Mechanisms for inducing transitions in dynamic contact lenses

Abstract

To provide a dynamic contact lens comprising an optical portion having at least two metastable configurations, wherein interaction of the dynamic contact lens with the eyelid and / or tear meniscus induces a transition between the metastable configurations.SOLUTION: A dynamic contact lens 100 may include one or more features capable of facilitating interaction of the contact lens with a source of tear fluid, such as an eyelid and / or a tear meniscus, and capable of facilitating transition between the metastable configurations. The mechanism may be configured to regulate the flow of tear fluid into and out of the tear body formed between the posterior surface of the optic portion 101 and the anterior surface of the cornea. The dynamic contact lens 100 may be used for vision correction, such as correction of presbyopia, slowing of myopia progression, or correction of vision caused by an irregularly shaped cornea.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Cross - Reference to Related Applications This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 726,732, filed Sep. 4, 2018, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

Background Art

[0002] Common vision abnormalities such as myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), and presbyopia (loss of accommodation for near and intermediate vision, followed by loss of near and intermediate vision) can be easily corrected using glasses. However, for some people, contact lenses for vision correction may be preferred for an active lifestyle or for cosmetic reasons.

[0003] Contact lens wearers who develop presbyopia as they age may require additional corrective lenses to enable near, intermediate, and far vision. To address presbyopia, contact lens manufacturers have previously developed multifocal lenses that simultaneously focus light from a range of distances through various focal regions, and bifocal lenses that include two focal regions, for example, a central region for myopia correction and a peripheral region for hyperopia correction. The bifocal lens can correct both near and far vision according to the eye's gaze angle by translating parallel to the optical axis of the eye.

[0004] The translation contact lens may be configured to move (translate) anywhere on the corneal surface by 1 mm to 6 mm, and therefore may not have sufficient stability like a standard contact lens. A standard contact lens usually moves 0 mm to 1 mm on the cornea. Since the translation lens may be designed to move during the blink of the upper eyelid, the translation lens may move downward on the cornea, and therefore, the lower edge of the lens may hit the lower eyelid edge with each blink. Such repetitive movements and eyelid contact may increase the sensitivity of the cornea and the lower eyelid edge to foreign objects, which may cause considerable discomfort to the user. Furthermore, since the meibomian gland openings exist at the lower eyelid edge, trauma and inflammation may be repeatedly caused in these openings by the collision of the lower eyelid, which may result in keratinization and possibly meibomian gland dysfunction.

Summary of the Invention

[0005] In this specification, the need for an alternative contact lens for vision correction is recognized.

[0006] In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a contact lens, the contact lens includes an optical portion having an optical back base curvature and an optical center, a peripheral portion having a peripheral back base curvature, and a transition portion connecting the optical portion and the peripheral portion. When the contact lens is worn on a patient's eye, the optical portion is characterized by a first quasi-stable configuration and a second quasi-stable configuration. Due to the interaction between the contact lens and the eye movement, a transition occurs between the first quasi-stable configuration and the second quasi-stable configuration.

[0007] In some embodiments, the transition portion has a radial width of 150 microns or less.

[0008] In some embodiments, the transition portion has a constant outer perimeter and thickness, and the thickness varies around the outer perimeter of the transition portion.

[0009] In some embodiments, the optical portion has an optical rear surface, and the peripheral portion has a peripheral rear surface and a peripheral front surface. The contact lens further includes one or more grooves in the peripheral rear surface, at least one of the grooves extending from the peripheral rear surface to the optical portion, and at least one lens hole connecting the at least one groove to the peripheral front surface. The transition portion has a constant outer circumference and thickness, the thickness varying around the outer circumference of the transition portion, the base curvature of the optical rear surface being less than 7.1 mm, and the base curvature of the peripheral rear surface being at least 0.4 mm greater than the base curvature of the optical rear surface and less than 3.5 mm in radius from the optical center.

[0010] In some embodiments, the optical portion has an optical rear surface, and the peripheral portion has a peripheral diameter, a peripheral rear surface, and a peripheral front surface. The contact lens is configured such that when worn on a patient's eye, the optical portion forms a lens body between the cornea and the optical rear surface. The lens body has a diameter of at least 1.5 mm and a height of at least 0.01 mm on the cornea.

[0011] The peripheral portion has a peripheral diameter, and the contact lens is configured such that when worn on a patient's eye, the optical portion can exhibit the first metastable configuration and the second metastable configuration.

[0012] In some embodiments, the optical portion has an optical rear surface, and the peripheral portion has a peripheral rear surface. When the contact lens is worn on a patient's eye, the optical portion is configured to be able to assume a plurality of configurations in response to the pressure applied to the optical portion. When a negative pressure is applied to the optical rear surface, the optical rear surface assumes one or more configurations that substantially coincide with the front surface of the cornea. In the absence of negative pressure, the optical rear surface assumes a neutral configuration that provides a tear body between the optical rear surface and the front surface of the cornea. In some embodiments, in the one or more substantially coinciding configurations, the thickness of the tear film between the optical rear surface and the front surface of the cornea varies up to less than 10 μm. For example, in some embodiments, in the one or more substantially coinciding configurations, the thickness of the tear film between the optical rear surface and the front surface of the cornea varies up to less than 3 μm. In some embodiments, the negative pressure is between 5 Pa and 1,500 Pa. For example, in some embodiments, the negative pressure is between 10 Pa and 250 Pa.

[0013] In some embodiments, the peripheral rear surface base curvature is between 7.5 mm and 9.5 mm, and the difference between the peripheral rear surface base curvature and the optical rear surface base curvature exceeds 0.4 mm.

[0014] In some embodiments, the optical rear surface base curvature is less than 6.8 mm.

[0015] In some embodiments, the transition portion has a thickness that varies around the outer periphery of the transition portion.

[0016] In some embodiments, the transition portion has a thickness that varies in a regular pattern around the outer periphery of the transition portion.

[0017] In some embodiments, the transition portion comprises one or more cuts extending across the entire transition portion. In some embodiments, the one or more cuts comprise one or more rear surface grooves located on the rear surface of the peripheral portion and extending into the optical portion. In some embodiments, one or more of the one or more rear surface grooves are connected to a lens aperture. Alternatively, or in combination, one or more of the one or more rear surface grooves are connected to a tear reservoir.

[0018] In some embodiments, the optical rear surface base curvature is less than 7.1 mm, and the peripheral base curvature is at least 0.4 mm greater than the optical rear surface base curvature.

[0019] In some embodiments, each of the optical portion and the peripheral portion comprises a material having an elastic modulus of 0.1 MPa to 10 MPa.

[0020] In some embodiments, the contact lens comprises one or more rear surface grooves provided on the peripheral rear surface, wherein at least one rear surface groove extends from the peripheral rear surface to the optical portion.

[0021] In some embodiments, each of the one or more rear surface grooves extends radially from the center of the optical portion.

[0022] In some embodiments, the transition portion is located at a radius of less than 3.5 mm from the optical center, the central base curvature is less than 7.1 mm, and the peripheral rear surface base curvature is at least 0.4 mm greater than the central base curvature.

[0023] In some embodiments, the first metastable configuration comprises a first gap height, the second metastable configuration comprises a second gap height, the first gap height and the second gap height are different, and the gap height is the distance from the center of the optical rear surface to the cornea.

[0024] In some embodiments, eye movement includes changing the direction of gaze of the eye.

[0025] In some embodiments, in the first metastable configuration, the optical portion has a first light intensity, and in the second metastable configuration, the optical portion has a second light intensity, and the first light intensity is different from the second light intensity.

[0026] In some embodiments, when the contact lens is worn on a patient's eye, an optical tear body is formed between the optical rear surface and the front surface of the cornea. In the first metastable configuration, the optical tear body has a first volume, and in the second metastable configuration, the optical tear body has a second volume, and the first volume is different from the second volume.

[0027] In some embodiments, when the contact lens is worn on a patient's eye, an optical tear body is formed between the optical rear surface and the front surface of the cornea. In the first metastable configuration, the optical tear body has a first shape, and in the second metastable configuration, the optical tear body has a second shape, and the first shape is different from the second shape.

[0028] In some embodiments, the first metastable configuration provides a light intensity that focuses an image on the fovea from a first distance, and the second metastable configuration provides a light intensity that focuses an image on the fovea from a second distance.

[0029] In some embodiments, when the contact lens is worn on a patient's eye, the optical portion is characterized by a first metastable configuration and a second metastable configuration, an optical tear body is formed between the optical rear surface and the front surface of the cornea, and the transition between the first metastable configuration and the second metastable configuration is regulated by the flow of tears into and out of the optical tear body.

[0030] In some embodiments, when the contact lens is worn on a patient's eye, the optical portion is characterized by a first metastable configuration and a second metastable configuration, an optical tear body is formed between the optical rear surface and the front surface of the cornea, and the transition between the first metastable configuration and the second metastable configuration is regulated by fluid coupling and fluid separation between the optical tear body and the tear meniscus.

[0031] In some embodiments, when the contact lens is worn on a patient's eye, the optical portion is characterized by a first metastable configuration and a second metastable configuration, the contact lens comprises one or more lens holes connecting the peripheral rear surface to the peripheral front surface, and a change occurs in the light intensity of the optical portion by fluid-coupling the one or more lens holes to the tear meniscus.

[0032] In some embodiments, when the contact lens is worn on a patient's eye, the optical portion is characterized by a first metastable configuration and a second metastable configuration, the contact lens comprises one or more lens holes connecting the peripheral rear surface to the peripheral front surface, and a change occurs in the light intensity of the optical portion by fluid-separating the one or more lens holes from the tear meniscus.

[0033] In some embodiments, the contact lens further comprises one or more grooves in the peripheral rear surface, at least one of the grooves extending from the peripheral rear surface to the optical portion, and at least one lens hole connecting the at least one groove to the peripheral front surface.

[0034] In some embodiments, when the contact lens is worn on a patient's eye, an optical tear body is formed between the rear surface of the optical portion and the front surface of the cornea.

[0035] In some embodiments, when the contact lens is worn on a patient's eye, a gap is formed between the rear surface of the optical portion and the front surface of the cornea, and the height of the gap is at most 1 μm to 200 μm.

[0036] In some embodiments, the optical portion is concentrated on the central axis of the contact lens.

[0037] In some embodiments, the optical portion is not concentrated on the central axis of the contact lens.

[0038] In some embodiments, the optical portion is concentrated on an axis that is at an angle of less than 45 degrees from the central axis of the contact lens.

[0039] In some embodiments, the optical portion has a maximum thickness within the range of 30 μm to 600 μm.

[0040] In some embodiments, the optical portion is in the range of 2E3 MPa×μm 3 ~3E9 MPa×μm 3 with a maximum rigidity.

[0041] In some embodiments, the optical portion, the peripheral portion, or both are provided with at least one mechanism configured to transport tears in and out of the optical tear film formed between the optical rear surface and the front surface of the cornea when the contact lens is worn on the patient's eye. In some embodiments, the transport of tears in and out of the optical tear film is associated with a transition between a first metastable configuration of the optical portion and a second metastable configuration of the optical portion. In some embodiments, the at least one mechanism comprises a rear groove, a front groove, a lens aperture, a tear reservoir, a protrusion, a recess, a valve, a lens aperture with a valve, an optical portion of a certain geometric shape, a peripheral portion of a certain geometric shape, or any arbitrary combination thereof. In some embodiments, the at least one mechanism comprises one or more rear grooves, each of the one or more rear grooves being provided on the peripheral rear surface. In some embodiments, at least one of the one or more rear grooves intersects the outer periphery of the optical portion. In some embodiments, the at least one mechanism is provided within the peripheral portion, on the rear surface of the peripheral portion, on the front surface of the peripheral portion, or at any combination of these locations. In some embodiments, the at least one mechanism comprises a protrusion on the peripheral front surface.

[0042] In some embodiments, the interaction between the tears in the tear meniscus and the optical tear film induces a transition between a first metastable configuration of the optical portion and a second metastable configuration of the optical portion, and the first metastable configuration of the optical portion, the second metastable configuration of the optical portion, or any arbitrary combination thereof is maintained.

[0043] In some embodiments, the movement of the eye, eyelid, or a combination thereof induces a transition between a first metastable configuration of the optical portion and a second metastable configuration of the optical portion, and the first metastable configuration of the optical portion, the second metastable configuration of the optical portion, or any arbitrary combination thereof is maintained.

[0044] In some embodiments, due to the interaction between the tears in the tear meniscus and at least two of the optical portion, the peripheral portion, and the at least one mechanism, a transition is induced between a first metastable configuration of the optical portion and a second metastable configuration of the optical portion, and the first metastable configuration of the optical portion, the second metastable configuration of the optical portion, or any combination thereof is maintained.

[0045] In some embodiments, due to the interaction between the tears in the optical tear body and the tears in the tear source, a transition is induced between a first metastable configuration of the optical portion and a second metastable configuration of the optical portion, and the first metastable configuration of the optical portion, the second metastable configuration of the optical portion, or any combination thereof is maintained. In some embodiments, the tear source comprises a tear reservoir, a tear pit, a tear meniscus, or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, the interaction is induced by a change in the viewing angle, an interaction between the eyelid and the contact lens, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the interaction includes fluid coupling and fluid separation between the optical tear body and the tear source. In some embodiments, the interaction includes fluid coupling and fluid separation between the optical tear body and the tear meniscus.

[0046] In some embodiments, the contact lens further comprises at least one lens aperture connecting the peripheral rear surface to the peripheral front surface, and the at least one lens aperture comprises a valve. In some embodiments, the valve comprises a capillary valve.

[0047] In some embodiments, the contact lens comprises one or more front grooves provided on the peripheral front surface, and one or more lens holes connected to each of the one or more front grooves, wherein the one or more lens holes connect the front groove to the peripheral rear surface. In some embodiments, the contact lens comprises a rear groove provided on the peripheral rear surface and connected to at least one of the one or more lens holes. In some embodiments, at least one of the one or more rear grooves extends to the optical portion.

[0048] In some embodiments, the contact lens further comprises a plurality of radially provided rear grooves and one or more lens holes, wherein the one or more lens holes are connected to each of the plurality of radially provided rear grooves.

[0049] In some embodiments, the contact lens further comprises one or more recesses provided on the peripheral front surface and lens holes connected to each of the one or more recesses. In some embodiments, the lens holes are connected to rear grooves.

[0050] In some embodiments, the peripheral portion comprises a cavity provided on the peripheral rear surface. In some embodiments, the cavity is deformable during interaction with the eyelid, eye movement, or a combination thereof.

[0051] In some embodiments, the peripheral portion comprises a recess provided on the peripheral front surface, a lens hole connected to the recess, and a rear groove connected to the lens hole, and the rear groove extends to the optical portion.

[0052] In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a method of correcting vision, the method comprising the step of wearing any of the contact lenses described herein or providing the contact lens to a wearer.

[0053] Further aspects and advantages of the present disclosure will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, which shows and describes only exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. As will be realized, the present disclosure is capable of other various embodiments, and various details thereof are capable of modification in various obvious respects, all without departing from the present disclosure. Accordingly, the drawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.

[0054] Incorporation by reference All publications, patents, and patent applications mentioned in this specification are hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individual publication, patent, or patent application was specifically and individually indicated as being incorporated by reference. To the extent that the incorporated publications and patents or patent applications conflict with the disclosure contained herein, the present specification is intended to supersede and / or take precedence over such conflicting material.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0055] The novel features of the invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The features and advantages of the invention will be better understood by reference to the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments that utilize the principles of the invention and the accompanying drawings (also referred to herein as “figures” or “FIGs.”).

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Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0056] Although various embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described herein, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that such embodiments are provided by way of example only. Without departing from the present invention, numerous variations, modifications, and substitutions may occur to those skilled in the art. It should be understood that various alternatives to the embodiments of the present invention described herein may be used.

[0057] Unless otherwise defined, all technical terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. In this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms "a", "an", and "the" include the plural cases as well, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. As used herein, references to "or" are intended to include "and / or" unless otherwise stated.

[0058] When terms such as "at least ~", "greater than ~", or "~ or more" are in front of the first numerical value of a series of two or more numerical values, the terms "at least ~", "greater than ~", or "~ or more" are applied to each of the numerical values in that series of numerical values. For example, 1, 2, or 3 or more is 1 or more, 2 or more, or 3 or more.

[0059] When terms such as "at least", "less than", "less than or equal to", or "at most" are in front of the first numerical value of two or more series of numerical values, the terms "at least", "less than", "less than or equal to", or "at most" always apply to each of the numerical values in the series of numerical values. For example, at most 3, 2, or 1 is at most 3, at most 2, or at most 1.

[0060] When a numerical value is described as a range, such disclosure includes disclosure of all sub-ranges possible within the range, as well as disclosure of specific numerical values within the range whether or not a specific numerical value or specific sub-range is explicitly stated.

[0061] In this specification, like characters refer to like elements.

[0062] In this specification, the term "rear" refers to a feature facing the eye, and the term "front" refers to a feature facing away from the eye when worn by the patient. The rear surface of a dynamic contact lens or a part thereof refers to a surface that is near or facing the cornea during wear by the patient. The front surface of a dynamic contact lens or a part thereof refers to a surface that is away from or facing away from the cornea during wear by the patient.

[0063] In this specification, the term "interaction between the eyelid and the dynamic contact lens" refers to any movement of the eyelid or the eyeball that changes the relative position between the dynamic contact lens and one eyelid. Examples of such interactions include smooth sliding of the eyelid on the front surface of the dynamic contact lens and changes in the position of the dynamic contact lens relative to the tear meniscus. Due to changes in eyelid interaction or viewing angle, tears in the tear meniscus can combine with other contact lens features such as lens apertures, peripheral rear grooves, and / or peripheral front grooves. The interaction further refers to the translational movement of the contact lens caused by eye movement and the deformation of the dynamic contact lens caused by eye movement. For example, during eye movements such as looking downward, various regions of the dynamic contact lens can contact the eyelid.

[0064] As used herein, the term "interaction between the tear meniscus and the dynamic contact lens" refers to any interaction between the tear meniscus and regions or features of the dynamic contact lens such as the lens aperture, the peripheral posterior groove, and / or the peripheral anterior groove. The interaction between the dynamic contact lens and the tear meniscus enables fluid coupling and fluid separation between the tear meniscus and the optical tear body.

