EYELID CLOSURE PATCHES

Abstract

The invention provides an eyelid closure patch comprising a main body comprising a front face and a back face, wherein one of the front face and back face comprises silicone adhesive at least partially covering the surface thereof, and wherein the main body comprises a semi-permeable or occlusive membrane.

Claims

1. An eyelid closure patch comprising a main body comprising a front face and a back face, wherein one of the front face and back face comprises silicone adhesive at least partially covering or comprising the surface thereof, and wherein the main body comprises a semi-permeable or occlusive membrane.

2. An eyelid closure patch as claimed in claim 1, wherein the semi-permeable membrane comprises or consists of the silicone adhesive.

3. An eyelid closure patch as claimed in claim 1, wherein the semi-permeable membrane and silicone adhesive are distinct components of the closure patch, and the silicone adhesive is perforated and/or semi-permeable.

4. An eyelid closure patch as claimed in claim 3, wherein the semi-permeable membrane and perforated and/or semi-permeable silicone adhesive together form a substantially continuous semi-permeable membrane in areas where respective portions of the adhesive and semi-permeable membrane/main body abut each other or are adjacent to each other.

5. An eyelid closure patch as claimed claim 1, wherein the semi-permeable membrane comprises the whole main body or one or more portions thereof.

6. An eyelid closure patch as claimed in claim 1, wherein the semi-permeable membrane extends between the front face and back face of the closure patch.

7. An eyelid closure patch as claimed in claim 1, wherein the semi-permeable membrane covers or spans at least 60% of a surface area or cross-sectional area of the closure patch, main body and/or front and/or back face.

8. An eyelid closure patch as claimed in claim 1, wherein the semi-permeable membrane comprises a plurality of pores, holes, channels or perforations extending therethrough from one side or face of the membrane to the other, such as from one face of the main body to the other.

9. An eyelid closure patch as claimed in claim 8 wherein the pores, holes, channels or perforations have an average diameter of between 10-50 μm.

10. An eyelid closure patch comprising a main body comprising a front face and a back face, wherein one of the front face and back face comprises silicone adhesive at least partially covering the surface thereof.

11. An eyelid closure patch as claimed in claim wherein the closure patch main body is conformable, flexible, deformable, hypoallergenic, and/or transparent.

12. An eyelid closure patch as claimed in claim 1, wherein the silicone adhesive comprises medical grade silicone adhesive.

13. An eyelid closure patch as claimed in claim 1, wherein the silicone adhesive is applied to a surface of the main body and/or comprises a layer on the surface of the main body and/or is at least partially impregnated or embedded into the surface of the main body.

14. A method of applying an eyelid closure patch to a subject, the method comprising; a) providing an eyelid closure patch of any preceding claim; and b) securing the eyelid closure patch to the orbital area of a subject using the silicone adhesive of the closure patch.

15. An eyelid closure patch kit comprising at least one eyelid closure patch and a closure patch retaining member, the retaining member arranged to retain the eyelid closure patch before use.

16. A kit as claimed in claim 15, wherein the kit comprises at least two closure patches, such as at least one pair of closure patches.

17. A kit as claimed in claim 15, wherein the closure patch retaining member comprises a release layer or liner, and the closure patch is releasably secured to the release layer or liner, preferably by means of an adhesive.

18. A kit as claimed in claim 15, wherein the closure patch comprises a handling tab, which is preferably not secured to the release layer.

19. A kit as claimed in claim 17, wherein the kit comprises a pouch chosen from a sterile pouch, a sterilisation pouch, and a sterilised pouch, the pouch comprising a base on which the release layer is located, or wherein the pouch comprises a base comprised of the release layer or the release layer is formed as part of the base, and wherein the pouch comprises a sealing member, such as a sealing film, configured, in use, to form a sealed inner cavity of the pouch, in which the or each closure patch is located.

