Light filter for repairing the retina

Abstract

The detailed characteristics of the red fluorescence of the human lens—that occurs at the seventh decade of life—is recognized as an example of evolutionary photobiomodulation for repair of the retina, and then used as a paradigm for extending current parametric values for reproducible photobiomodulation. The new photobiomodulation parameters involve relative intensities for wavelength bands within the range of 600 nm to 900 nm.

Claims

1. An ophthalmic lens comprising one or more fluorescent compounds wherein the emission spectrum of the ophthalmic lens has a correspondence with the emission spectrum of the red fluorophore of the human lens with an R.sup.2 of 0.5 or greater.

2. An ophthalmic lens containing 1 or more fluorescent dyes wherein the ophthalmic lens has a fluorescence emission spectrum which can be represented by 3 gaussian spectra whose respective parameters comprise: peak emission wavelengths are 670 nm+/−10 nm, 743 nm+/−10 nm, and 817 nm+/−10 nm; ratio of fluorescence intensities at 670 nm to the subsequently-smaller intensity bands are 2.5+/−0.5 and 16.6+/−4; and full widths at half-maximum are 51.8 nm+/−5 nm, 56.5 nm+/−5 nm and 56.5 nm+/−5 nm.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) For a detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 is a diagram of an action spectra of cytochrome C;

(3) FIG. 2 is a diagram of the fluorescence spectrum of the red fluorophore of the human lens (Curve 1, 3-HK—light);

(4) FIG. 3 is a simulation of the fluorescence of the red fluorophore of the human lens—using several individual gaussian bands to represent several arbitrary fluorescent molecules;

(5) FIG. 4 is effective fluorescence derived from the superposition of the several gaussian bands representing the fluorescence of the several arbitrary fluorescent molecules;

(6) FIG. 5 is the fluorescence emission spectrum of a specific quantum dot mixture in a PMMA Coating with an excitation wavelength of 450 nm; and

(7) FIG. 6 is the fluorescence emission spectrum of a specific quantum dot mixture in a PMMA Coating with an excitation wavelength of 647 nm

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(8) The present invention discloses the use of a synthetic form of the red fluorophore of the human lens as an ingredient for light filters, such as sunglass lenses, to affect photobiomodulation. This fluorescence occurs abruptly—according to the investigators who discovered it; and its emission spectrum, for an excitation wavelength of 647 nm, is reproduced in FIG. 2 (Yu, 1979) emission spectrum.

(9) This red fluorophore is to be synthesized (as described by M bando, N T Yu and J F R Kuck, Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 25:581-585, 1984) by the reaction of 3 Hydroxykyurenine with a-crystallin—in aqueous media and under Ultraviolet and high energy visible light. The red fluorophore may also be formed by the reaction of 3 Hydroxykyurenine and its glucosides or any of the uv-absorbing chromophores of the human lens with a-crystallin or with compounds associated with a-crystallin over the age of 70. The red fluorophore may also be formed by the reaction of tryptophan with a crystallin under the action of UV and HEV light. The fluorescence spectrum of this red fluorophore is shown in FIG. 2 (curve 1).

(10) The following essential points about FIG. 2 and of this invention should be noted: 1) The fluorescence of the red fluorophore spans the wavelength range of about 600 nm to 900 nm—according to FIG. 2—the same wavelength range that is associated with PBM studies on humans exposed to red and near IR LED lights. 2) The fluorescence of FIG. 2 has a major peak at 670 nm and a secondary peak at around 730 nm-740 nm and a minor peak at around 825 nm. 3) Applicant further claims in this invention that the red fluorophore of the ocular lens has evolved to provide wavelength-selective repair (photobiomodulation) to the retina.

(11) According to the invention, there is claimed a relationship between the use of 670 nm light from LED light sources previously used by investigators (Joshua A. Chu-Tan, et al, International Journal of Photoenergy, Volume 2016, Article ID 2734139) to demonstrate the positive PBM health effects on the retina and the red fluorescence from the human lens that occurs naturally in the seventh decade of life and that also emits light with a maxima at 670 nm.

(12) Furthermore, the invention underscores the fact that the fluorescence emission from the red fluorophore of the human lens is wavelength selective to optimize the repair of the retina for a sunlight environment. For example, the intensity of the emission of the red fluorophore of FIG. 2 at the wavelength of 670 nm is approximately 2.8 times the emission intensity at 735 nm and about 12 times the intensity at 825 nm.

(13) The invention hereby discloses the use of a synthetic version of the red fluorophore of the human lens incorporated into an ophthalmic lens to convert sunlight into the fluorescence characterized by FIG. 2 of this application—thereby irradiating the retina with red and near IR light that has higher intensities at the correct wavelengths which are the hallmarks of a reproducible PBM effect.

Description of a Preferred Embodiment

(14) A synthetic form of the red fluorophore of the human lens is prepared according to the method of M Bando in M Bando, N T Yu and J F R Kuck, Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 25:581-585, 1984. As described in that reference, an aqueous suspension of the light-induced reaction product between oxidized 3 hydroxykynurenine and alpha-crystallin can be prepared.

Example 1

(15) This is a theoretical example. An ophthalmic lens containing an aqueous suspension the red fluorophore can be prepared as follows: the aqueous suspension described above is combined with a waterborne primer resin such as one of the commercially-available formulations, like the Hauthaway HD6002 which is suitable for use as a primer coating for a polycarbonate ophthalmic lens.

(16) Upon evaporation of the solvents from the said primer resin, the resultant coating on the ophthalmic lens can absorb sunlight and cause a fluorescence like shown in FIG. 3.