[0065] As used herein, the term "optical tear body" refers to the tear body that forms between the posterior surface of the optical portion and the anterior surface of the cornea when the dynamic contact lens is worn on a patient's eye. The optical tear body may be a lens-shaped tear body or, in a substantially matching configuration, a tear film having a substantially constant thickness over the entire optical portion. The optical lens system, if present, comprises the optical portion of the dynamic contact lens, the tear film, and the lens-shaped optical tear body.

[0066] As used herein, the term "substantially" refers to ±10% of a value such as a dimension.

[0067] As used herein, the term "substantially conforming to the surface of the cornea" refers to a configuration in which a portion of the posterior surface of the dynamic contact lens is within 3 μm of the corneal surface. There may be tears in the gap between the posterior portion of the dynamic contact lens and the cornea.

[0068] As used herein, the term "elastic modulus" refers to the Young's modulus of a material. The Young's modulus can be determined, for example, according to the method described in "Jones et al., Optometry and Vision Science, 89, 10, 1466 - 1476, 2017", which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes.

[0069] The light intensity of the cornea in a diopter (D) may be related to the radius of curvature R by the formula D = (1.376 - 1) / R, where 1.376 corresponds to the refractive index of the cornea and R corresponds to the radius of curvature of the front surface of the cornea. The curvature of the cornea is associated inversely proportional to the radius of curvature R, such that as the radius of curvature increases, the curvature of the cornea decreases, and as the radius of curvature decreases, the curvature of the cornea increases.

[0070] Rigid gas permeable (RGP) lenses are known to create a lens-shaped tear body, but RGP lenses do not have the ability to change their shape. Soft contact lenses generally conform uniformly to the corneal surface, and there is usually a tear film with a thickness of 1 μm to 5 μm between the back surface of the soft contact lens and the cornea. However, since this tear film does not have a thickness that substantially contributes to the light intensity, it is not used. Non-linear complex elastic (Bimodulus) contact lenses have a central optical portion that is stiffer than the peripheral portion so that the central optical portion can overcome the irregularities of the optical portion of the cornea. However, the central optical portion is not dynamic in the sense that its configuration may change during wear. Also, contact lenses that are stiffer than ordinary soft contact lenses are required to conform to a specific corneal base curvature. In the present invention, a dynamic tear body is used in combination with a soft contact lens material in order to provide an optical tear body whose configuration may change during wear.

[0071] The dynamic contact lens provided by the disclosure of the present invention can be manufactured using an optical portion that can transition between two or more metastable configurations, each of which provides a different light intensity, on the eye. The difference in light intensity between these two metastable configurations is mainly determined by the difference in refractive power of the optical front surface of the optical portion of the dynamic contact lens. When the optical portion or at least a part thereof is in a metastable configuration that does not conform to the cornea, a lens body is formed between the front surface of the cornea and the rear surface of the optical portion of the dynamic contact lens. When this is filled with tears, an optical tear body can be formed that provides a light intensity for vision correction in combination with other optical elements of the dynamic contact lens. The dynamic contact lens can be configured to transition between a metastable conforming configuration and one or more metastable non-conforming configurations.

[0072] Alternatively, or in combination, the dynamic contact lens can include two or more metastable configurations. A metastable configuration refers to a configuration of the dynamic contact lens that stabilizes when there is no force applied to the contact lens by the coupling with a tear source such as an eyelid or a tear meniscus and / or separation from a tear source available to fill the optical tear body. Due to the interaction between the dynamic contact lens and the movement of the eyelid or the eye, the metastable configuration may become destabilized, and as a result, the optical portion of the dynamic contact lens may transition to another metastable configuration. For example, the interaction between the dynamic contact lens and a tear source such as a tear meniscus may stabilize and / or destabilize one of the metastable configurations by providing tears to the optical tear body or removing tears from the optical tear body. The dynamic lens can be configured to transition between two or more metastable configurations.

[0073] The dynamic contact lens provided by the disclosure of the present invention can be manufactured using an optical portion that can transition between two or more metastable configurations on the eye, each of which provides a different light intensity. When the optical portion or at least a part thereof is in a metastable configuration that does not conform to the cornea, the front surface of the optical portion maintains a curvature different from that of other metastable configurations, and a lens body is formed between the front surface of the cornea and the rear surface of the optical portion of the dynamic contact lens. When this is filled with tears, a tear body capable of changing the shape of the optical lens element can be formed. In this case, at least two metastable configurations are both non-matching configurations in which the optical front surface has different front curvatures in each metastable configuration, and thus each metastable configuration brings different light intensities to the eye.

[0074] In a dynamic contact lens, four optical interfaces, such as (1) the air-tear interface, (2) the tear-lens interface, (3) the lens-tear interface, and (4) the tear-cornea interface, contribute to the light intensity of the optical system in various metastable configurations. All of the optical systems behind the cornea will remain approximately uniform in presbyopic patients. The refractive power at any of these optical interfaces can be calculated using the following equation. Power (D) = (n2 - n1) / R c where n2 is the refractive index of the material on the rear side of the interface, n1 is the refractive index of the material on the front side of the interface, and R c is the radius of curvature of the interface expressed in meters. To calculate the optical contribution of a given medium within the optical system, the light intensities of the front and rear surfaces of the medium can be added. This equation provides a reasonable estimate when the thickness of the medium is negligible compared to the radius of curvature of the interface, which is valid for the optical system including the dynamic optical lens provided by the disclosure of the present invention.

[0075] For a cylindrical optical surface, the quantitative relationship can be calculated for each meridian.

[0076] A cross-sectional view of an example of the dynamic contact lens (100) of the present invention is shown in FIG. 1. The dynamic contact lens (100) includes an optical portion (101), and the optical portion (101) bulges away from the peripheral rear base curvature of the peripheral rear surface (106) of the peripheral portion (102) and / or bulges away from the peripheral base curvature of the peripheral portion (117) adjacent to the optical portion (101). The region of this peripheral portion can be called the eccentric peripheral portion or transition portion (117) adjacent to the optical portion (101). The rear surface (118) of the eccentric peripheral portion (117) has an eccentric base curvature. The eccentric base curvature of the rear surface (118) of the eccentric peripheral portion, also called the transition portion (117), may be the same as the base curvature as the rear surface (106) or may have a different base curvature. For example, the eccentric base curvature of the rear surface (118) of the eccentric peripheral portion (117) may be greater than the peripheral base curvature. In the non-conforming configuration at the time of fabrication (as-fabricated), the optical portion (101) bulges away from the base curvature of the eccentric peripheral portion and away from the peripheral rear base curvature (119). The peripheral rear base curvature (119) of the peripheral portion (102) represents a base curvature different from the rear base curvature of the dynamic optical portion (101) (referred to as the optical rear base curvature), and it should be understood that each of the peripheral portion (102) and the optical portion (101) may include one or more base curvatures. The optical portion (101) and the peripheral portion (102) are connected at the interface (108).

[0077] As shown in FIG. 1, the transition portion (108) may be abrupt. In some embodiments, the abrupt transition can provide structural strength to the optical portion (101). In other embodiments, the transition portion (108) can provide a seal between the rear surface of the contact lens and the front surface of the cornea to prevent tears from leaking into or out of the optical tear body.

[0078] In one embodiment, the transition between the peripheral portion (102) and / or the paracentral portion (117) and the optical portion (101) is not abrupt. The peripheral rear surface may include a cavity (109) which, when disposed on the cornea, is filled with tears to provide a tear reservoir. The peripheral rear surface (106) has a peripheral rear surface base curvature. The extension of the peripheral rear surface base curvature (119) below the region of the optical portion (101) is shown by a dashed line (119). The sagittal height (110) is shown as the distance from the peripheral base curvature to the rear surface of the lens. In this specification, the sagittal height refers to the dimensions of the dynamic contact lens during manufacture and can be referred to as the sagittal height during manufacture. When the dynamic contact lens is applied to the cornea, the distance between the rear surface of the optical portion and the cornea is called the gap height. As disclosed in this specification, the gap height may be the same as the sagittal height S, but in many embodiments, the gap height when in the patient's eye is lower than the sagittal height during manufacture. The gap height at some viewing angles may be lower than the sagittal height during manufacture, and the gap height at other viewing angles may be close to the sagittal height during manufacture. The central bulge includes a plurality of sagittal heights depending on the radial distance from the center of the lens.

[0079] In FIG. 1, the maximum sagittal height is at the center of the optical portion located on the geometric central axis of the lens (112). This sagittal height decreases towards the periphery of the optical portion (115) that forms the lens shape. In FIG. 1, the optical region (111) is slightly larger than the diameter of the optical portion. The distance (110) when worn on the patient's eye is called the gap height and is the distance between the rear surface (optical rear surface) of the optical portion and the front surface of the cornea. The optical portion refers to the portion of the lens used for vision. The diameter of the optical portion may be larger than the diameter of the optical region of the eye. In some embodiments, the diameter of the optical portion may be smaller than the diameter of the optical region of the eye. In some embodiments, the diameter of the optical portion may be the same as, equal to, or larger than the diameter of the optical region of the eye.

[0080] As shown in FIG. 1, the central sagittal height (110) is defined as the distance during manufacture between the extended curvature of the peripheral rear surface (106) configured to be positioned relative to the cornea and the rear surface at the center of the optical portion (104). The optical portion can be characterized by a plurality of sagittal heights depending on the position relative to the central axis of the raised optical portion. The sagittal height is maximum at the center and decreases towards the periphery of the optical portion. The optical portion (101) has a central thickness (112), and two examples of the radial sagittal thicknesses are specified as (113a) and (113b). In FIG. 1, the diameter of the optical region (111) is shown as being slightly larger than the diameter (115) of the optical portion. The dynamic contact lens (100) has a diameter (116). As shown in FIG. 1, the optical portion (101), the peripheral portion (102), and the optical region of the eye may be aligned about the geometric central axis of the dynamic contact lens.

[0081] The dynamic contact lens provided by the disclosure of the present invention may include a peripheral portion having a peripheral rear surface and a peripheral front surface facing the peripheral rear surface, an optical portion, and a transition portion connecting the peripheral portion and the optical portion. The optical portion includes, for example, a material with a Young's modulus in the range of 0.05 MPa to 50 MPa. The optical portion is characterized by a cross-sectional shape that extends away from the peripheral front surface and away from the peripheral rear surface. The optical portion can be characterized by a sagittal height during manufacturing of at least about 10 μm, 20 μm, 30 μm, 40 μm, 50 μm, 60 μm, 70 μm, 80 μm, 90 μm, 100 μm, 200 μm, 300 μm, 400 μm, 500 μm, 600 μm, 700 μm, 800 μm, 900 μm, 1,000 μm, or more. The optical portion can be characterized by a sagittal height during manufacturing of at most about 1,000 μm, 900 μm, 800 μm, 700 μm, 600 μm, 500 μm, 400 μm, 300 μm, 200 μm, 100 μm, 90 μm, 80 μm, 70 μm, 60 μm, 50 μm, 40 μm, 30 μm, 20 μm, 10 μm, or less. The optical portion may be characterized by a sagittal height during manufacturing that is within a range defined by any two of the aforementioned values. The optical portion can be characterized by a sagittal height during manufacturing that is within a range of 10 μm to 250 μm, such as 10 μm to 100 μm. The Young's modulus may be at least about 0.1 MPa, 0.2 MPa, 0.3 MPa, 0.4 MPa, 0.5 MPa, 0.6 MPa, 0.7 MPa, 0.8 MPa, 0.9 MPa, 1 MPa, 2 MPa, 3 MPa, 4 MPa, 5 MPa, 6 MPa, 7 MPa, 8 MPa, 9 MPa, 10 MPa, or more. The Young's modulus may be at most about 10 MPa, 9 MPa, 8 MPa, 7 MPa, 6 MPa, 5 MPa, 4 MPa, 3 MPa, 2 MPa, 1 MPa, 0.9 MPa, 0.8 MPa, 0.7 MPa, 0.6 MPa, 0.5 MPa, 0.4 MPa, 0.3 MPa, 0.2 MPa, 0.1 MPa, or less. The Young's modulus may be within a range defined by any two of the aforementioned values. The Young's modulus may be within a range of, for example, 0.1 MPa to 20 MPa, 0.1 MPa to 3 MPa, 0.1 MPa to 2 MPa, or 0.1 MPa to 5 MPa.The optical portion may include a maximum thickness of at least about 10 μm, 20 μm, 30 μm, 40 μm, 50 μm, 60 μm, 70 μm, 80 μm, 90 μm, 100 μm, 200 μm, 300 μm, 400 μm, 500 μm, 600 μm, 700 μm, 800 μm, 900 μm, 1,000 μm, or more. The optical portion may include a maximum thickness of at most about 1,000 μm, 900 μm, 800 μm, 700 μm, 600 μm, 500 μm, 400 μm, 300 μm, 200 μm, 100 μm, 90 μm, 80 μm, 70 μm, 60 μm, 50 μm, 40 μm, 30 μm, 20 μm, 10 μm, or less. The optical portion may include a maximum thickness within a range defined by any two of the foregoing values. The optical portion may include a maximum thickness in the range of, for example, 20 μm to 600 μm, 50 μm to 500 μm, 100 μm to 400 μm, or 50 μm to 300 μm. The optical portion may include a center thickness of at least about 10 μm, 20 μm, 30 μm, 40 μm, 50 μm, 60 μm, 70 μm, 80 μm, 90 μm, 100 μm, 200 μm, 300 μm, 400 μm, 500 μm, 600 μm, 700 μm, 800 μm, 900 μm, 1,000 μm, or more. The optical portion may include a center thickness of at most about 1,000 μm, 900 μm, 800 μm, 700 μm, 600 μm, 500 μm, 400 μm, 300 μm, 200 μm, 100 μm, 90 μm, 80 μm, 70 μm, 60 μm, 50 μm, 40 μm, 30 μm, 20 μm, 10 μm, or less. The optical portion may include a center thickness within a range defined by any two of the foregoing values. The optical portion may include a center thickness in the range of, for example, 20 μm to 600 μm, 50 μm to 500 μm, 100 μm to 400 μm, or 50 μm to 300 μm. The optical portion may be characterized by a substantially uniform thickness, a center thickness the same as the thickness of the transition portion, a center thickness greater than the thickness of the transition portion, or a center thickness smaller than the thickness of the transition portion. That is, the thickness of the optical portion may increase towards the center of the optical portion, decrease towards the center of the optical portion, or be substantially constant throughout.

[0082] The optical portion can be characterized by a steep transition during manufacturing at the interface between the optical portion and the peripheral portion of the lens. The optical portion may have a diameter of, for example, at most about 10 mm, 9 mm, 8 mm, 7 mm, 6 mm, 5 mm, 4 mm, 3 mm, 2 mm, 1 mm, or less. The optical portion may have a diameter of at least about 1 mm, 2 mm, 3 mm, 4 mm, 5 mm, 6 mm, 7 mm, 8 mm, 9 mm, 10 mm, or more. The optical portion may have a diameter within a range defined by any two of the aforementioned values. The interface with the peripheral portion is characterized by a sharp change between, for example, a peripheral base curvature radius of 7.5 mm to 8.5 mm and the smaller (steeper) base curvature radius of the optical portion. The difference between the two base curvature radii may be at least about 0.1 mm, 0.2 mm, 0.3 mm, 0.4 mm, 0.5 mm, 0.6 mm, 0.7 mm, 0.8 mm, 0.9 mm, 1.00 mm, or more. The difference between the two base curvature radii may be at most about 1.0 mm, 0.9 mm, 0.8 mm, 0.7 mm, 0.6 mm, 0.5 mm, 0.4 mm, 0.3 mm, 0.2 mm, 0.1 mm, or less. The difference between the two base curvature radii may be within a range defined by any two of the aforementioned values. For example, the difference between the two base curvature radii may be greater than 0.2 mm, greater than 0.4 mm, greater than 0.6 mm, or greater than 0.8 mm.

[0083] The transition portion can be defined by parameters such as the radial width, thickness, base curvature, and / or embedding features. Functionally, the transition portion can be configured to facilitate the transport of tears into and out of the optical lacrimal body, to facilitate the transition between metastable configurations, and / or to maintain a metastable configuration. The transition portion can be configured to be more flexible or rigid compared to the adjacent optical portion and / or the adjacent peripheral portion.

[0084] The transition section is physically coupled to the optical portion and the peripheral portion. The interface with the optical portion may be located at a radial distance of at least about 1 mm, 2 mm, 3 mm, 4 mm, 5 mm, 6 mm, 7 mm, 8 mm, 9 mm, 10 mm, or more from the center of the optical portion. The interface with the optical portion may be located at a radial distance of at most about 10 mm, 9 mm, 8 mm, 7 mm, 6 mm, 5 mm, 4 mm, 3 mm, 2 mm, 1 mm, or less from the center of the optical portion. The interface with the optical portion may be located at a radial distance from the center of the optical portion within a range defined by any two of the aforementioned values. For example, the interface with the optical portion may be located at a radial distance of 2 mm to 7 mm from the center of the optical portion. The transition section can have a width defined as the distance between the interface with the dynamic optical portion and the peripheral portion. The transition section may have a width of at least about 0 mm, 0.01 mm, 0.02 mm, 0.03 mm, 0.04 mm, 0.05 mm, 0.06 mm, 0.07 mm, 0.08 mm, 0.09 mm, 0.1 mm, 0.2 mm, 0.3 mm, 0.4 mm, 0.5 mm, 0.6 mm, 0.7 mm, 0.8 mm, 0.9 mm, 1 mm, 2 mm, 3 mm, 4 mm, 5 mm, 6 mm, 7 mm, 8 mm, 9 mm, 10 mm, or more. The transition section may have a width of at most 10 mm, 9 mm, 8 mm, 7 mm, 6 mm, 5 mm, 4 mm, 3 mm, 2 mm, 1 mm, 0.9 mm, 0.8 mm, 0.7 mm, 0.6 mm, 0.5 mm, 0.4 mm, 0.3 mm, 0.2 mm, 0.1 mm, 0.09 mm, 0.08 mm, 0.07 mm, 0.06 mm, 0.05 mm, 0.04 mm, 0.03 mm, 0.02 mm, 0.01 mm, or 0 mm. The transition section may have a width within a range defined by any two of the aforementioned values. The transition section may have a width of 0 mm to 0.8 mm, such as 0.05 mm to 6 mm, 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm, or 0.1 mm to 0.4 mm. The transition section having a width greater than approximately 0 mm may have a fillet with a base curvature different from the optical rear base curvature, the peripheral rear base curvature, and / or the eccentric rear base curvature.