20. (canceled)

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0053] In order that the invention may be more clearly understood one or more embodiments thereof will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

[0054] FIG. 1 illustrates a top-down view of a protective sterilisation pouch of an embodiment of the third aspect of the invention, which contains a pair of eyelid closure patches, each of an embodiment of the first aspect of the invention

[0055] FIG. 2 is a side view of the eyelid closure patches and release liner of FIG. 1 FIG. 3 is a bottom-up view of one of the eyelid closure patches of FIG. 1

[0056] FIG. 4 is a top down view of one of the eyelid closure patches of FIG. 1, comprising a zoomed-in view illustrating the semi-permeable membrane thereof

[0057] FIG. 5 illustrates the function of the semi-permeable membrane of the eyelid closure patches of FIG. 1

[0058] FIG. 6 illustrates three further embodiments of eyelid closure patches of the first aspect of the invention, each comprising adhesive with a different level of perforation

[0059] FIG. 1 illustrates a top-down view of a protective sterilisation pouch 100 of an embodiment of a kit of the third aspect of the invention, which contains a pair of eyelid closure patches 102a, 102b, each of an embodiment of the first aspect of the invention. The pouch 100 comprises a base 104 on which a release liner, consisting of a siliconized LDPE-paper liner 106 is located. The two eyelid closure patches 102a, 102b are releasably attached to the release liner 106. The closure patches 102a, 102b each comprise a main body 108a, 108b (coated EMA Film, over a polyurethane duo laminate film, with an adhesive silicone backing) which has an integrated non-adhesive tab 110a, 110b. As can be seen in FIG. 2, the main body 108a, 108b of the closure patches 102a, 102b and non-adhesive tabs 110a lie on top of the release liner 106. The closure patches 102a, 102b are releasably secured to the release liner 106 by medical grade soft-silicone adhesive 112 which covers the entire back surface of each closure patch 102a, 102b (as is also illustrated in FIG. 3). The pouch 100 further comprises a sealing film 114 which, in use, is sealed to the base 104 around the entire periphery thereof, in order to fully seal the interior of the pouch 100 which contains the closure patches 102a, 102b, which are releasably secured to the release liner 106.

[0060] The main body 108a, 108b of each closure patch 102a, 102b, as is illustrated in FIG. 4, comprises a semi-permeable film membrane 116a, 116b comprising EMA over a polyurethane duo laminate film. As can be seen in FIG. 5, the semi-permeable membrane 116 allows smaller liquid or vapour particles 118, such as excessive moisture vapours, to pass through, but blocks passage of larger liquid particles or droplets 120, such as tear drops. The closure patches 102a, 102b are thus able to allow excess moisture or moisture vapours in the orbital area of a subject to escape, while trapping tear fluid in said area.

[0061] Also shown in FIG. 5 is the perforated nature of the silicone adhesive 112. Varying level and/or type of perforation in the adhesive 112 allows for even finer control over relative permeability of the closure patches 102a, 102b to e.g. liquid, moisture and/or vapours, and also allows a level of control over the surface area of adhesive 112 that is in contact with the skin of a subject when in use.

[0062] FIG. 6 illustrates bottom-up views of the reverse side/rear face of three further embodiments of closure patches of the first and second aspects of the invention 122, 124, 126, each comprising a different level and/or type of perforation in the silicone adhesive 112a, 112b, 112c thereof. Closure patch 122 comprises non-perforated silicone adhesive 112a which has low or no vapour permeability and covers substantially the whole surface area of the back face of the closure patch 122. Closure patch 124 comprises perforated silicone adhesive 112b which comprises medium-sized perforations 128 and which covers a lower surface area of the back surface of the closure patch 124 (compared to closure patch 122). The medium-sized perforations 128 give the adhesive 112b a medium level of permeability. Closure patch 126 comprises perforated silicone adhesive 112c which comprises large perforations 130 and which covers an even lower surface area of the back surface of the closure patch 126 (in comparison to closure patches 122 and 124). The large perforations 130 give the adhesive 112c a high level of permeability (e.g. larger particles can pass through which could not pass through the medium-sized perforations 128 of closure patch 124). Thus, the different types/levels of perforation of the silicone adhesive allows the permeability properties thereof to be tuned, for example depending on the desired use and/or the desired closure patch properties.

[0063] The one or more embodiments are described above by way of example only. Many variations are possible without departing from the scope of protection afforded by the appended claims.