Patent classifications
B29D11/00125
Method of manufacturing hydrogel ophthalmic devices with electronic elements
The present invention provides methods for forming an ophthalmic lens that can include a media insert and/or electronic components. In particular, the present disclosure provides for adhesion promoting functionalization steps for a biocompatible coating to bind a hydrogel material to a plastic surface or electronic component prior to the polymerization of the hydrogel. In some aspects, the media insert can be used to contain energy sources and/or functional electronic components which may be, for example, in a stacked integrated component configuration to permit a generally arcuate shape that can conform to the anterior surface of an eye.
EYE MOUNTABLE DEVICE AND FLEXIBLE ASSEMBLY FOR FABRICATION THEREOF
Techniques and mechanisms for fabrication of an eye mountable device. In an embodiment, an apparatus includes two curved lens portions and a flexible arm structure that extends between, and is anchored to, each of the two curved lens portions. The eye mountable device is formed at least in part by manipulation of the curved lens portions using the arm structure. Flexibility of the arm structure accommodates positioning of one curved lens portion to overlap the other curved lens portion. A lens of the eye mountable device is formed by the curved lens portions. In another embodiment, an enclosure formed by the lens has disposed therein an accommodation actuator.
Method for the Determination of Residual Moisture on and/or Within a Lens Forming Surface
A method for determining residual moisture on and/or within a lens forming surface of a mold half includes the steps of carrying out an infrared inspection of at least a central portion of the lens forming surface of the mold half with the aid of an infrared camera, collecting measurement values resulting from the infrared inspection, which represent a degree of residual moisture on and/or within the lens forming surface, comparing the collected measurement values with a predefined threshold value representing a maximum tolerable residual moisture on and/or within a lens forming surface of a reference mold half, and, upon detection of an exceedance of the predefined threshold value representing the maximum tolerable residual moisture, preventing the inspected mold half from being used further.
Contact lens using electrospun polymers
A method for making an improved contact lens with the steps of providing a mold with a space between the top surface and a bottom surface, and positioning a mat in the space of the mold, providing a bead of liquid polymer of predetermined size at a predetermined location on the surface of the mat, pressing the bead of liquid polymer into the mat between the top surface and the bottom surface of the mold to form an optical zone framed by a mat peripheral zone, exposing the optical zone and the peripheral zone with U-V radiation to harden the optical zone into a composite improved contact lens, removing the cross-linked improved contact lens from the mold, processing the peripheral zone surrounding the optical zone to have a fenestration surface having holes, the holes being through holes with predetermined diameters selected to pass larger proteins, lipids, metabolites.
Method for manufacturing toric contact lenses
A method of manufacturing of an astigmatic contact lens having a toric portion and a thickness differential feature to provide lens orientation on eye portion such that said thickness differential causes the toric portion of the contact lens to properly orient in the eye of the wearer. The toric lenses are manufactured by an effective process control method for cylinder power in toric lens production by determining an amount of a mold cylinder compensation which is caused by processes in a toric lens manufacturing system including tool making, injection molding, casting and curing, wherein the mold cylinder is defined as the difference in measured radius of curvature at two orthogonal directions. A control metric is established by using the amount of a mold cylinder compensation and tolerance range and reject mold out of the control limits and improve the production yield for toric lens manufacturing.
HYDROPHILICITY ALTERATION SYSTEM AND METHOD
A system/method allowing hydrophilicity alteration of a polymeric material (PM) is disclosed. The PM hydrophilicity alteration changes the PM characteristics by decreasing the PM refractive index, increasing the PM electrical conductivity, and increasing the PM weight. The system/method incorporates a laser radiation source that generates tightly focused laser pulses within a three-dimensional portion of the PM to affect these changes in PM properties. The system/method may be applied to the formation of customized intraocular lenses comprising material (PLM) wherein the lens created using the system/method is surgically positioned within the eye of the patient. The implanted lens refractive index may then be optionally altered in situ with laser pulses to change the optical properties of the implanted lens and thus achieve optimal corrected patient vision. This system/method permits numerous in situ modifications of an implanted lens as the patient's vision changes with age.
CARRIER FOR CARRYING AN OPHTHALMIC LENS DURING ITS TREATMENT IN A BATH
A carrier for carrying an ophthalmic lens during its treatment in a bath comprises: a basket (10) comprising a basket wall defining a concave cavity (50) for accommodating an ophthalmic lens, the basket (10) further comprising a plurality of recesses (17) arranged in the basket wall at different angular locations along the circumference of the basket (10), each recess (17) being arranged to extend downwardly from an upper rim (15) of the basket wall;
and a retainer (20) comprising a plurality of retainer arms (21), the retainer arms (21) being arranged in a star-shaped configuration at angular locations corresponding to the angular locations of the recesses (17), to in an assembled state of two such carriers (1) extends into a corresponding one of the plurality of recesses (17) in the basket wall to retain the ophthalmic lens in the carrier.
OLEIC ACID-RELEASING CONTACT LENS
An oleic acid-releasing contact lens is described as well as method of manufacturing the same. The oleic acid-releasing contact lens contains oleic acid releasably adhered to the polymeric lens body, and releases from 2 μg to 25 μg oleic acid after 1 hour in a release media. The oleic acid-releasing contact lens can be comfortably worn by a symptomatic contact lens wearer, and can increase the duration of comfortable lens wearing time and/or reduce lens awareness events in a symptomatic contact lens wearer.
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING A LENS
Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method and apparatus for forming an ophthalmic lens. An exemplary method includes providing a plurality of posterior tools each having a posterior optic defining surface and a plurality of anterior tools each having an anterior optic defining surface, wherein each one of the plurality of posterior tools has a different central posterior optic defining surface including a unique conic section. The method further includes selecting one of the plurality of posterior tools and one of the plurality of anterior tools based on a criteria, and forming a posterior mold by the selected one of the plurality of posterior tools and an anterior mold by the selected one of the plurality of anterior tools, the posterior mold and the anterior mold operable to form an ophthalmic lens having the criteria.
WEEKLY AND MONTHLY DISPOSABLE WATER GRADIENT CONTACT LENSES
The invention is related to contact lenses that not only comprise the much desired water gradient structural configurations, but also have a minimized uptakes of polycationic antimicrobials and a long-lasting surface hydrophilicity and wettability even after going through a 30-days lens care regime. Because of the water gradient structural configuration and a relatively-thick, extremely-soft and water-rich hydrogel surface layer, a contact lens of the invention can provide superior wearing comfort. Further, a contact lens of the invention is compatible with multipurpose lens care solutions present in the market and can endure the harsh lens care handling conditions (e.g., digital rubbings, accidental inversion of contact lenses, etc.) encountered in a daily lens care regime. As such, they are suitable to be used as weekly- or monthly-disposable water gradient contact lenses.