[0085] A steep transition portion refers to a transition portion without width. In a dynamic contact lens having a steep transition portion, the optical portion and the peripheral portion are physically coupled without an intermediate width or an intermediate base curvature. The steep transition portion may have a width of at least about 0 mm, 0.01 mm, 0.02 mm, 0.03 mm, 0.04 mm, 0.05 mm, 0.06 mm, 0.07 mm, 0.08 mm, 0.09 mm, 0.1 mm, or more. The steep transition portion may have a width of at most about 0.1 mm, 0.09 mm, 0.08 mm, 0.07 mm, 0.06 mm, 0.05 mm, 0.04 mm, 0.03 mm, 0.02 mm, 0.01 mm, or 0 mm. The steep transition portion may have a width within a range defined by any two of the aforementioned values. The steep transition portion may have a width of less than 0.1 mm, or less than 0.05 mm, for example.

[0086] The thickness across the width of the transition portion may be the same as the thickness of the adjacent peripheral portion, different from the thickness of the adjacent peripheral portion, the same as the thickness of the adjacent optical portion, and / or different from the thickness of the adjacent optical portion. The thickness of the transition portion may be greater than or less than the thickness of the adjacent portions of the contact lens, i.e., the optical portion and the peripheral portion. The thickness across the width of the transition portion may be constant or may vary.

[0087] The back surface across the width of the transition portion can be characterized by one or more radii of curvature. For example, the back surface of the transition portion may have a radius of curvature that is less than the radius of curvature of the adjacent peripheral portion and less than the radius of curvature of the adjacent optical portion, or the transition portion may have a radius of curvature that is less than the radius of curvature of the adjacent peripheral portion and greater than the radius of curvature of the adjacent optical portion.

[0088] The transition portion can be segmented by a rear groove portion, a front groove portion, a slit, and / or a lens hole. Therefore, the transition portion may be continuous or discontinuous. A discontinuous transition portion would have features that interfere with the smooth continuous contact between the dynamic optical portion and the cornea. The discontinuity can function to reduce the adhesion force in the optical portion with respect to the cornea, thereby being able to break the interface. For example, the sagittal height during manufacturing can generate an attractive force capable of forming a firm seal around the optical portion with respect to the cornea as the center of the optical portion is pulled away from the cornea. To reduce the attractive force and facilitate the ability to dynamically control the configuration of the optical portion, one or more cuts or breakage portions can be arranged around the transition region. This cut can be connected to one or more tear sources such as the tear meniscus.

[0089] The transition portion may be characterized by having the same or different rigidity from the rigidity of the adjacent optical portion and the adjacent peripheral portion.

[0090] Around the outer periphery of the transition portion, the thickness, radius of curvature, and width may be substantially the same or different.

[0091] The peripheral portion includes a transition portion connected to the optical portion and characterized by an intermediate radius of curvature, and a distal portion connected to the intermediate portion and characterized by a distal radius of curvature, and the intermediate radius of curvature is smaller than the distal radius of curvature. The transition portion may be provided with one or more features configured to facilitate transitioning the dynamic optical portion between two or more metastable configurations and / or maintaining the dynamic optical portion in two or more metastable configurations.

[0092] The dynamic contact lens provided by the disclosure of the present invention includes an optical portion having an optical rear surface and an optical front surface on the side opposite to the optical rear surface, a peripheral portion having a peripheral rear surface and a peripheral front surface on the side opposite to the peripheral rear surface, and a transition portion connecting the peripheral portion and the optical portion. The optical portion is made of a material having a Young's modulus of, for example, 0.05 MPa to 10 MPa and a central sagittal height during manufacturing of, for example, 10 μm to 300 μm.

[0093] The material forming the optical portion may have a Young's modulus of at least about 0.1 MPa, 0.2 MPa, 0.3 MPa, 0.4 MPa, 0.5 MPa, 0.6 MPa, 0.7 MPa, 0.8 MPa, 0.9 MPa, 1 MPa, 2 MPa, 3 MPa, 4 MPa, 5 MPa or more. The material forming the optical portion may have a Young's modulus of at most about 5 MPa, 4 MPa, 3 MPa, 2 MPa, 1 MPa, 0.9 MPa, 0.8 MPa, 0.7 MPa, 0.6 MPa, 0.5 MPa, 0.4 MPa, 0.3 MPa, 0.2 MPa, 0.1 MPa, or less. The material forming the optical portion may have a Young's modulus within a range defined by any two of the aforementioned values. The material forming the optical portion may have a Young's modulus within a range of, for example, 0.05 MPa to 8 MPa, 0.1 MPa to 6 MPa, 0.1 MPa - 4 MPa, 0.1 MPa to 3 MPa, 0.1 MPa to 2 MPa, or 0.5 MPa to 1 MPa.

[0094] The sagittal height such as the central sagittal height during the manufacture of the optical part may be at least about 10 μm, 20 μm, 30 μm, 40 μm, 50 μm, 60 μm, 70 μm, 80 μm, 90 μm, 100 μm, 200 μm, 300 μm, 400 μm, 500 μm, 600 μm, 700 μm, 800 μm, 900 μm, 1,000 μm, or more. The sagittal height such as the central sagittal height during the manufacture of the optical part may be at most about 1,000 μm, 900 μm, 800 μm, 700 μm, 600 μm, 500 μm, 400 μm, 300 μm, 200 μm, 100 μm, 90 μm, 80 μm, 70 μm, 60 μm, 50 μm, 40 μm, 30 μm, 20 μm, 10 μm, or less. The sagittal height such as the central sagittal height during the manufacture of the optical part may be within the range defined by any two of the above values. The sagittal height such as the central sagittal height during the manufacture of the optical part may be, for example, within the range of 20 μm to 300 μm, 50 μm to 300 μm, 10 μm to 200 μm, 10 μm to 100 μm, 50 μm to 250 μm, or 50 μm to 200 μm.

[0095] The optical part is at least about 1E3 MPa×μm 3 , 2E3 MPa×μm 3 , 3E3 MPa×μm 3 , 4E3 MPa×μm 3 , 5E3 MPa×μm 3 , 6E3 MPa×μm 3 , 7E3 MPa×μm 3 , 8E3 MPa×μm 3 , 9E3 MPa×μm 3 , 1E4 MPa×μm 3 , 2E4 MPa×μm 3 , 3E4 MPa×μm 3 , 4E4 MPa×μm 3 , 5E4 MPa×μm 3 , 6E4 MPa×μm 3 , 7E4 MPa×μm 3 , 8E4 MPa×μm 3 , 9E4 MPa×μm 3 , 1E5 MPa×μm 3 , 2E5 MPa×μm 3, 3E5 MPa×μm 3 , 4E5 MPa×μm 3 , 5E5 MPa×μm 3 , 6E5 MPa×μm 3 , 7E5 MPa×μm 3 , 8E5 MPa×μm 3 , 9E5 MPa×μm 3 , 1E6 MPa×μm 3 , 2E6 MPa×μm 3 , 3E6 MPa×μm 3 , 4E6 MPa×μm 3 , 5E6 MPa×μm 3 , 6E6 MPa×μm 3 , 7E6 MPa×μm 3 , 8E7 MPa×μm 3 , 9E6 MPa×μm 3 , 1E7 MPa×μm 3 , or may exhibit a maximum stiffness of or more. The optical portion is at most about 1E7 MPa×μm 3 , 9E6 MPa×μm 3 , 8E6 MPa×μm 3 , 7E6 MPa×μm 3 , 6E6 MPa×μm 3 , 5E6 MPa×μm 3 , 4E6 MPa×μm 3 , 3E6 MPa×μm 3 , 2E6 MPa×μm 3 , 1E6 MPa×μm 3 , 9E5 MPa×μm 3 , 8E5 MPa×μm 3 , 7E5 MPa×μm 3 , 6E5 MPa×μm 3 , 5E5 MPa×μm 3 , 4E5 MPa×μm 3 , 3E5 MPa×μm 3 , 2E5 MPa×μm 3 , 1E5 MPa×μm 3 , 9E4 MPa×μm 3 , 8E4 MPa×μm 3 , 7E4 MPa×μm 3 , 6E4 MPa×μm 3, 5E4 MPa×μm 3 , 4E4 MPa×μm 3 , 3E4 MPa×μm 3 , 2E4 MPa×μm 3 , 1E4 MPa×μm 3 , 9E3 MPa×μm 3 , 8E3 MPa×μm 3 , 7E3 MPa×μm 3 , 6E3 MPa×μm 3 , 5E3 MPa×μm 3 , 4E3 MPa×μm 3 , 3E3 MPa×μm 3 , 2E3 MPa×μm 3 , 1E3 MPa×μm 3 , or may exhibit a maximum stiffness equal to or less than that. The optical portion may exhibit a maximum stiffness within the range defined by any two of the aforementioned values. The optical part may, for example, be 2E3 MPa×μm 3 ~3E9 MPa×μm 3 , 1E3 MPa×μm 3 ~1E9 MPa×μm 3 , 1E4 MPa×μm 3 ~1E8 MPa×μm 3 , or 1E5 MPa×μm 3 ~1E7 MPa×μm 3 and may exhibit a maximum stiffness within this range.

[0096] The dynamic contact lens can be configured, when combined with other optical elements, to generate a tear fluid that can correct vision when applied to the cornea.

[0097] When the dynamic contact lens is applied to the cornea, the optical portion can exhibit two or more metastable configurations, where the two or more metastable configurations are characterized by different gaps between the central optical rear surface and the front surface of the cornea. The dynamic contact lens can be configured such that, due to the interaction with the eyelid and / or the movement of the eye, for example, due to the pressure applied to the dynamic contact lens by the eyelid and / or the change in the viewing angle, the optical portion can transition between two or more metastable configurations.

[0098] The optical portion may have a diameter of at most about 10 mm, 9 mm, 8 mm, 7 mm, 6 mm, 5 mm, 4 mm, 3 mm, 2 mm, 1 mm, or less. The optical portion may have a diameter of at least about 1 mm, 2 mm, 3 mm, 4 mm, 5 mm, 6 mm, 7 mm, 8 mm, 9 mm, 10 mm, or more. The optical portion may have a diameter within a range defined by any two of the foregoing values. The optical portion may have a diameter of, for example, 2.5 mm to 7 mm, 2.5 mm to 6.5 mm, 2.5 mm to 6.0 mm, 2.5 mm to 5 mm, or 2 mm to 4 mm.

[0099] The optical rear surface may have a radius of curvature of at most about 10 mm, 9.5 mm, 9 mm, 8.5 mm, 8 mm, 7.5 mm, 7 mm, 6.5 mm, 6 mm, 5.5 mm, 5 mm, 4.5 mm, 4 mm, 3.5 mm, 3 mm, 2.5 mm, 2 mm, 1.5 mm, 1 mm, or less. The optical rear surface may have a radius of curvature of at least about 1 mm, 1.5 mm, 2 mm, 2.5 mm, 3 mm, 3.5 mm, 4 mm, 4.5 mm, 5 mm, 5.5 mm, 6 mm, 6.5 mm, 7 mm, 7.5 mm, 8 mm, 8.5 mm, 9 mm, 9.5 mm, 10 mm, or more. The optical rear surface may have a radius of curvature within a range defined by any two of the foregoing values. The optical rear surface may have a radius of curvature of, for example, 3 mm to 7.5 mm, 3 mm to 7 mm, 3.5 mm to 6.5 mm, or 4 mm to 6 mm.

[0100] The optical portion may have a substantially uniform thickness. The optical portion may include a substantially uniform thickness of at least about 10 μm, 20 μm, 30 μm, 40 μm, 50 μm, 60 μm, 70 μm, 80 μm, 90 μm, 100 μm, 150 μm, 200 μm, 250 μm, 300 μm, 350 μm, 400 μm, 450 μm, 500 μm, 550 μm, 600 μm, 650 μm, 700 μm, 750 μm, 800 μm, 850 μm, 900 μm, 950 μm, 1,000 μm, or more. The optical portion may include a substantially uniform thickness of at most about 1,000 μm, 950 μm, 900 μm, 850 μm, 800 μm, 750 μm, 700 μm, 650 μm, 600 μm, 550 μm, 500 μm, 450 μm, 400 μm, 350 μm, 300 μm, 250 μm, 200 μm, 150 μm, 100 μm, 90 μm, 80 μm, 70 μm, 60 μm, 50 μm, 40 μm, 30 μm, 20 μm, 10 μm, or less. The optical portion may include a substantially uniform thickness within a range defined by any two of the foregoing values. For example, the optical portion may have a substantially uniform thickness of 20 μm to 300 μm, 20 μm to 250 μm, 50 μm to 200 μm, or 50 μm to 150 μm.

[0101] The optical portion may have a non-uniform thickness. The optical portion may include a non-uniform thickness, such as a center thickness, of at least about 10 μm, 20 μm, 30 μm, 40 μm, 50 μm, 60 μm, 70 μm, 80 μm, 90 μm, 100 μm, 150 μm, 200 μm, 250 μm, 300 μm, 350 μm, 400 μm, 450 μm, 500 μm, 550 μm, 600 μm, 650 μm, 700 μm, 750 μm, 800 μm, 850 μm, 900 μm, 950 μm, 1,000 μm, or more. The optical portion may include a non-uniform thickness, such as a center thickness, of at most about 1,000 μm, 950 μm, 900 μm, 850 μm, 800 μm, 750 μm, 700 μm, 650 μm, 600 μm, 550 μm, 500 μm, 450 μm, 400 μm, 350 μm, 300 μm, 250 μm, 200 μm, 150 μm, 100 μm, 90 μm, 80 μm, 70 μm, 60 μm, 50 μm, 40 μm, 30 μm, 20 μm, 10 μm, or less. The optical portion may include a non-uniform thickness, such as a center thickness, within a range defined by any two of the foregoing values. For example, an optical portion having a non-uniform thickness, such as a center thickness, of 20 μm to 300 μm, 20 μm to 250 μm, 50 μm to 200 μm, or 50 μm to 150 μm, and the thickness of the optical portion may increase or decrease from the center of the optical portion toward the interface with the peripheral portion. The thickness of the optical portion may vary across the entire cross-sectional shape of the optical portion. For example, the cross-sectional thickness of the optical portion may be different or the same at different radial distances from the center of the optical portion. For example, the thickness may increase relatively at the center, decrease as it moves away from the center, then increase, and then decrease as it approaches the interface with the peripheral portion. Usually, to promote comfort, it may be desirable for the front surface of the optical portion to have a smooth outer shape, and thus the change in the thickness of the optical portion is applied to the rear surface of the optical portion. The transition between the optical portion and the peripheral portion can be configured to facilitate the transition between metastable configurations and maintain the metastable configurations.

[0102] The transition portion can be configured to facilitate the flow of tears into the optical tear fluid formed between the optical rear surface and the front surface of the cornea when the dynamic contact lens is applied to the eye.

[0103] For example, the transition portion may include channels or grooves that facilitate the flow of tears in and out of the optical tear fluid defined by the optical portion.

[0104] One or more grooves can be disposed on the rear surface of the peripheral portion and extend from the peripheral portion to around the optical portion. One or more grooves can terminate at the transition portion or extend across the transition portion. One or more grooves can extend to the optical portion.

[0105] For example, each of the one or more grooves can extend radially outward from the optical portion.

[0106] One or more grooves may include at least about 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, or more grooves. One or more grooves may include at most about 50, 49, 48, 47, 46, 45, 44, 43, 42, 41, 40, 39, 38, 37, 36, 35, 34, 33, 32, 31, 30, 29, 28, 27, 26, 25, 24, 23, 22, 21, 20, 19, 18, 17, 16, 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, or 1 groove. One or more grooves may include a number of grooves within a range defined by any two of the foregoing values. One or more grooves may include, for example, 1 to 20 grooves, 1 to 16 grooves, 1 to 12 grooves, 4 to 10 grooves, or 4 to 8 grooves.

[0107] Each of the one or more groove portions may include a width of at least about 10 μm, 20 μm, 30 μm, 40 μm, 50 μm, 60 μm, 70 μm, 80 μm, 90 μm, 100 μm, 200 μm, 300 μm, 400 μm, 500 μm, 600 μm, 700 μm, 800 μm, 900 μm, 1,000 μm, or more. Each of the one or more groove portions may include a width of at most about 1,000 μm, 900 μm, 800 μm, 700 μm, 600 μm, 500 μm, 400 μm, 300 μm, 200 μm, 100 μm, 90 μm, 80 μm, 70 μm, 60 μm, 50 μm, 40 μm, 30 μm, 20 μm, 10 μm, or less. Each of the one or more groove portions may have a width within a range defined by any two of the foregoing values. Each of the one or more groove portions may have a width of, for example, 30 μm to 1,000 μm, 30 μm to 800 μm, 30 μm to 600 μm, 200 μm to 600 μm, or 400 μm to 600 μm. Each groove portion may have various widths along the length from the distal end toward the periphery of the dynamic contact lens to the proximal end toward the center of the dynamic contact lens.

