated, in a moisturizing solution.

- Once the lens is hydrated, perform parameter and quality control.

- Carry out the sealing of the hermetic packaging in which it is packed and proceed to its sterilization.