(17) While the invention described herein makes reference to a specific fluorescence emission spectrum that corresponds to a mature human lens, it is possible that the relative intensities of the emission spectra of the aged lenses changes slightly. For example, the relative peak emissions at 670 nm, 735 nm and at 825 nm may change slightly as well as the location of the peak emissions.

Description of an Alternative Preferred Embodiment

(18) In an alternative preferred embodiment, the fluorescence emission spectrum of the red fluorophore of the human lens can be well-replicated by the superposition of the emission spectra of several fluorophores—for example quantum dots—whose respective peak emissions occur within a specific range of wavelengths and whose widths at half maximum also occur within a specific wavelength range.

(19) A model for the emission spectrum of the red fluorophore of the reference, M bando, N T Yu and J F R Kuck, Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 25:581-585, 1984, and presented here for the first time, consists of 3 gaussian curves defined as
I(λ)=Aexp(−((λ−λ.sub.p).sup.2)/(2σ.sup.2))  1)

(20) wherein I (λ) is the emission as a function of the wavelength; exp is the exponential function; λ is the variable wavelength in nanometers (nm); λ.sub.p is the wavelength where the individual gaussian curves are a maximum; and σ is a parameter relating to the full width at half maximum as follows:
FWHM=2.355σ.  2)

(21) The equation 1) was entered into an Excel spreadsheet over the wavelength range from 570 nm to 900 nm for every 10 nm for 3 gaussian curves with the following parameters:

(22) TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Ratio of Fluorescence A Fluorescence Intensities at Intensity 670 nm to (arbitrary units) smaller bands λ.sub.p σ FWHM 83 83/83 = 1.sup.  670 nm 22 nm 51.8 nm 33 83/33 = 2.5 743 nm 24 nm 56.5 nm 4  83/5 = 16.6 817 nm 24 nm 56.5 nm

(23) The values above were used in equation 1 for each of the three gaussian curves that are shown in FIG. 3, and then were added together (superposed) as shown in FIG. 4 so as to provide a good fit with the experimental curve of FIG. 2—the emission spectrum of the red fluorophore of the human lens.

(24) A good fit is considered here to be one with a statistical R square value of 0.8 or greater and can be improved by anyone skilled in the art.

(25) Example 2, therefore, illustrates that 3 fluorescent dyes whose emission spectra correspond to Series 1, 2, and 3 respectively can be selected with the parameters of Table 1 and with the proper concentrations to correspond to the ratios of column 2 so as to closely replicate the emission spectrum of the red fluorophore of the human lens.

(26) The model for the red fluorophore actually assumes 3 distinct fluorophores with emission bands characterized by the data of Table 1. With an oligomeric system such as the chromophore of the human lens, a three-component fluorescence system is common. The choice of 3 distinct quantum dots as described below in Example 2, is consistent with this assumption.

(27) Because the ocular lens pigment continues to change after the age of 70 and because its photochemical reaction with alpha-crystallin should be expected to continue, the parameters of Table 1 should be expected to change slightly with age and it is therefore within the context of this invention to claim small variances in the parameters—as shown in Table 2.

(28) TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Ratio of Fluorescence A Fluorescence Intensities at Intensity 670 nm to (arbitrary units) smaller bands λ.sub.p σ FWHM 83 83/83 = 1 670 nm +/− 22 nm +/− 51.8 nm +/− 10 nm 2 nm 5 nm 33 83/33 = 743 nm +/− 24 nm +/− 56.5 nm +/− 2.5 +/− .5 10 nm 2 nm 5 nm 4 83/5 = 817 nm +/− 24 nm +/− 56.5 nm +/− 16.6 +/− 4 10 nm 2 nm 5 nm

Example 2

(29) An optically clear dispersion (low light scatter) of quantum dots in an organic solvent was prepared in order to determine the concentrations of the individual quantum dots so as to result in a superposition of emission spectra that approximate the emission spectrum of the red fluorophore of the human lens. The procedure is as follows: In 2 ml of heptane, a mixture of 480 μg of CdTe/ZnS core/shell quantum dots 680 nm (Nano Optical Materials QD680-OS), 80 μg of CdSeTe/ZnS core/shell quantum dots 740 nm (Nano Optical Materials QD740-OS) and 32 μg of CdSeTe/ZnS core/shell quantum dots 820 nm (Nano optical Materials QD820-OS) were dispersed. These concentrations were used to prepare the optical coating of Example 3.

Example 3

(30) A poly(methyl methacrylate) coating was prepared from the stock solutions as follows:

(31) In 1 ml of dichloromethane 100 mg of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) (Aldrich, MW: 120,000) was dissolved at room temperature. To the obtained solution 720 μg of CdTe/ZnS core/shell quantum dots 680 nm (Nano Optical Materials QD680-OS), 120 μg of CdSeTe/ZnS core/shell quantum dots 740 nm (Nano Optical Materials QD740-OS) and 48 μg of CdSeTe/ZnS core/shell quantum dots 820 nm (Nano optical Materials QD820-OS) were added and stirred for 10 minutes at room temperature to form a homogenous solution. The quantum dot/PMMA mixture was applied to a glass surface with a pipette and air dried at room temperature to give a transparent film. Four consecutive layers were deposited on top of each other the same way. Finally, the quantum dot/PMMA coating was cured at 60 C for 30 minutes. The fluorescence of the obtained coating was recorded with a spectrofluorometer at excitation wavelengths of 450 nm and 647 nm respectively and displayed in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 respectively.

(32) FIGS. 5 and 6 fit the emission of the red fluorophore approximately and the goodness of fit between these spectra can be improved by further variation of the relative concentrations and then characterized by linear or non-linear regression techniques familiar to those skilled in the art with R square values of greater than or equal to 0.5.

(33) The above description is illustrative of the preferred embodiment and many modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the invention whose scope is to be determined from the literal and equivalent scope of the claims below.