[0108] Each of the one or more groove portions may independently have a depth or height of at least about 10 μm, 15 μm, 20 μm, 25 μm, 30 μm, 35 μm, 40 μm, 45 μm, 50 μm, 55 μm, 60 μm, 65 μm, 70 μm, 75 μm, 80 μm, 85 μm, 90 μm, 95 μm, 100 μm, 150 μm, 200 μm, 250 μm, 300 μm, 350 μm, 400 μm, 450 μm, 500 μm, 550 μm, 600 μm, 650 μm, 700 μm, 750 μm, 800 μm, 850 μm, 900 μm, 950 μm, 1,000 μm, or more. Each of the one or more groove portions may independently have a depth or height of at most about 1,000 μm, 950 μm, 900 μm, 850 μm, 800 μm, 750 μm, 700 μm, 650 μm, 600 μm, 550 μm, 500 μm, 450 μm, 400 μm, 350 μm, 300 μm, 250 μm, 200 μm, 150 μm, 100 μm, 95 μm, 90 μm, 85 μm, 80 μm, 75 μm, 70 μm, 65 μm, 60 μm, 55 μm, 50 μm, 45 μm, 40 μm, 35 μm, 30 μm, 25 μm, 20 μm, 15 μm, 10 μm, or less. Each of the one or more groove portions may independently have a height or depth within a range defined by any two of the foregoing values. Each of the one or more groove portions may independently have a height / depth of, for example, 25 μm to 200 μm, 25 μm to 150 μm, or 100 μm to 200 μm.

[0109] Each of the one or more groove portions may independently have a length of at least about 0.1 mm, 0.2 mm, 0.3 mm, 0.4 mm, 0.5 mm, 0.6 mm, 0.7 mm, 0.8 mm, 0.9 mm, 1 mm, 2 mm, 3 mm, 4 mm, 5 mm, 6 mm, 7 mm, 8 mm, 9 mm, 10 mm, or more. Each of the one or more groove portions may independently have a length of at most about 10 mm, 9 mm, 8 mm, 7 mm, 6 mm, 5 mm, 4 mm, 3 mm, 2 mm, 1 mm, 0.9 mm, 0.8 mm, 0.7 mm, 0.6 mm, 0.5 mm, 0.4 mm, 0.3 mm, 0.2 mm, 0.1 mm, or less. Each of the one or more groove portions may independently have a length within a range defined by any two of the aforementioned values. Each of the one or more groove portions may independently have a length of, for example, 0.5 mm to 7 mm, 0.5 mm to 6 mm, 0.5 mm to 5 mm, 1 mm to 4 mm, or 1 mm to 3 mm.

[0110] Each of the one or more groove portions may independently have a cross-sectional shape and / or height / depth that is constant throughout the length of the groove portion.

[0111] Each of the one or more groove portions may independently have a cross-sectional shape and / or height / depth that varies throughout the length of the groove portion. For example, the width of the groove portion can become wider towards the end and narrower towards the center.

[0112] The groove portion or channel may exhibit any suitable cross-sectional shape, such as triangular, square, rectangular, dome-shaped, or elliptical, to facilitate the flow of tears.

[0113] At least one of the groove portions can be connected to one or more lens holes extending across the peripheral front surface. The lens holes can be configured to fluidly couple the tear layer or the front surface of the lens to the groove portion or the tear film between the peripheral rear surface of the lens and the cornea. For example, the groove portion can be connected to one, two, three, or more lens holes.

[0114] Each of the one or more lens apertures may independently have a diameter of at least about 10 μm, 20 μm, 30 μm, 40 μm, 50 μm, 60 μm, 70 μm, 80 μm, 90 μm, 100 μm, 200 μm, 300 μm, 400 μm, 500 μm, 600 μm, 700 μm, 800 μm, 900 μm, 1,000 μm, or more. Each of the one or more lens apertures may independently have a diameter of at most about 1,000 μm, 900 μm, 800 μm, 700 μm, 600 μm, 500 μm, 400 μm, 300 μm, 200 μm, 100 μm, 90 μm, 80 μm, 70 μm, 60 μm, 50 μm, 40 μm, 30 μm, 20 μm, 10 μm, or less. Each of the one or more lens apertures may independently have a diameter within a range defined by any two of the foregoing values. Each of the one or more lens apertures may independently have a diameter, for example, of 30 μm to 600 μm, 100 μm to 500 μm. The lens aperture may exhibit any suitable cross-sectional shape to facilitate and / or regulate the flow of tears across the surface of the dynamic contact lens.

[0115] The transition portion may comprise features configured to improve the flexibility of the optical portion. Examples of features that improve the flexibility of the optical portion, facilitate the ability of the optical portion to transition between metastable configurations, and / or facilitate the ability of the optical portion to maintain a metastable configuration include smooth edges, reduced cross-sectional thickness, grooves, or any combination thereof.

[0116] The transition portion may include one or more features or mechanisms that facilitate the exchange of tears between the optical tear body and a tear source external to the optical tear body, such as a tear reservoir or a tear meniscus.

[0117] For example, the dynamic contact lens provided by the disclosure of the present invention includes an optical portion with a diameter of 2.5 mm to 7 mm, an optical rear surface with a radius of curvature of 3 mm to 7.5 mm, a substantially uniform thickness with a central thickness of 20 μm to 300 μm, one or more groove portions radially extending outward from the optical portion toward the periphery of the lens, and one or more lens holes connected to each of the one or more groove portions. Here, the one or more groove portions are 3 to 20 groove portions, each groove portion having a width of 20 μm to 1,000 μm, a height / depth of 50 μm to 200 μm, and a length of 1 mm to 7 mm, and the diameter of the lens hole is 100 μm to 600 μm.

[0118] As another example, the dynamic contact lens provided by the disclosure of the present invention includes an optical portion with a diameter of 2.5 mm to 7 mm, an optical rear surface with a radius of curvature of 3 mm to 7.5 mm, a substantially uniform thickness with a central thickness of 50 μm to 300 μm, one or more groove portions radially extending outward from the optical portion toward the periphery of the lens, and one or more lens holes connected to each of the one or more groove portions. Here, the one or more groove portions are 1 to 10 groove portions, each groove portion having a width of 400 μm to 600 μm, a height / depth of 25 μm to 150 μm, and a length of 1 mm to 5 mm, and the diameter of the lens hole is 300 μm to 500 μm.

[0119] The dynamic contact lens provided by the disclosure of the present invention may include an optical portion, the optical portion including a conforming configuration configured to provide a first light intensity to an eye having a cornea, and at least one conforming configuration configured to provide a second light intensity to the eye, the second light intensity being different from the first light intensity, an optical portion, at least one first feature configured to cause a change between the conforming configuration and the at least one conforming configuration, and at least one second feature configured to cause a change between at least one non-conforming configuration and the conforming configuration. The first mechanism and the second mechanism may be the same mechanism or different mechanisms.

[0120] The dynamic contact lens provided by the disclosure of the present invention has an optical portion, and the optical portion includes a first non-conforming configuration configured to provide a first light intensity to an eye having a cornea, and at least one second non-conforming configuration configured to provide a second light intensity to the eye, wherein the second light intensity is different from the first light intensity; an optical portion; at least one first feature configured to cause a change between the first non-conforming configuration and the at least one second non-conforming configuration; and at least one second feature configured to cause a change between the at least one non-conforming configuration and a conforming configuration. The first mechanism and the second mechanism may be the same mechanism or different mechanisms.

[0121] When the contact lens is applied to the eye, the optical portion can assume a configuration in which the rear surface of the optical portion conforms to or substantially conforms to the front surface of the cornea. In the conforming configuration, it will be understood that there is a thin tear film between the rear surface of the dynamic contact lens and the front surface of the cornea. The tear film may have a thickness of at least about 0.1μm, 0.2μm, 0.3μm, 0.4μm, 0.5μm, 0.6μm, 0.7μm, 0.8μm, 0.9μm, 1μm, 2μm, 3μm, 4μm, 5μm, 6μm, 7μm, 8μm, 9μm, 10μm, or more. The tear film may have a thickness of at most about 10μm, 9μm, 8μm, 7μm, 6μm, 5μm, 4μm, 3μm, 2μm, 1μm, 0.9μm, 0.8μm, 0.7μm, 0.6μm, 0.5μm, 0.4μm, 0.3μm, 0.2μm, 0.1μm, or less. The tear film may have a thickness within the range defined by any two of the foregoing values. For example, the tear film may have a thickness of 0.1μm to 3μm, 0.5μm to 2.5μm, or 1μm to 2μm. The dynamic contact lens can be designed such that in the conforming configuration, the tear film thickness between the optical portion and the cornea exceeds 3μm and / or varies across the entire optical portion to be able to change the shape of the optical front surface.

[0122] When the contact lens is applied to the eye, the optical portion can exhibit a first non-conforming configuration in which the rear surface of the optical portion does not conform to the front surface of the cornea. For example, in the first non-conforming configuration, the central gap between the front surface of the cornea and the rear surface of the optical portion can be at least about 1 μm, 2 μm, 3 μm, 4 μm, 5 μm, 6 μm, 7 μm, 8 μm, 9 μm, 10 μm, 20 μm, 30 μm, 40 μm, 50 μm, 60 μm, 70 μm, 80 μm, 90 μm, 100 μm, 200 μm, 300 μm, 400 μm, 500 μm, 600 μm, 700 μm, 800 μm, 900 μm, 1,000 μm, or more. In the first non-conforming configuration, the central gap can be at most about 1,000 μm, 900 μm, 800 μm, 700 μm, 600 μm, 500 μm, 400 μm, 300 μm, 200 μm, 100 μm, 90 μm, 80 μm, 70 μm, 60 μm, 50 μm, 40 μm, 30 μm, 20 μm, 10 μm, 9 μm, 8 μm, 7 μm, 6 μm, 5 μm, 4 μm, 3 μm, 2 μm, 1 μm, or less. In the first non-conforming configuration, the central gap can be within a range defined by any two of the aforementioned values. For example, in the first non-conforming configuration, the central gap can be greater than 3 μm, such as greater than 5 μm, 10 μm, 20 μm, 30 μm, 40 μm, 50 μm, 60 μm, 70 μm, 80 μm, or 100 μm. For example, in the first non-conforming configuration, the central gap between the front surface of the cornea and the rear surface of the optical portion can be in the range of 5 μm to 100 μm, 10 μm to 90 μm, 10 μm to 70 μm, 10 μm to 50 μm, or 10 μm to 30 μm. The optical portion can exhibit a second conforming configuration in which the central gap between the front surface of the cornea and the rear surface of the optical portion is greater than the central gap in the first non-conforming configuration, for example, in the range of 10 μm to 200 μm, or 10 μm to 100 μm. It should be understood that the basic difference between the two configurations is that one configuration conforms to the cornea more than the other, resulting in a change in the curvature of the optical front surface between the two non-conforming configurations, and thus a change in the optical portion when the optical portion is in one of the two metastable non-conforming configurations.

[0123] Dynamic contact lenses are manufactured such that the optical back curvature is different from the peripheral back curvature, so that in the optical portion, no mechanical force or fluid pressure can be applied to the dynamic contact lens as the tear fluid flows. However, when the tear fluid flows through the optical portion, for example, due to a change in gaze, eyelid pressure, connection to any one of the lens characteristics with a tear fluid source such as a tear meniscus, or other means of flowing the tear fluid inside or outside the optical tear body, the gap height changes and the dimensions of the optical tear body change, thereby changing the light intensity on the front surface of the optical portion. For example, the tear meniscus and / or the tear reservoir can provide the tear fluid. The sagittal height at the time of manufacture can be designed based on the desired chromatic aberration height and the desired change in light intensity.

[0124] The gap height of the optical lacrimal body may exhibit from 10% to 100% of the sagittal height at the time of manufacture when eyelid pressure is applied during a fixation change and / or by connection of any one of the lens features to a tear fluid source such as a tear meniscus. The gap height may exhibit at least about 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, or 100% of the sagittal height at the time of manufacture during a fixation change. The gap height may exhibit at most about 100%, 90%, 80%, 70%, 60%, 50%, 40%, 30%, 20%, or 10% of the sagittal height at the time of manufacture during a fixation change. The gap height may exhibit a certain amount of the sagittal height at the time of manufacture within a range defined by any two of the foregoing values during a fixation change. The rate at which the gap height can return to a percentage of the sagittal height before manufacture can be at least partially determined by tear fluid flow, the availability of tear fluid flowing through the optical portion, and structural features such as a tear fluid reservoir, a rear groove of the lens, a front groove of the lens, a lens hole, a transition portion shape, a peripheral shape, an edge shape, and / or other features such as material properties and surface properties that regulate and / or facilitate tear fluid flow under, above, and in the middle of a dynamic contact lens. In practice, in addition to the sagittal height at the time of manufacture, other structural features of the dynamic contact lens, such as, for example, thickness, material elastic modulus, rigidity, radius of curvature, and diameter, contribute to applying a restoring force forward away from the cornea to the optical portion, thereby generating a pumping force to pull the tear fluid under the optical portion to form a lacrimal body in at least one metastable non-conforming configuration. This restoring force can be overcome by the application of eyelid pressure or eye movement to the dynamic contact lens, whereby the optical portion moves rearward toward the cornea and exhibits another metastable non-conforming configuration or a conforming configuration.

[0125] In a conforming configuration, the distance between the rear surface of the optical portion and the cornea may be at least about 1 μm, 2 μm, 3 μm, 4 μm, 5 μm, 6 μm, 7 μm, 8 μm, 9 μm, 10 μm, or more. In a conforming configuration, the distance between the rear surface of the optical portion and the cornea may be at most about 10 μm, 9 μm, 8 μm, 7 μm, 6 μm, 5 μm, 4 μm, 3 μm, 2 μm, 1 μm, or less. In a conforming configuration, the distance between the rear surface of the optical portion and the cornea may be within a range defined by any two of the aforementioned values. For example, in a conforming configuration, the distance between the rear surface of the optical portion and the cornea may be less than 3 μm, less than 2 μm, or less than 1 μm.

[0126] A dynamic contact lens can be manufactured such that the optical portion is designed not to conform to the cornea. In such an embodiment, the optical portion creates a gap height of 10 μm or more by passing over the cornea to create an optical tear body that provides light intensity. For example, an optical region with a base curvature of 6.2 mm and a diameter of 3 mm creates a gap height of 40 μm with respect to the paracentral base curvature, or, for example, an optical region with a base curvature (BC) of 6.4 mm and a diameter of 5 mm creates a gap height of 100 μm with respect to the central-peripheral BC. In this conforming configuration, the rear surface base curvature of the optical portion may be substantially the same as the base curvature of the peripheral portion.

[0127] The dynamic contact lens can be designed such that the optical portion is made of a low elastic modulus material disclosed herein, such as a material with a Young's modulus of 0.05 MPa to 10 MPa or 0.1 MPa to 2 MPa, for the purpose of not conforming to the cornea, etc. In such an embodiment, the optical portion creates a gap of 10 μm or more by passing over the corneal curvature to create an optical tear body. For example, an optical region with a BC of 6.2 mm and a diameter of 3 mm creates a gap height of 40 μm with respect to the central-peripheral BC, or, for example, an optical region with a BC of 6.4 mm and a diameter of 5 mm creates a gap height of 100 μm with respect to the paracentral BC. In this specification, the gap height in a non-conforming configuration may be, for example, 5 μm to 300 μm. In this conforming configuration, the rear surface base curvature of the optical portion may be substantially the same as the rear surface base curvature of the peripheral portion.

[0128] A conforming configuration represents a metastable state. By metastable it is meant that the configuration is maintained for a period of time until a force is applied to any of the lens features, or until the tear fluid becomes unavailable to any of the lens features, or until the tear fluid flows within or outside the optical tear body and disrupts the metastable equilibrium causing a transition to another metastable configuration.

[0129] The metastable conforming configuration can be maintained by the adhesive force between the rear surface of the optical portion and the front surface of the cornea. The metastable conforming configuration can be maintained by the mechanical force and / or hydrodynamic force of the dynamic contact lens. The metastable conforming configuration can be maintained by a combination of adhesive force, hydrodynamic force, and lens mechanical force.

[0130] The adhesive force may be mediated by capillary forces including, for example, cohesive forces within the tear fluid and the adhesive force between the tear film and the front surface of the cornea. The surface tension of the thin film of tear fluid between the rear surface of the optical portion and the cornea can adhere the two surfaces. Since the tear fluid and the anterior eye surface are hydrophilic, an adhesive force is preferred when the rear surface of the optical portion is also hydrophilic. Conversely, when the dynamic rear surface is hydrophobic, the adhesive force will be reduced.

[0131] The mechanical force may arise from the selection of the thickness of a particular region of the lens, the selection of the curvature of a particular region of the lens, the incorporation of features that facilitate the manipulation of the lens by the eyelid, and / or the incorporation of features that facilitate the fluid coupling and fluid separation between the optical tear body and a tear fluid source such as a tear meniscus.

[0132] In the conforming configuration, the adhesive force can extend over the entire optical rear surface or over a part of the optical rear surface.

[0133] In a conforming configuration, the gap between the optical back surface and the cornea may be substantially uniform across the diameter of the optical portion. The difference in the gap can be defined as the difference between the gap distance at the center of the optical portion and the gap distance at a radial distance away from the center. In a conforming configuration, the difference in the gap is small and minimal. In a conforming configuration, the difference in the gap is smaller than in a non-conforming configuration.

[0134] In a conforming configuration, the optical portion can be configured to provide a first light intensity to the eye. The first light intensity may be zero (0D). The first light intensity may be at least about 10d, -9D, -8D, -7D, -6D, -5D, -4D, -3D, -2D, -1D, 0D, +1D, +2D, +3D, +4D, +5D, +6D, +7D, +8D, +9D, +10D, or more. The first light intensity may be at most about +10D, +9D, +8D, +7D, +6D, +5D, +4D, +3D, +2D, +1D, 0D, -1D, -2D, -3D, -4D, -5D, -6D, -7D, -8D, -9D, -10D, or less. The first light intensity may be within a range defined by any two of the aforementioned values. The first light intensity may be, for example, in the range of 0D to ±10D, 0D to ±8D, 0D to ±6D, 0D to ±4D, 0D to ±3D, 0D to ±2D, or 0D to ±1D.

[0135] The dynamic optical portion may have one or more metastable non-conforming configurations.

[0136] One or more non-conforming configurations may be continuous or discrete, for example, at least about 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, or more, single non-conforming configurations, two or more discrete non-conforming configurations, or multiple metastable non-conforming configurations. One or more non-conforming configurations may include at most about 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, or fewer metastable configurations.

[0137] In a conforming configuration, at the center of the optical portion and at the periphery of the optical portion, the difference in the gap between the rear surface of the lens and the cornea, which together with the peripheral portion heads towards the transition portion, is smaller in the conforming configuration than in the non-conforming configuration. In the conforming configuration, the gap height may be at least about 0.1 μm, 0.2 μm, 0.3 μm, 0.4 μm, 0.5 μm, 0.6 μm, 0.7 μm, 0.8 μm, 0.9 μm, 1 μm, 2 μm, 3 μm, 4 μm, 5 μm, 6 μm, 7 μm, 8 μm, 9 μm, 10 μm, or more. In the conforming configuration, the gap height may be at most about 10 μm, 9 μm, 8 μm, 7 μm, 6 μm, 5 μm, 4 μm, 3 μm, 2 μm, 1 μm, 0.9 μm, 0.8 μm, 0.7 μm, 0.6 μm, 0.5 μm, 0.4 μm, 0.3 μm, 0.2 μm, 0.1 μm, or less. In the conforming configuration, the gap height may be within the range defined by any two of the aforementioned values. For example, in the conforming configuration, the gap height may be 0.1 μm to 4 μm, 1 μm to 4 μm, or 1 μm to 3 μm such that the optical portion is on the tear film of the cornea in the conforming configuration.

[0138] In the non-conforming configuration, the optical portion is not attached to the cornea. The optical portion extends over the corneal surface or bulges away therefrom, and a lens body is provided between the rear surface of the optical portion and the front surface of the cornea. The lens body can be filled with tear fluid to form an optical tear body.

[0139] When on the eye, a non-conforming configuration of a dynamic contact lens in combination with an optical tear body provides a second light intensity to the eye, where the first light intensity (in the conforming configuration) and the second light intensity are not the same. The second light intensity in the non-conforming configuration may be greater than or less than the light intensity in the conforming configuration. The second light intensity in the non-conforming configuration may be at least about -10D, -9D, -8D, -7D, -6D, -5D, -4D, -3D, -2D, -1D, -0.9D, -0.8D, -0.7D, -0.6D, -0.5D, -0.4D, -0.3D, -0.2D, -0.1D, 0D, +0.1D, +0.2D, +0.3D, +0.4D, +0.5D, +0.6D, +0.7D, +0.8D, +0.9D, +1d, +2d, +3d, +4d, +5d, +6d, +7D, +8D, +9D, +10D, or more. The second light intensity in the non-conforming configuration may be at most about +10D, +9D, +8D, +7D, +6D, +5D, +4D, +3D, +2D, +1D, +0.9D, +0.8D, +0.7D, +0.6D, +0.5D, +0.4D, +0.3D, +0.2D, +0.1D, 0D, -0.1D, -0.2D, -0.3D, -0.4D, -0.5D, -0.6D, -0.7D, -0.8D, -0.9D, -1d, -2d, -3d, -4d, -5d, -6d, -7D, -8D, -9D, -10D, or less. The second light intensity in the non-conforming configuration may be within a range defined by any two of the foregoing values. For example, the second light intensity may be less than ±1D, ±2D, ±3D, ±4D, ±5D, ±6D, ±7D, ±8D, ±9D, or ±10D of the first light intensity. For example, the second light intensity may be 0.1D to 10D, 0.1D to 9D, 0.1D to 8D, 0.1D to 7D, 0.1D to 6D, 0.1D to 5D, 0.1D to 4D, 0.1D to 3D, 0.1D to 2D, or 0.1D to 1D of the first light intensity. For example, the second light intensity may be -0.1D to -10D, -0.1D to -9D, -0.1D to -8D, -0.1D to -7D, -0.1D to -6D, -0.1D to -5D, -0.1D to -4D, -0.1D to -3D, -0.1D to -2D, or -0.1D to -1D of the first light intensity.

[0140] In certain dynamic contact lenses, the first light intensity does not cause a change in light intensity in the eye. In certain dynamic contact lenses, the second light intensity does not cause a change in light intensity in the eye.

[0141] In certain dynamic contact lenses, the conforming configuration causes a first change in light intensity in the eye, and at least one non-conforming configuration causes a second change in light intensity in the eye. It should be understood that the light intensity of the dynamic contact lens is obtained from the optical front surface. The light intensity is related to the effect of the optical tear film on the optical front surface of the dynamic contact lens.

[0142] In the case of a single non-conforming configuration, the optical portion can exhibit a single configuration in which the optical portion is not adhered to the cornea. The single non-conforming configuration may be metastable. The single non-conforming configuration can exhibit substantially the same shape as the optical portion during manufacture.

[0143] The non-conforming configuration may include two or more discrete configurations. Each of the two or more discrete non-conforming configurations can impart a different light intensity to the eye. The different light intensities are created by the optical front surface, the shape of which corresponds to the shape of the optical tear film formed between the optical back surface and the front surface of the cornea. Each of the two or more discrete configurations may be metastable.

[0144] The non-conforming configuration may include a plurality of non-conforming configurations that may be discrete or continuous. These discrete or continuous non-conforming configurations may be metastable or not stable. One or more of the plurality of discrete or continuous non-conforming configurations may be metastable. For example, a metastable configuration included within a plurality of continuous non-conforming configurations may substantially include the shape of the optical portion during manufacture.

[0145] A non-conforming configuration can be characterized by the central clearance height relative to the base curvature of the peripheral portion. The back surface of the peripheral portion (106) can be characterized by a single curvature, which can be extrapolated to extend under the optical portion of the dynamic contact lens as shown in FIG. 1 (119). In a non-conforming configuration, the distance between the back surface of the optical portion and the peripheral base curvature is the clearance height relative to the peripheral base curvature. This clearance height may radially decrease from the center of the optical portion towards the periphery of the optical portion in a non-conforming configuration.

[0146] In one design, the sagittal height and clearance height during manufacturing may decrease towards the transition between the optical portion and the peripheral portion as they increase.

[0147] The front surface of the lens may exhibit a multifocal structure such that, for example, when the optical portion exhibits a non-conforming configuration, the optical portion provides additional light intensity to the eye and the peripheral region of the optical portion provides the same light intensity as the conforming configuration.

[0148] While connecting the entire dynamic lens configuration to a multifocal lens design to provide the advantages of a multifocal lens, additional light intensity can be provided from the dynamic lens under desired conditions such as intermediate vision or near vision.

[0149] When placed on the eye, the peripheral portion can conform to the cornea and rest on the tear film, the peripheral base curvature may be approximately the same as the curvature of the cornea, and the clearance height can be referred to with respect to the front surface of the cornea.

[0150] In a non-conforming configuration, the central clearance height of the optical portion can be made larger than the central clearance height in a conforming configuration.

[0151] In a non-conforming configuration, the difference in clearance height becomes larger than the difference in clearance height in a conforming configuration.

[0152] The dynamic contact lens provided by the disclosure of the present invention may include one or more features configured to induce a change in the configuration of the optical portion.

[0153] One or more mechanisms or features can induce a configurational change when pressure is applied to the feature by the eyelid or by contact with the tear meniscus. The mechanism for applying eyelid pressure may be passive, active, or a combination thereof. The passive mechanism may include a conscious action by the wearer of the dynamic contact lens, but this is not necessary. For example, the passive mechanism may include a change in the viewing angle. The active mechanism may involve a conscious action by the wearer of the dynamic contact lens to induce a transition from one configuration to another. An example of an active mechanism includes a conscious blink or consciously narrowing the eyes to induce a transition from one configuration of the optical portion to another configuration of the optical portion. The conscious mechanism may include repeated blinks or keeping the eyelids closed for a certain period of time.

[0154] The mechanism for inducing a configuration change, such as a change in the metastable configuration, may further include internal forces within the lens that can raise the optical portion when the capillary force is overcome. For example, in the case of a lens produced by bulging, the bulged configuration may represent a low-energy configuration. After the capillary force decreases and the conforming optical portion is released, the physical structure of the dynamic contact lens acts as a force to raise the optical portion away from the cornea and assume or approach the shape during manufacture. The mechanism for inducing a transition between the conforming and non-conforming states may be without capillary force. Due to the mechanical forces within the lens, the optical portion can transition between configurations. Tears can flow into the tear body between the rear surface of the dynamic contact lens and the cornea and can form an optical tear body while or after the optical portion transitions between configurations such as from a conforming configuration to a non-conforming configuration. The mechanical and / or hydrodynamic forces may result from the choice of design of the dynamic contact lens and the choice of materials forming different parts of the lens. For example, design elements include the thickness, rigidity, and / or radius of curvature of different parts of the dynamic contact lens during manufacture, and the arrangement of protrusions on the front surface of the dynamic contact lens. Examples of material properties include the elastic modulus, hydrophobicity, and / or hydrophilicity of the materials forming different parts of the dynamic contact lens, and the rigidity and / or relative rigidity of different parts of the optical portion, transition portion, and peripheral portion of the dynamic contact lens.

[0155] The at least one first mechanism and the at least one second mechanism may be the same mechanism or different mechanisms including, for example, capillary force and / or internal mechanical force.

[0156] The dynamic contact lens provided by the disclosure of the present invention can have a geometric central axis.

[0157] The optical portion can be arranged at the center of the geometric axis, near the center of the geometric central axis, off the center of the geometric axis, or in any combination thereof. For example, the optical portion is centrosymmetric and can be centered on the geometric axis of the dynamic contact lens. The off-center optical portion can be symmetrically arranged at a radial distance around the geometric central axis of the dynamic contact lens. The optical portion can also be arranged away from the center of the geometric axis.

[0158] In the conforming configuration, the optical rear surface can be configured to substantially conform to the front surface of the cornea.

[0159] In the conforming configuration, the optical portion can be configured to adhere to the cornea. Adhesion to the cornea means that in the conforming configuration, the optical portion exhibits a metastable configuration in which the rear surface of the optical portion is separated from the front surface of the cornea by a thin tear layer. Adhesion to the cornea can be temporary. The adhesiveness may be such as to establish a metastable equilibrium. The metastable equilibrium can be disrupted by applying forces such as mechanical forces and / or hydrodynamic forces.

[0160] The optical portion can adhere to the corneal surface by capillary force.

[0161] The liquid layer between two wet surfaces can be called a capillary bridge. Capillary adhesion between two surfaces is caused by capillary action that pulls the liquid outwards from a narrow gap. Capillary adhesion that pulls two surfaces towards each other can maintain the relative position of the two surfaces in an equilibrium state. For example, by disrupting the equilibrium by forcibly separating the opposing surfaces, the capillary adhesion force can be reduced and the surfaces can be separated.

[0162] In a non-conforming configuration, the lacrimal body can be formed within the optical tear film between the rear surface of the optical portion and the surface of the cornea. The tear fluid for filling the lacrimal body can originate, for example, from a tear reservoir, from the tear film between dynamic contact lenses such as the peripheral portion of a dynamic contact lens, from the periphery of a dynamic contact lens such as near the conjunctiva, from the tear meniscus, through a lens aperture extending through the thickness of the dynamic contact lens, through a groove within the rear and / or front surface of the dynamic contact lens, or may result from any combination of the foregoing. In a dynamic contact lens having a lens aperture extending from the front surface to the rear surface or a rear surface groove of the dynamic contact lens, the tear fluid may further originate from the tear fluid on the front surface of the dynamic contact lens and / or from the tear meniscus of the eye.

[0163] The optical portion of the dynamic contact lens can be configured to provide different light intensities for at least two different depths of field of vision. Examples of depths of vision can include, for example, near vision, intermediate vision, and far vision.

[0164] For example, a dynamic contact lens can be configured to provide a first corrected visual acuity in a conforming configuration and a second corrected visual acuity in at least one non-conforming configuration when applied to the cornea.

[0165] For example, a dynamic contact lens can be configured to provide a first uncorrected visual acuity in a conforming configuration and a second corrected visual acuity in at least one non-conforming configuration when applied to the cornea.

[0166] For example, a dynamic contact lens can be configured to provide a first corrected visual acuity in a conforming configuration and a second uncorrected visual acuity in at least one non-conforming configuration when applied to the cornea.

[0167] The first vision and the second vision may each independently include distance vision, intermediate vision, or near vision. For example, a dynamic contact lens can be configured to provide a first uncorrected vision in a conforming configuration and a second corrected vision in at least one non-conforming configuration when applied to the cornea.

[0168] The dynamic contact lens provided by the disclosure of the present invention can facilitate the exchange of tears between the optical tear fluid under the optical portion and the tears covering the peripheral front surface of the dynamic contact lens, such as the peripheral front tears and / or the tear meniscus, during interaction with eyelid movements or eye movements such as changes in the angle of gaze. The inner optical portion of the contact lens is dynamic such that the optical portion can exhibit at least two metastable configurations when worn on the patient's eye. The rear surface of the optical portion and the front surface of the cornea define a dynamic optical tear fluid such that the optical tear fluid is different in the two metastable configurations. The optical tear fluid can change the shape of the optical front surface to change the light intensity of the optical portion.

[0169] The dynamic contact lens is configured to facilitate the ability of the optical portion to change its configuration when the wearer changes their vision, such as from nearsightedness to farsightedness, or from farsightedness to nearsightedness. To accommodate the need to continuously change the light intensity of the optical portion, the optical tear fluid needs to change rapidly. For example, the transition between metastable configurations may be less than 3 seconds, less than 2 seconds, or less than 1 second to correspond to a change in the patient's vision. Therefore, the dynamic contact lens needs to continuously and repeatedly respond to the user's visual field.

[0170] When the dynamic contact lens is applied to the eye, a tear film exists between the peripheral rear surface of the contact lens and the cornea. In the case of a peripheral rear surface that conforms to the front surface of the cornea, the tear film is generally, for a typical contact lens with a diameter of 14 mm, 0.1 μm to 3 μm thick and has an area of about 0.005 mm 3 to about 0.15 mm 3 and the total volume is about 0.005 μl to 0.15 μl.

[0171] The dynamic contact lens can be configured to have a maximum optical tear volume, such as at least about 0.01 μl, 0.002 μl, 0.003 μl, 0.004 μl, 0.005 μl, 0.006 μl, 0.007 μl, 0.008 μl, 0.009 μl, 0.01 μl, 0.02 μl, 0.03 μl, 0.04 μl, 0.05 μl, 0.06 μl, 0.07 μl, 0.08 μl, 0.09 μl, 0.1 μl, 0.2 μl, 0.3 μl, 0.4 μl, 0.5 μl, 0.6 μl, 0.7 μl, 0.8 μl, 0.9 μl, 1 μl, or more. The dynamic contact lens can be configured to have a maximum optical tear volume of at most about 1 μl, 0.9 μl, 0.8 μl, 0.7 μl, 0.6 μl, 0.5 μl, 0.4 μl, 0.3 μl, 0.2 μl, 0.1 μl, 0.09 μl, 0.08 μl, 0.07 μl, 0.06 μl, 0.05 μl, 0.04 μl, 0.03 μl, 0.02 μl, 0.01 μl, 0.009 μl, 0.008 μl, 0.007 μl, 0.005 μl, 0.004 μl, 0.003 μl, 0.002 μl, 0.001 μl, or less. The dynamic contact lens can be configured to have a maximum optical tear volume within a range defined by any two of the aforementioned values, such as 0.01 μL to 1 μL, 0.05 μL to 0.8 μL, 0.1 μL to 0.7 μL, 0.2 μL to 0.6 μL, etc. Tear fluid is distributed non-uniformly on the ocular surface in various compartments such as the superficial tear film, the upper and lower menisci, and the cul-de-sac (under the eyelids).

[0172] The tear fluid in the tear film under the contact lens is very shallow (up to 0.15 μL), and does not have the ability to fill the tear fluid between the optical posterior surface and the cornea within the dynamic contact lens. The upper and lower tear menisci have sufficient tear fluid up to about 1.5 μL to about 3 μL, and provide the tear fluid to the tear volume.

[0173] The dynamic contact lens can be configured to have a maximum optical tear volume of 0.01 μL to 1 μL, such as 0.05 μL to 0.8 μL, 0.1 μL to 0.7 μL, 0.2 μL to 0.6 μL, etc.

[0174] The dynamic contact lens provided by the disclosure of the present invention can be provided with one or more mechanisms for facilitating the transition between two or more metastable configurations and for maintaining two or more metastable configurations. This mechanism is configured to facilitate and control the flow of tears into and out of the optical tear fluid between the optical portion of the contact lens and the cornea. This tear fluid is called the optical tear fluid and is different from other tear fluids such as the tear reservoir. These transition mechanisms can operate independently or in cooperation with any mechanical mechanism incorporated into the dynamic contact lens.

[0175] In two metastable configurations of the optical portion, the optical tear fluid is different. During the transition between the two metastable configurations, tears need to be transported outside or inside the optical tear fluid. Therefore, when tears are discharged from the optical tear fluid, a place for the tears to flow is required. Tears can flow into the tear film along the interface between the back surface of the contact lens and the cornea and towards the periphery of the lens. Also, features can be incorporated into the contact lens to facilitate the ability of tears to flow from the optical portion to the front surface of the contact lens and / or into grooves or cavities incorporated into the back and / or front surfaces of the peripheral portion of the contact lens. Conversely, when tears flow into the optical tear fluid when the optical portion transitions from one metastable configuration to another, a tear source for drawing out the tears is required. The tear source may be the tear film between the back surface of the contact lens and the cornea. The tear source may also be features such as the front surface of the contact lens or grooves or cavities incorporated into the back and / or front surfaces of the peripheral portion filled with tears. The tear source may further be the tears present in the tear meniscus. Therefore, a mechanism configured to facilitate and regulate the flow of tears can further function as a tear source that can be exchanged with tears in the optical tear fluid during the transition between metastable configurations. Other features and mechanisms such as the combination of lens holes and grooves can function to fluidly couple the tear meniscus around the eye to the optical tear fluid.

[0176] Examples of mechanisms for facilitating and regulating the flow of tears into and out of the optical tear body include posterior grooves, lens holes, tear reservoirs, cavities, depressions, protrusions, anterior grooves, valves, and any combination thereof.

[0177] The mechanism can comprise one or more grooves disposed on the front and / or rear surface of the dynamic contact lens.

[0178] The groove can be configured to carry tears into and out of the optical tear body.

[0179] The groove can be configured to carry tears from around the contact lens into the optical tear body and from the optical tear body back around the contact lens.

[0180] The groove can be configured to carry tears into and out of the tear reservoir.

[0181] The groove can be configured to carry tears from around the contact lens into the tear reservoir and from the tear reservoir back around the contact lens.

[0182] The groove can be configured to carry tears from the tear reservoir into and out of the optical tear body.

[0183] The groove can be configured to carry fluid between tear reservoirs.

[0184] The groove can be configured to carry tears and function as a tear reservoir.

[0185] The groove may be non-compressible, compressible, or partially compressible by the force applied by the eyelid.

[0186] The groove may be in fluid communication with the optical tear body, in fluid communication with the tear meniscus, in fluid communication with the tear reservoir, or any combination thereof.

[0187] The groove portion may not be coupled to the optical lacrimal body, may not be fluid-coupled to the tear meniscus, may not be fluid-coupled to the tear reservoir, or any combination thereof.

[0188] The groove portion may have any suitable cross-sectional shape, such as a previous truncated circle, ellipse, square, rectangle, or triangle.

[0189] The cross-sectional shape and dimensions of the groove portion may extend over substantially the entire length of the groove portion. The cross-sectional shape and / or dimensions may vary over the entire length of the groove portion. For example, the width and / or depth of the groove portion may vary over the entire length of the groove portion or at different portions along the length of the groove portion.

[0190] The width of the groove portion may be at least about 10 μm, 20 μm, 30 μm, 40 μm, 50 μm, 60 μm, 70 μm, 80 μm, 90 μm, 100 μm, 200 μm, 300 μm, 400 μm, 500 μm, 600 μm, 700 μm, 800 μm, 900 μm, 1,000 μm, or more. The width of the groove portion may be at most about 1,000 μm, 900 μm, 800 μm, 700 μm, 600 μm, 500 μm, 400 μm, 300 μm, 200 μm, 100 μm, 90 μm, 80 μm, 70 μm, 60 μm, 50 μm, 40 μm, 30 μm, 20 μm, 10 μm, or less. The width of the groove portion may be within a range defined by any two of the aforementioned values. The width of the groove portion may be, for example, 30 μm to 1,000 μm, 30 μm to 800 μm, 30 μm to 600 μm, 200 μm to 600 μm, or 400 μm to 600 μm.

[0191] The height of the groove may be at least about 10 μm, 20 μm, 30 μm, 40 μm, 50 μm, 60 μm, 70 μm, 80 μm, 90 μm, 100 μm, 150 μm, 200 μm, 250 μm, or more. The height of the groove may be at most about 250 μm, 200 μm, 150 μm, 100 μm, 90 μm, 80 μm, 70 μm, 60 μm, 50 μm, 40 μm, 30 μm, 20 μm, 10 μm, or less. The height or depth of the groove may be, for example, 20 μm to 200 μm, 20 μm to 150 μm, or 100 μm to 200 μm.

[0192] The groove may have a length of at least about 0.1 mm, 0.2 mm, 0.3 mm, 0.4 mm, 0.5 mm, 0.6 mm, 0.7 mm, 0.8 mm, 0.9 mm, 1 mm, 2 mm, 3 mm, 4 mm, 5 mm, 6 mm, 7 mm, 8 mm, 9 mm, 10 mm, or more. The groove may have a length of at most about 10 mm, 9 mm, 8 mm, 7 mm, 6 mm, 5 mm, 4 mm, 3 mm, 2 mm, 1 mm, 0.9 mm, 0.8 mm, 0.7 mm, 0.6 mm, 0.5 mm, 0.4 mm, 0.3 mm, 0.2 mm, 0.1 mm, or less. The groove may have a length within the range defined by any two of the foregoing values. The groove may have a length of, for example, 0.5 mm to 7 mm, 1 mm to 6 mm, 1 mm to 5 mm, 1 mm to 4 mm, or 1 mm to 3 mm.

[0193] The cross-sectional shape and dimensions of the groove may vary at various locations along the length of the groove. For example, the groove may have larger dimensions at the optical lacrimal fluid, around the contact lens, or at the interface with the lacrimal fluid.

[0194] The surface of the groove may include features and / or surface treatments for regulating the flow of the tear fluid within the groove. This feature can regulate the flow direction of the tear fluid within the groove. Examples of suitable features include surface roughness, hydrophobic coatings, and hydrophilic coatings.

[0195] The groove portion can be fluidly coupled to one or more lens holes. The lens holes can intersect the groove portion along the length of the groove portion at any suitable position. The lens holes can be configured to carry tears to the groove portion and from the groove portion to the front surface of the contact lens.

[0196] The dynamic contact lens can include a plurality of groove portions and can be arranged symmetrically or asymmetrically around the optical portion. The dynamic contact lens can include at least about 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, or more groove portions. The dynamic contact lens can include at most about 50, 49, 48, 47, 46, 45, 44, 43, 42, 41, 40, 39, 38, 37, 36, 35, 34, 33, 32, 31, 30, 29, 28, 27, 26, 25, 24, 23, 22, 21, 20, 19, 18, 17, 16, 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, or 1 groove portion. The dynamic contact lens can include a number of groove portions within a range defined by any two of the foregoing values. For example, the dynamic contact lens can include, for example, 1-40, 1-30, 1-20, 2-15, 3-10, 4-8, or 4-6 groove portions.

[0197] The groove portion can be fluidly coupled to the optical tear body such that one end of the groove portion intersects the optical portion and the other end terminates at a radial distance from the central axis in the peripheral portion. This end groove portion can be positioned at any suitable distance from the lens center and can extend to the periphery of the dynamic contact lens. Each of the plurality of groove portions can independently terminate at the same or different distances from the lens center.

[0198] The groove portion can take any suitable orientation with respect to the optical portion of the dynamic contact lens and the central axis. The groove portion can be directed towards the lens center such that a plurality of groove portions extend radially from the lens center and intersect the optical portion orthogonally. For example, the groove portion can be oriented in a spoke / hub configuration, in which the hub is substantially the optical portion of the contact lens. The plurality of groove portions may not be directed towards the lens center and may intersect the optical portion non-orthogonally.

[0199] The groove portion can be configured to be compressible. The compressible groove can be compressed by interaction with the eyelid or movement of the eyelid. The groove portion may have a depth or height such that a part of the contact lens covering the groove portion is thin and deformable by the force applied by the eyelid. The deformability can be facilitated by one or more additional mechanisms such as a protrusion on the front surface of the peripheral portion adjacent to the groove that enables the eyelid to interact with the contact lens easily. For example, the interaction with the movement of the eyelid or the eye can apply a downward pressure, which is amplified by the proximal protrusion.

[0200] The groove portion can be connected to a passive or active mechanism configured to rotate the dynamic contact lens to a certain angular position with respect to the optical axis of the eye to facilitate tear exchange between the optical tear fluid and the tear fluid outside the optical tear fluid. For example, the dynamic contact lens can be provided with one or more mechanisms that fluidly couple the groove portion and the tear meniscus or facilitate the rotation of the dynamic contact lens to improve such fluid coupling.

[0201] One or more groove portions can be arranged on the front surface of the peripheral portion of the dynamic contact lens. The front groove portion can be fluidly coupled to the tear meniscus, the lens aperture, the fluid reservoir, the rear groove portion, or any combination thereof. The front groove portion can function as a tear reservoir. The front groove portion can be connected to one or more other front groove portions.

[0202] One or more front grooves and / or rear grooves can be connected to one lens hole and / or one groove, or can be connected to a plurality of lens holes and / or a plurality of grooves.

[0203] Two or more rear grooves and / or front grooves can be fluidly coupled. The fluidly coupled rear grooves and / or front grooves can be configured to facilitate the flow of fluid and / or remove tears. The coupling can be performed such that two or more grooves overlap over a certain distance. By overlapping the front groove and the rear groove, as shown in FIGS. 18A - 18C, the front groove and the rear groove can be fluidly coupled without a lens hole.

[0204] The rear groove and / or the front groove may include a wide portion that can hold tears and function as a tear reservoir.

[0205] The edges of the groove can be chamfered to improve the flow of tears and / or enhance the comfort of the patient. The chamfered edges can reduce irritation caused by the interaction between the eyelid, the conjunctiva, and / or the cornea and the groove.

[0206] The rear groove and / or the front groove can be arranged such that the groove is oriented at a desired position with respect to the eye. For example, the groove can be oriented towards the lower tear meniscus, towards the upper tear meniscus, or away from either tear meniscus. To facilitate the orientation of the groove with respect to the eye, the dynamic contact lens can comprise one or more thickened regions or ballast regions.

[0207] The cavity on the front side of the lens is further caused by the presence of a recess on the rear side of the lens, and the recess collapses while the lens is on the eye.

[0208] The dynamic contact lens can be provided with one or more lens holes. The lens holes can be configured to facilitate the transport of tears to the front surface of the dynamic contact lens and from the dynamic contact lens to the tear film and / or a transition and regulation mechanism such as a groove, cavity, or tear reservoir.

[0209] The lens holes can be arranged in the peripheral portion of the lens so that the lens holes do not interfere with vision.

[0210] The lens holes can extend across the entire thickness of the peripheral portion, thereby fluidly coupling the tears on the peripheral front surface to the tears on the peripheral rear surface.

[0211] The lens holes can be oriented substantially perpendicular to the front and rear surfaces of the peripheral portion. The lens holes can be oriented at a certain angle with respect to the front and rear surfaces of the peripheral portion. By angling the orientation, the flow direction of the tears can be easily adjusted.

[0212] The lens holes can be fluidly coupled to a groove, such as the end of the groove or any location along the length of the groove.

[0213] The lens holes can exhibit any suitable cross-sectional shape. For example, the cross-sectional shape of the lens holes can be circular, elliptical, oblong, square, rectangular, or triangular.

[0214] The lens holes can exhibit any suitable cross-sectional dimension. For example, the cross-sectional dimension of the lens holes can be 20 μm to 600 μm, 50 μm to 400 μm, or 100 μm to 300 μm.

[0215] The lens holes may have a constant cross-sectional shape and dimension throughout their length, or may exhibit different cross-sectional shapes at different portions along their length. For example, the lens holes may have larger dimensions at the ends where the lens holes intersect the front and / or rear surfaces of the peripheral portion.

[0216] The lens aperture can comprise a slit such as a notch extending across the entire thickness of the peripheral portion of the dynamic contact lens. The slit can be at least about 10μm, 20μm, 30μm, 40μm, 50μm, 60μm, 70μm, 80μm, 90μm, 100μm, 200μm, 300μm, 400μm, 500μm, 600μm, 700μm, 800μm, 900μm, 1,000μm, 1,500μm, 2,000μm, 2,500μm, 3,000μm, 3,500μm, 4,000μm, 4,500μm, 5,000μm, or longer. The slit can be at most about 5,000μm, 4,500μm, 4,000μm, 3,500μm, 3,000μm, 2,500μm, 2,000μm, 1,000μm, 900μm, 800μm, 700μm, 600μm, 500μm, 400μm, 300μm, 200μm, 100μm, 90μm, 80μm, 70μm, 60μm, 50μm, 40μm, 30μm, 20μm, 10μm, or shorter. The slit can be a length within the range defined by any two of the foregoing values. The slit can be, for example, a length of 25μm to 2,000μm, 50μm to 1,500μm, 100μm to 1,000μm, or 200μm to 600μm. The lens aperture in the form of the slit can be an arc at a radial distance from the central axis of the lens or from the central axis of the optical portion. The slit can be oriented towards the central axis of the lens, or from the central axis of the optical portion, or at an angle with respect to the central axis of the lens, or from the central axis of the optical portion. The slit can be coupled to the groove portion and / or the tear reservoir, or directly to the tear meniscus.

[0217] The end portion of the lens aperture can be provided with features that facilitate its interaction with the pressure exerted by the eyelid. Examples of such features include a protrusion proximate to the lens aperture. For example, the protrusion can be annular and can be arranged towards the periphery of the contact lens or towards the optical portion.

[0218] The end portion of the lens aperture can be provided with features that facilitate the lens aperture's ability to carry tears. For example, one or more cavities on the front surface of the lens can be positioned near the lens aperture configured to collect and hold tears. For example, the lens aperture can intersect the front surface of the peripheral portion at a cavity or indentation that can be filled with tears. The cavity can be an annular indentation surrounding the lens aperture.

[0219] The lens aperture can extend from the peripheral front surface to the rear surface at the interface between the optical portion and the peripheral portion, or to the rear surface of the optical portion. A lens aperture with this configuration can provide for direct tear transport between the optical tear body and the front surface of the contact lens.

[0220] The lens aperture can be disposed in the optical portion. A lens aperture disposed in the optical portion can provide for direct tear transport between the optical tear body and the front surface of the dynamic contact lens.

[0221] The lens aperture can be configured to function as a valve.

[0222] The lens aperture can be configured to function as a capillary valve.

[0223] The lens aperture may have a raised area adjacent to the front opening of the lens aperture. A raised area such as a high annular ring surrounding the front opening can function to restrict the flow of tears when the volume of tears is less than a certain amount. This area may be raised from the front surface of the dynamic contact lens by at least about 1μm, 2μm, 3μm, 4μm, 5μm, 6μm, 7μm, 8μm, 9μm, 10μm, 20μm, 30μm, 40μm, 50μm, 60μm, 70μm, 80μm, 90μm, 100μm, 200μm, 300μm, 400μm, 500μm, 600μm, 700μm, 800μm, 900μm, 1,000μm, or more. This area may be raised from the front surface of the dynamic contact lens by at most about 1,000μm, 900μm, 800μm, 700μm, 600μm, 500μm, 400μm, 300μm, 200μm, 100μm, 90μm, 80μm, 70μm, 60μm, 50μm, 40μm, 30μm, 20μm, 10μm, 9μm, 8μm, 7μm, 6μm, 5μm, 4μm, 3μm, 2μm, 1μm, or less. This area may be raised by a distance within the range defined by any two of the aforementioned values from the front surface of the dynamic contact lens. This area may be raised from the front surface of the dynamic contact lens, for example, 1μm to 400μm, 5μm to 300μm, 10μm to 200μm, or 20μm to 100μm. The raised area may be circumferentially or partially circumferentially around the front opening of the lens aperture. The raised area may have different heights or height gradients in different parts of the raised area. The raised area may be smoothed to minimize interaction with the eyelids.

[0224] A mechanism for facilitating and regulating the flow of tears can include one or more tear reservoirs. A tear reservoir is referred to as a cavity disposed on the front surface of the contact lens that is configured to provide a source of tears and / or a volume for tears to flow into. A tear reservoir is distinguished from a cavity, which can be disposed on the front surface of the dynamic contact lens.

[0225] This storage portion can be disposed at the peripheral rear surface of the dynamic contact lens. When worn on a patient's eye, the storage portion can be filled with tears. When fluidly coupled to the optical tear body, the storage portion can function as a source of tears. The tear storage portion can function as a source of tears to fill the optical tear body when the optical portion exhibits a first metastable optical configuration, and can function as a receptacle to receive and hold tears when the optical portion exhibits a second metastable configuration.

[0226] The storage portion can be configured to, in operative interaction with the optical portion, effect a pumping action and a pulling action in which tears are alternately exchanged between the optical tear body and the tear storage portion.

[0227] The storage portion can be configured to provide a compressible tear storage portion. For example, the interaction between the dynamic contact lens and the eyelid may change the configuration of the storage portion. During the configuration change, the storage portion can expel tears or draw tears into the storage portion. For example, the tear storage portion can be fluidly coupled to the optical tear body and can exchange tears with the optical tear body by means of a pumping action and a pulling action.

[0228] The compressible storage portion may have dimensions such as width or height that render a peripheral portion covering the storage portion flexible.

[0229] The storage part may have a height / depth of at least about 10 μm, 20 μm, 30 μm, 40 μm, 50 μm, 60 μm, 70 μm, 80 μm, 90 μm, 100 μm, 200 μm, 300 μm, 400 μm, 500 μm, 600 μm, 700 μm, 800 μm, 900 μm, 1 mm, 2 mm, 3 mm, 4 mm, 5 mm, 6 mm, 7 mm, 8 mm, 9 mm, 10 mm, or more. The storage part may have a height / depth of at most about 10 mm, 9 mm, 8 mm, 7 mm, 6 mm, 5 mm, 4 mm, 3 mm, 2 mm, 1 mm, 900 μm, 800 μm, 700 μm, 600 μm, 500 μm, 400 μm, 300 μm, 200 μm, 100 μm, 90 μm, 80 μm, 70 μm, 60 μm, 50 μm, 40 μm, 30 μm, 20 μm, 10 μm, or less. The storage part may have a height / depth within a range defined by any two of the aforementioned values. The storage part may have a height / depth of, for example, 10 μm to 800 μm, 20 μm to 600 μm, 50 μm to 500 μm, or 100 μm to 400 μm. The storage part may have a width / length of, for example, 50 μm to 5 mm, 100 μm to 4 mm, 200 μm to 3 mm, or 500 μm to 2 mm.

[0230] The storage part can be arranged at a radial distance from the central axis of the dynamic contact lens or from the central axis of the optical part, and can be in an arc shape or can extend circumferentially around the dynamic contact lens at a radial distance from the axis.

[0231] The thickness of the peripheral portion covering the storage part can be configured to deform. The thickness of the peripheral portion covering the storage part can be at least about 10 μm, 20 μm, 30 μm, 40 μm, 50 μm, 60 μm, 70 μm, 80 μm, 90 μm, 100 μm, 200 μm, 300 μm, 400 μm, 500 μm, 600 μm, 700 μm, 800 μm, 900 μm, 1,000 μm, or more. The thickness of the peripheral portion covering the storage part can be at most about 1,000 μm, 900 μm, 800 μm, 700 μm, 600 μm, 500 μm, 400 μm, 300 μm, 200 μm, 100 μm, 90 μm, 80 μm, 70 μm, 60 μm, 50 μm, 40 μm, 30 μm, 20 μm, 10 μm, or less. The thickness of the peripheral portion covering the storage part can be within the range defined by any two of the above-mentioned values. For example, the thickness of the peripheral portion covering the storage part can be 10 μm to 500 μm, 10 μm to 400 μm, 50 μm to 300 μm, or 100 μm to 250 μm.

[0232] The storage part can assume any suitable shape. This shape can be symmetric or asymmetric. This shape can be oriented with respect to the optical part. Orientation means that the storage part can assume a shape associated with the optical part. For example, the storage part may become narrower or wider as it approaches the optical part, or it may be radially symmetric with respect to the optical part. For example, the storage part may be circular, elliptical, oval, rectangular in the radial dimension with respect to the central axis of the lens, or rectangular in the centrosymmetric dimension.

[0233] The storage part, and the tear storage part obtained by providing it, can be fluidly coupled to a groove, an optical tear body, another storage part, a tear meniscus, a lens aperture, or any combination thereof.

[0234] The dynamic contact lens can include one or more storage portions. The one or more storage portions can be positioned on the rear surface of the peripheral portion. The one or more cavities can be arranged symmetrically or asymmetrically around the optical portion. The one or more storage portions can be arranged at a radial distance from the central axis of the lens. The one or more storage portions can be arranged at a radial distance of at least about 1 mm, 2 mm, 3 mm, 4 mm, 5 mm, 6 mm, 7 mm, 8 mm, 9 mm, 10 mm, or more. The one or more storage portions can be arranged at a radial distance of at most about 10 mm, 9 mm, 8 mm, 7 mm, 6 mm, 5 mm, 4 mm, 3 mm, 2 mm, 1 mm, or less. The one or more storage portions can be arranged at a radial distance within the range defined by any two of the aforementioned values. For example, the storage portion can be arranged at a radial distance of 2 mm to 7 mm, 3 mm to 6 mm, or 3 mm to 5 mm from the center of the lens or from the center of the optical portion.

[0235] The storage portion can be provided with a volume of at least about 0.01 μl, 0.02 μl, 0.03 μl, 0.04 μl, 0.05 μl, 0.06 μl, 0.07 μl, 0.08 μl, 0.09 μl, 0.1 μl, 0.2 μl, 0.3 μl, 0.4 μl, 0.5 μl, 0.6 μl, 0.7 μl, 0.8 μl, 0.9 μl, 1 μl, 1.25 μl, 1.5 μl, 1.75 μl, 2 μl, 2.5 μl, 3 μl, 4 μl, 5 μl, or more. The storage portion can be provided with a volume of at most about 5 μl, 4 μl, 3 μl, 2.5 μl, 2 μl, 1.75 μl, 1.5 μl, 1.25 μl, 1 μl, 0.9 μl, 0.8 μl, 0.7 μl, 0.6 μl, 0.5 μl, 0.4 μl, 0.3 μl, 0.2 μl, 0.1 μl, 0.09 μl, 0.08 μl, 0.07 μl, 0.06 μl, 0.05 μl, 0.04 μl, 0.03 μl, 0.02 μl, 0.01 μl, or less. The storage portion can be provided with a volume within the range defined by any two of the aforementioned values. The storage portion may be provided with a volume of 0.05 μl to 2 μl, 0.1 μl to 1.5 μl, 0.2 to 1.25 μl, or 0.5 μl to 1 μl between the rear surface of the peripheral portion and the cornea.

[0236] The storage part can be associated with one or more mechanisms configured to facilitate the interaction between the tear storage part and the pressure exerted by the eyelid and / or eye movement. For example, one or more protrusions can be arranged on the front surface of the peripheral part near the storage part, and by doing so, the one or more protrusions function to amplify and / or orient the downward force exerted by the eyelid. The downward force on the storage part can function to discharge the tears from the storage part and direct them towards the optical tear body.

[0237] The mechanism for facilitating and regulating the tear flow can include one or more tear recesses. The tear recesses can be arranged on the front surface of the contact lens configured to provide a tear source and / or volume for the tears to flow into. The tear recesses are distinguished from cavities, which can be arranged on the rear surface of the dynamic contact lens.

[0238] The recess can be arranged on the peripheral front surface of the dynamic contact lens. When worn on the patient's eye, the cavity can be filled with tears. When fluidically coupled to the optical tear body, the recess can function as a tear source. The tear recess can function as a tear source for filling the optical tear body when the optical part exhibits a first metastable optical configuration, and can function as a receptacle for receiving and holding tears when the optical part exhibits a second metastable configuration.

[0239] The recess can be configured to, in interaction with the optical part, result in a pumping action and a pulling action in which tears are alternately exchanged between the optical tear body and the cavity.

[0240] The recess can be arranged at a radial distance from the central axis of the dynamic contact lens or from the central axis of the optical part, and can be in an arc shape or extend circumferentially around the dynamic contact lens at the radial distance from the axis.

[0241] The recessed portion can be fluidly coupled to a groove portion, an optical lacrimal body, another cavity, a tear meniscus, a lens aperture, or any combination thereof.

[0242] The dynamic contact lens can include one or more recessed portions. The one or more recessed portions can be positioned on the front surface of the peripheral portion. The one or more recessed portions can be arranged symmetrically or asymmetrically around the optical portion. The one or more recessed portions can be arranged at a radial distance from the central axis of the lens. The cavity can be arranged at a radial distance of at least about 1 mm, 2 mm, 3 mm, 4 mm, 5 mm, 6 mm, 7 mm, 8 mm, 9 mm, 10 mm, or more from the center of the optical portion. The cavity can be arranged at a radial distance of at most about 10 mm, 9 mm, 8 mm, 7 mm, 6 mm, 5 mm, 4 mm, 3 mm, 2 mm, 1 mm, or less from the center of the optical portion. The cavity can be located at a distance from the center of the optical portion within a range defined by any two of the foregoing values. For example, the cavity can be arranged at a radial distance of 2 mm to 7 mm, 3 mm to 6 mm, or 3 mm to 5 mm from the lens center or from the center of the optical portion.

[0243] The recessed portion can be configured to fluidly couple to the tear meniscus. The tear meniscus has a height of about 200 μm to 300 μm at the eyelid margin described above. The lens aperture with a diameter of 25 μm to 500 μm is relatively small and may be difficult to couple to the shallow tear meniscus. To facilitate the fluid coupling of the lens aperture to the tear meniscus, the front opening of the lens aperture can be disposed within the recessed portion or cavity on the front surface of the dynamic contact lens. The recessed portion is larger than the diameter of the lens aperture opening window, and this recessed portion can facilitate the fluid coupling of the front opening of the lens aperture to the tear meniscus. The recessed portion may have a diameter of at least about 0.1 mm, 0.2 mm, 0.3 mm, 0.4 mm, 0.5 mm, 0.6 mm, 0.7 mm, 0.8 mm, 0.9 mm, 1 mm, 2 mm, 3 mm, 4 mm, 5 mm, or more. The recessed portion may have a diameter of at most about 5 mm, 4 mm, 3 mm, 2 mm, 1 mm, 0.9 mm, 0.8 mm, 0.7 mm, 0.6 mm, 0.5 mm, 0.4 mm, 0.3 mm, 0.2 mm, 0.1 mm, or less. The optical portion may have a diameter within the range defined by any two of the aforementioned values. The recessed portion may have a diameter of 0.5 mm to 4 mm, such as 1 mm to 3 mm. The recessed portion may have a depth of at least about 1 μm, 2 μm, 3 μm, 4 μm, 5 μm, 6 μm, 7 μm, 8 μm, 9 μm, 10 μm, 20 μm, 30 μm, 40 μm, 50 μm, 60 μm, 70 μm, 80 μm, 90 μm, 100 μm, 150 μm, 200 μm, 250 μm, or more. The recessed portion may have a depth of at most about 250 μm, 200 μm, 150 μm, 100 μm, 90 μm, 80 μm, 70 μm, 60 μm, 50 μm, 40 μm, 30 μm, 20 μm, 10 μm, 9 μm, 8 μm, 7 μm, 6 μm, 5 μm, 4 μm, 3 μm, 2 μm, 1 μm, or less. The recessed portion may have a depth within the range defined by any two of the aforementioned values. The recessed portion may have a depth of, for example, 3 μm to 150 μm. The recessed portion can exhibit any suitable cross-sectional shape, such as circular, elliptical, slit, oblong, etc., or can exhibit an irregular contour.The edge of the recess may be smoothed or chamfered to facilitate fluid coupling to the lens aperture and / or to improve comfort.

[0244] For example, FIGS. 15A-15H show diagrams of a dynamic contact lens having a recess disposed in a second peripheral portion near the transition portion and a lens aperture within the recess. FIGS. 15A and 15B show a front view and a cross-sectional view of the dynamic contact lens, respectively. The dynamic contact lens shown in FIGS. 15A and 15B includes a first peripheral portion (1501), a second peripheral portion (1502), an optical portion (1503), a transition portion (1506), a lens aperture (1504) within a recess (1507), and a rear groove portion (1505). FIG. 15C is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the recess (1507) and the lens aperture (1504), which are connected to the groove portion (1505) at the rear surface of the contact lens. FIG. 15C shows the recess (1507) and the lens aperture (1504) in the peripheral portion (1502) connected to the rear groove portion (1505).

[0245] FIG. 15E shows a rear view of a dynamic contact lens including a first peripheral portion (1501), a second peripheral portion (1502), an optical portion (1503), and a recess (1507) with a lens aperture (1504). FIG. 15F shows the front surface of the dynamic contact lens shown in FIG. 15E, which includes a first peripheral portion (1501), a second peripheral portion (1502), an optical portion (1503), and a recess (1507) with a lens aperture (1504). FIG. 15G shows a rear view of a dynamic contact lens including a first peripheral portion (1501), a second peripheral portion (1502), an optical portion (1503), and a groove portion (1505) with a lens aperture (1504). FIG. 15H shows the front surface of the dynamic contact lens shown in FIG. 15G, which includes a first peripheral portion (1501), a second peripheral portion (1502), an optical portion (1503), and a recess (1507) with a lens aperture (1504).

[0246] Alternatively, or in addition to the indentation, the lens aperture can be fluidly coupled to a groove portion on the front surface of a peripheral portion configured to draw fluid from the tear meniscus into the lens aperture by capillary force. Examples of these structures are shown in FIGS. 16A - 16C. FIGS. 16A - 16C respectively show a side view, a perspective view, and a cross - sectional view of a dynamic contact lens, which includes a first peripheral portion (1601), a second peripheral portion (1602), an optical portion (1603), and a cavity (1604) on the front surface of the second peripheral portion (1602), and the lens (1605) is at the lower part of the cavity (1604). As shown in FIG. 16B, on the rear surface, a groove portion (1606) is connected to the lens aperture (1605) and extends from the second peripheral portion (1602) to the optical portion (1603). A cross - sectional view of the dynamic contact lens is shown in FIG. 16C. In addition to the elements shown in FIGS. 16A - 16B, it can be seen that the rear surface groove portion (1606) narrows as it approaches the optical portion (1603) and is fluidly coupled to the optical tear fluid (1607).

[0247] The mechanism for facilitating and regulating tear transport can comprise one or more protrusions. One or more protrusions can be disposed on the front surface of the peripheral portion of the dynamic contact lens. The one or more protrusions can be configured to facilitate the interaction between the eyelid and the dynamic contact lens and can function to amplify the force exerted on the dynamic contact lens by the eyelid.

[0248] The protrusion can be configured to amplify a mechanical force exerted by the eyelid, such as a pushing force towards the optical portion. The pushing force can function to destabilize or stabilize the metastable configuration of the optical portion.

[0249] The protrusion can be associated with another mechanism for facilitating and regulating the transport of tears. For example, the protrusion can be positioned near and mechanically coupled to the groove portion, the lens aperture, and / or the tear reservoir, such that the force exerted on the protrusion by the eyelid is transmitted to the front groove portion, the rear groove portion, the lens aperture, the cavity, and / or the tear reservoir. For example, the protrusion can be positioned at the peripheral edge of a mechanism such as the tear reservoir, such that the eyelid movement relative to the protrusion causes the tears to be pushed towards the optical lacrimal body.

[0250] The position and dimensions of the protrusion can be selected to achieve the intended function of regulating the flow of tears while minimizing or avoiding discomfort to the patient.

[0251] The protrusion can be at least about 10 μm, 20 μm, 30 μm, 40 μm, 50 μm, 60 μm, 70 μm, 80 μm, 90 μm, 100 μm, 200 μm, 300 μm, 400 μm, 500 μm, 600 μm, 700 μm, 800 μm, 900 μm, 1,000 μm, or more in height. The protrusion can be at most about 1,000 μm, 900 μm, 800 μm, 700 μm, 600 μm, 500 μm, 400 μm, 300 μm, 200 μm, 100 μm, 90 μm, 80 μm, 70 μm, 60 μm, 50 μm, 40 μm, 30 μm, 20 μm, 10 μm, or less in height. The protrusion can be at a height within the range defined by any two of the foregoing values. The protrusion can be, for example, 10 μm to 600 μm, 20 μm to 500 μm, 50 μm to 400 μm, or 100 μm to 300 μm in height.

[0252] The protrusion may have a width of at least about 10 μm, 20 μm, 30 μm, 40 μm, 50 μm, 60 μm, 70 μm, 80 μm, 90 μm, 100 μm, 200 μm, 300 μm, 400 μm, 500 μm, 600 μm, 700 μm, 800 μm, 900 μm, 1,000 μm, 2,000 μm, 3,000 μm, 4,000 μm, 5,000 μm, or more. The protrusion may have a width of at most about 5,000 μm, 4,000 μm, 3,000 μm, 2,000 μm, 1,000 μm, 900 μm, 800 μm, 700 μm, 600 μm, 500 μm, 400 μm, 300 μm, 200 μm, 100 μm, 90 μm, 80 μm, 70 μm, 60 μm, 50 μm, 40 μm, 30 μm, 20 μm, 10 μm, or less. The protrusion may have a width within a range defined by any two of the foregoing values. The protrusion may have a width, for example, of 20 μm to 3,000 μm, 50 μm to 2,500 μm, 100 μm to 2,000 μm, 200 μm to 1,500 μm, 400 μm to 1,000 μm, or more, and may occupy most of the lens.

[0253] The protrusion can assume any suitable shape. For example, the protrusion may be circular, elliptical, oblong, rectangular, or annular.

[0254] The protrusion can include a plurality of protrusions. The plurality of protrusions can be arranged symmetrically or asymmetrically around the optical portion of the lens. The plurality of protrusions can be located at one radial distance from the central axis of the lens, or can be located at different radial distances from the central axis of the lens.

[0255] The mechanism for facilitating and regulating tear transport can include one or more valves. The valve can be associated with another tear regulation mechanism such as a groove, a lens aperture, and / or a tear reservoir.

[0256] The valve can be configured to regulate the flow direction of the tear fluid. For example, the valve can allow the fluid to flow from the tear reservoir to the optical tear body and resist or prevent the flow of the tear fluid from the optical tear body back to the tear reservoir.

[0257] The valve can be configured to provide a variable resistance to the flow of the tear fluid. For example, the valve can resist the tear fluid transport at a first tear pressure and allow the tear fluid transport at a second pressure.

[0258] The valve may be sensitive to mechanical forces such that the valve can be opened and closed by the mechanical forces applied by the eyelids. This mechanical force can be amplified by one or more protrusions.

[0259] The valve can be either two-way or one-way.

[0260] The valve can comprise a capillary valve configured to regulate the tear fluid flow based on the pressure difference between the tear fluid in the optical tear body and the tear pressure in the tear reservoir, the tear pressure near the lens aperture, and / or the tear pressure in the front groove portion and / or the rear groove portion.

[0261] The valve can comprise a capillary valve configured to regulate the tear fluid flow based on the shape, size, and length of the lens aperture and / or the groove portion.

[0262] The valve can be configured such that the valve seals an area on the rear surface of the dynamic contact lens to prevent the flow of the tear fluid and opens to allow the flow of the tear fluid.

[0263] Examples of other suitable valves include "fish mouth type" valves or slit membranes.

[0264] As an example of other suitable valves, there is a capillary valve that enables the flow of tears towards the optical lacrimal body due to the capillary force between the tears, the wall of the lens hole near the front opening, and the air. To achieve the required valve characteristics, an appropriate lens material, coating, or treatment, lens hole shape, and lens hole dimensions can be selected. For example, the capillary force becomes greater for a more hydrophilic surface, and thus the pressure difference that can open the valve may be smaller. Similarly, the thinner the lens hole, the higher the pressure required to open the valve. The diameter of the lens hole may be, for example, from 10 μm to 1 mm.

[0265] Figures 2A - 2B show examples of valves. Figure 2A shows a plan view of a dynamic contact lens, and Figure 2B shows a cross - sectional view. The dynamic contact lens includes a peripheral portion (201) / (202) and a fish - mouth - type valve (210). The fish - mouth - type valve is disposed between the front and rear surfaces of the lens, connected to the rear groove portion (205), and connected to the optical portion (203), the tear reservoir, or another feature on the rear surface of the dynamic contact lens. Figure 2A shows a plan view of the dynamic contact lens and includes an enlarged cross - sectional view (204) of a fish - eye - type valve (210) that connects the front surface (207) of the lens to the rear groove portion (205). Figure 2B includes a detailed cross - sectional view (208) of the open fish - eye - type valve in the dynamic contact lens (210).

[0266] The various mechanisms disclosed herein may be fluid - coupled by the tear film covering the corneal epithelial layer. For example, the tear reservoir, cavity, or lens hole need not be fluid - coupled to the optical lacrimal body by a groove. Rather, the tear reservoir and the optical lacrimal body may be fluid - coupled by the tear film covering the epithelial layer. Some mechanisms may be fluid - coupled to each other by features incorporated on the rear surface of the peripheral portion, while other mechanisms may be fluid - coupled by the tear film covering the epithelial layer.

[0267] At the interface between the optical portion and the peripheral portion, the peripheral base curvature of the peripheral portion is 7.5 mm to 9.5 mm, for example, 8 mm to 9 mm, and the optical base curvature of the optical portion may be smaller than the peripheral base curvature. At this interface, the optical base curvature may be 0.4 mm or more smaller than the peripheral base curvature. For example, the optical base curvature may be smaller than the peripheral base curvature by 0.4 mm, 0.5 mm, 1.0 mm, 1.5 mm, or 2.0 mm. For example, the optical base curvature may be smaller than the peripheral base curvature by 0.4 mm to 2 mm, 0.5 mm to 1.5 mm, 0.75 mm to 1.0 mm. The optical base curvature may be, for example, less than 7.4 mm, less than 7.3 mm, less than 7.2 mm, less than 7.1 mm, less than 7.0 mm, less than 6.9 mm, less than 6.8 mm, less than 6.7 mm, less than 6.6 mm, less than 6.5 mm, less than 6.0 mm, less than 5.0 mm, or less than 4.0 mm. The optical base curvature may be, for example, 4 mm to 6.8 mm, 5 mm to 6.5 mm, or 5.5 mm to 6.0 mm. The optical base curvature may be, for example, 4 mm to 7.4 mm, 5 mm to 7.1 mm, or 6.9 mm to 7.4 mm.

[0268] The interface between the peripheral portion and the optical portion can define a transition portion. The transition portion can be arranged at a radial distance of 1 mm to 8 mm, 1.5 mm to 7 mm, 1.5 mm to 5 mm, 1.5 mm to 4 mm, or 1.5 mm to 2.5 mm from the center of the dynamic contact lens. The width of the transition portion may be, for example, 0.1 mm to 2 mm, 0.2 mm to 1.5 mm, 0.3 mm to 1 mm, or 0.4 mm to 0.8 mm.

[0269] The transition portion may have a transition base curvature that is different from the transition base curvature of the peripheral portion and different from the transition base of the optical portion. The transition portion may have one or more transition base curvatures.

[0270] The interface may have a substantially constant thickness around the outer periphery.

[0271] The interface may have a thickness that varies around its outer periphery. This thickness may vary in a regular or irregular pattern around the outer periphery of the interface.

[0272] For example, the interface can include a plurality of grooves disposed around the outer periphery of the interface on the rear surface of the contact lens. For example, the plurality of grooves can include 3 to 16 grooves disposed symmetrically or asymmetrically across the interface. At least a portion of the plurality of grooves can be connected to a lens aperture, a tear reservoir, or both.

[0273] At the interface between the peripheral portion and the optical portion, the interface may be chamfered. For example, rather than making the interface abrupt, the interface can be smoothed, rounded, and / or lifted onto the surface of the cornea. That is, the interface between the peripheral portion and the optical portion can be made gradual. The transition of the interface can be configured to improve patient comfort.

[0274] A pre-manufactured SAG incorporated into the optical portion can function as a mechanism for pumping tears into and out of the optical tear body.

[0275] In a dynamic contact lens, the central optical portion is designed to have a pre-manufactured sagittal height that is several microns to several hundred microns smaller than the peripheral rear base curvature (8.2 mm to 9.2 mm). For example, the optical portion may have an optical rear base curvature that is 0.1 mm to 2.5 mm smaller than the rear base curvature of the peripheral portion, which is approximately the curvature of the front surface of the cornea.

[0276] When the dynamic contact lens is placed on the cornea, due to the pre-manufactured sagittal height, when tears are available in the vicinity of the optical portion, the tears tend to flow under the optical portion and create a tear lens body between the rear surface of the optical portion and the front surface of the cornea, such that a structural strength (rigidity ratio) is obtained.

[0277] The ability of the pre-manufactured sagittal height that provides pumping force is partially determined by the structural strength of the optical portion. Parameters affecting the strength include an optical portion diameter of 1 mm to 9 mm, lens rigidity determined by a thickness of 40 μm to 800 μm, a material elastic modulus of 0.1 MPa to 8 MPa, and the radius of curvature of the optical portion.

[0278] The dynamic contact lens with an optical portion has mechanical properties that enable it to exhibit a continuous geometric shape in response to the pressure applied to the optical portion. This pressure can be applied to the front or back surface of the optical portion. In the lowest pressure configuration, the optical portion exhibits an intermediate geometric configuration such that a lens-shaped tear body is formed between the back surface of the optical portion and the front surface of the cornea. When exposed to negative or positive pressure, the back surface of the optical portion substantially conforms to the front surface of the cornea, and as a result, the thickness of the tear film becomes substantially constant between the back surface of the optical portion and the front surface of the cornea. For example, in a substantially conforming configuration, the thickness of the tear film may vary less than 10 μm or less than 3 μm. The dynamic contact lens can further exhibit any suitable configuration between a fully conforming configuration and an intermediate configuration depending on the magnitude of the pressure applied to the optical portion of the dynamic contact lens. At a given pressure, the degree to which the optical portion conforms to the front surface of the cornea and the tear body may depend on various parameters including, for example, the diameter, thickness, rigidity, sagittal depth of the optical portion, the geometric shape of the transition portion between the optical portion and the peripheral portion, and the elastic modulus of the lens material. For example, the dynamic contact lens provided by the disclosure of the present invention can exhibit the overall configuration when exposed to a back surface negative pressure of 5 Pa to 1,500 Pa, such as 10 Pa to 1,000 Pa, 10 Pa to 500 Pa, 10 Pa to 300 Pa, 10 Pa to 200 Pa, 10 Pa to 100 Pa, 10 Pa to 50 Pa, 50 Pa to 150 Pa, 50 Pa to 250 Pa, 50 Pa to 500 Pa, 100 Pa to 250 Pa, 100 Pa to 500 Pa, 100 Pa to 750 Pa, or 100 Pa to 1,000 Pa. When the negative pressure is relaxed, the mechanical properties of the lens are such that the lens returns to an intermediate configuration where the maximum lens body is between the back surface of the optical portion and the front surface of the cornea.

[0279] Two main forces act on the sagittal height of the optical portion and the pumping pressure generated by other parameters.

[0280] First, there is a reactive attractive force. When there is only a very thin tear layer, such as a tear film less than 5 μm thick, between the central optical portion of the dynamic contact lens and the cornea, there is an adhesive force between the contact lens and the cornea. The smaller the diameter and / or the thinner the lens, the higher the attractive force.

[0281] Second, there is a reactive capillary force. When tears are available and can flow into the optical lacrimal body through grooves or other features, the tears will flow into the optical lacrimal body. When grooves are present, tear transport is thought to be affected by capillary forces. Capillary forces may be generated by grooves connected to the outside of the lens through lens holes. The strength of the capillary force can be determined by the number, geometric shape, and dimensions of the grooves. For example, when the dimensions of the lens holes increase as the grooves become shorter, the capillary force tends to decrease.

[0282] Parameters related to the capillary force inside the lens holes are shown in FIGS. 3B - 3C. FIG. 3A shows the meniscus created inside the lens hole. FIGS. 3B and 3C show cross - sectional views of the tears inside the lens hole and parameters related to the meniscus. The pressure across the entire meniscus is related to the radius and surface tension γ by the equation Δp = 2γ / R, and the definitions of the parameters are shown in FIGS. 3B and 3C.

[0283] The capillary force that acts in opposition can be adjusted by fluidly coupling the optical tear body to a tear fluid source such as a tear meniscus. A lens aperture having a conduit that enters or is present near the optical portion not only functions to connect the optical portion to the tear fluid source, but can also be configured to function as a capillary valve. By so configuring, when the lens aperture is fluidly coupled to the tear meniscus, the capillary force is reduced and the tear fluid can flow into the tear body that is partially guided by the pumping force generated by the premanufactured sagittal height. Then, when the lens aperture is exposed to air or buried under the eyelid and cannot be connected to the tear meniscus, the lens aperture functions as a closing valve that prevents the tear fluid from flowing into the optical portion.

[0284] The adhesion force can further be reduced by surface treatment. For example, in order to reduce the adhesion force, the surface of the contact lens can be treated with a hydrophobic coating. The hydrophobic coating or treatment can be applied to a part of the rear surface of the lens. A hydrophilic coating or treatment can further be applied to a part of the rear surface of the lens to increase the adhesion force between the lens and the cornea and reduce the mobility of the contact lens on the eye.

[0285] Figures 4A-4B show a fluid dynamic model of tear transport in a dynamic contact lens having one lens aperture. This lens aperture is either exposed to air or fluidically coupled to a tear meniscus. In Figure 4A, the piston (401) represents the optical portion, showing an attractive force (403) pulling the optical portion (401) towards the cornea (402) and a restoring force (404) tending to pull the optical portion away from the pulled cornea (402). This restoring force (404) is generated by the structure of the optical portion such as the premanufactured sagittal height. The optical tear body (405) is located between the optical portion (404) and the cornea (402) and is fluidically coupled to a groove portion (406) and a lens aperture (407) as shown in Figure 4A. The capillary force (408) generated within the lens aperture (407) can pull tears away from the optical tear body (405) and act like a closed valve. In Figure 4B, the lens aperture (407) is fluidically coupled to a tear source (409) such as a tear meniscus. The fluidic coupling between the lens aperture (407) and the tear source cancels out the capillary force (408) and can act like an open valve. By doing so, all forces can cause the optical portion (401) represented by the piston to overcome the attractive force (403) and be pulled away from the cornea (402), thereby causing an increase in the optical tear body (405).

[0286] Figures 5A-5B show another fluid dynamic model of tear transport in a dynamic contact lens having two lens apertures (507). As shown in Figure 5A, the position of the optical portion (501) represented by the piston is determined by the attractive force (503), the structural force (504), and the capillary force (508) within the two lens apertures (507). When one or both of the lens apertures (507) are fluidically coupled to a tear source (509) as shown in Figure 5B, the position of the optical portion (501) moves away from the cornea (502) and the optical tear body (505) increases. The lens apertures (507) are fluidically coupled to the optical tear body (505) by a groove portion (506).

[0287] The behavior of the valve is mainly defined by the valve opening pressure, which is the maximum pressure that can be held before the valve opens. The valve opening pressure depends on the geometric shapes and materials involved, such as the material of the valve and the fluid. For example, the larger the valve opening, the smaller the valve opening pressure. The length of the valve opening and how the valve shape changes during opening can also affect valve behavior. For example, the valve may exhibit a stepped geometry that produces different valve opening pressures. This geometry can be used to increase the opening pressure through the valve while allowing for a gradual increase in fluid flow. The cross-sectional geometry of the valve can also affect the opening pressure. The interaction between the lens material and the tear fluid can be related to the effects on surface tension, contact angle, and adhesion energy. For example, the higher the surface tension or the smaller the contact angle, the higher the capillary force, and as a result, the higher the capillary pressure on the valve. To calculate the fluid pressure in the capillary, it is a condition to define the height h of the liquid column according to Jurin's law. h = (2γcosθ) / (pgr) Where γ is the liquid-air surface tension (force / unit length), θ is the contact angle, p is the fluid density (mass / volume), g is the local acceleration due to gravity (length / time squared

[28] ), and r is the radius of the tube. Therefore, the narrower the space where the fluid can move, the greater the capillary force. This relationship can be changed by modifying the wettability or hydrophobicity of the surface using a coating.

[0288] The interface between the optical portion and the peripheral portion can be configured to facilitate the transition between metastable configurations and / or the maintenance of metastable configurations of the contact lens. This interface can be called a transition portion.

[0289] At least a part of the transition portion may have a thickness less than the thickness of the peripheral portion and less than the thickness of the optical portion at each interface with the transition portion.

[0290] The transition portion may have a non-uniform outer periphery throughout. For example, a certain region of the transition portion may be thinner than other regions of the transition portion and / or may have a base curvature different from that of the other regions. A certain region of the transition portion may have a thickness and / or a base curvature different from those of the peripheral portion and / or the optical portion. For example, the thickness of a certain region of the transition portion may be 10 μm to 300 μm, 20 μm to 200 μm, or 50 μm to 150 μm thinner than the thickness of the adjacent regions of the peripheral portion and / or the optical portion according to the thickness of the adjacent regions of the peripheral portion and / or the optical portion. For example, the transition portion may have a base curvature that is 100 μm to 5 mm, 200 μm to 4 mm, 300 μm to 3 mm, or 500 μm to 2 mm different from the base curvature of the peripheral portion and / or the optical portion.

[0291] This transition portion may have a base curvature different from that of the peripheral portion and also different from that of the optical portion. At least a part of the transition portion may have a thickness smaller than the thickness of the peripheral portion and the optical portion at each interface with the transition portion.

[0292] The transition portion may have a transition base curvature smaller than the peripheral base curvature but larger than the optical base curvature. The transition portion may have a transition base curvature smaller than the peripheral base curvature and also smaller than the optical base curvature.

[0293] The transition portion may have a base curvature different from both the peripheral base curvature and the optical base curvature.

[0294] The transition portion may have a substantially uniform thickness throughout the outer periphery of the transition portion.

[0295] The transition portion may have a varying thickness throughout the outer periphery of the transition portion.

[0296] The transition portion may have a thickness that varies in a regular pattern throughout the outer periphery of the transition portion.

[0297] The transition portion may have a thickness that varies in an irregular pattern across the entire outer circumference of the transition portion.

[0298] The transition portion may be at least about 10 μm, 20 μm, 30 μm, 40 μm, 50 μm, 60 μm, 70 μm, 80 μm, 90 μm, 100 μm, 150 μm, 200 μm, 250 μm, 300 μm, 350 μm, 400 μm, 450 μm, 500 μm, 550 μm, 600 μm, 650 μm, 700 μm, 750 μm, 800 μm, 850 μm, 900 μm, 950 μm, 1,000 μm, or more in width. The transition portion may be at most about 1,000 μm, 950 μm, 900 μm, 850 μm, 800 μm, 750 μm, 700 μm, 650 μm, 600 μm, 550 μm, 500 μm, 450 μm, 400 μm, 350 μm, 300 μm, 250 μm, 200 μm, 150 μm, 100 μm, 90 μm, 80 μm, 70 μm, 60 μm, 50 μm, 40 μm, 30 μm, 20 μm, 10 μm, or less in width. The transition portion may have a width within a range defined by any two of the foregoing values. The transition portion may be, for example, 10 μm to 2 mm, 50 μm to 1.5 mm, 100 μm to 1 mm, or 250 μm to 750 μm in width.

[0299] The transition portion may have, for example, a plurality of grooves disposed on the rear surface of the contact lens. For example, the transition portion may include 3 to 16 groove portions, such as 6 to 12 groove portions, disposed symmetrically or asymmetrically around the outer circumference of the transition portion.

[0300] At least a portion of the groove portions can be configured to transport tears between the inside and outside of the tear body. At least a portion of the plurality of groove portions can be connected to a lens aperture, a tear reservoir, or both.

[0301] The radius of curvature and the thickness of the transition portion can be configured to facilitate the transition between metastable configurations of the dynamic contact lens and / or to maintain the metastable configuration of the contact lens.

[0302] The transition portion has a radius of curvature that is the same as the peripheral base curvature or the optical base curvature, and has a thickness that is greater than the thickness of the peripheral portion and the optical portion at the interface with the transition portion, or may have a thickness that is smaller than the thickness of the peripheral portion and the optical portion at the interface with the transition portion.

[0303] Figures 6A and 6B respectively show a front view and a cross-sectional view of an example of a dynamic contact lens provided by the disclosure of the present invention having a discontinuous steep transition portion. The dynamic contact lens includes a first peripheral portion (601), a second peripheral portion (602), an optical portion (603), and a steep transition portion (604). As shown in the cross-sectional view of Figure 6B, the steep transition portion is characterized by a slight difference in the base curvature of the second peripheral portion (602), the base curvature of the optical portion (603), and the interface (604) between the two regions. A channel or groove portion (605) is shown to extend from the peripheral portion across the steep transition portion (604) to the optical portion (603), representing the discontinuity around the outer periphery of the steep transition portion (604).

[0304] Further examples of the discontinuity of the transition portion are shown in Figures 7A - 7D.

[0305] Figures 7A - 7D show an example of a dynamic contact lens, which has a first peripheral portion (701), a second peripheral portion (702), an optical portion (703), and a transition portion (704) at the interface between the second peripheral portion (702) and the optical portion (703). As shown in Figure 7D, the transition portion (704) may exhibit a discontinuous cross-sectional shape such that the thickness varies regularly around the outer periphery of the transition portion. The difference in thickness can be associated with a groove on the back surface of the dynamic contact lens that crosses the transition portion. In other embodiments, the discontinuity may be irregular. Figure 7B shows a view of the outer periphery of the optical portion (703) and the transition portion (704). Figure 7C shows a plan view of the steep transition portion (704).

[0306] Figures 8A - 8C show similar views of a dynamic contact lens having a steep transition portion, but a discontinuity is recognized on the back surface of the dynamic contact lens and extends across the steep transition portion. The dynamic contact lenses shown in Figures 8A - 8C include a first peripheral portion (801), a second peripheral portion (802), an optical portion (803), and a steep transition portion (804). The steep transition portion (804) includes an irregular portion (805) such as a back groove that extends across the transition portion (804) such that the thickness of the transition portion varies around the outer circumference.

[0307] The dynamic contact lenses shown in Figures 9A - 9I include a first peripheral portion (901), a second peripheral portion (902), an optical portion (903), and a steep transition portion (904). The steep transition portion (904) includes an irregular portion (905) such as a groove that extends across the transition portion such that the thickness of the transition portion varies around the outer circumference. One end of each groove (905) is connected to a lens hole (906) and extends into the optical region (903).

[0308] As an example, Figure 10 shows the back surface of a dynamic contact lens provided by the disclosure of the present invention. The dynamic contact lens includes an optical portion (1006), a first peripheral portion (1003), a second peripheral portion (1001), and a transition portion (1002). This dynamic contact lens includes a radially extending groove (1004) that extends from the second peripheral portion (1001) to the transition portion (1002), and a lens hole (1005) connected to each of the grooves (1004). As shown in Figure 10, the groove (1004) terminates at the transition portion (1002).

[0309] Figure 11 shows the front surface of a dynamic contact lens provided by the disclosure of the present invention. The dynamic contact lens includes an optical portion (1101), a transition portion (1102), and a peripheral portion (1103). The dynamic contact lens further includes eight lens holes throughout the peripheral portion of the dynamic contact lens. As shown in Figure 11, the groove (1104) terminates at the transition portion (1102).

[0310] Figure 12 shows the back surface of the same contact lens as shown in Figure 11, and the contact lens includes an optical portion (1201), a peripheral portion (1203), a radially rear groove portion (1204), and a lens hole (405) connected to each of the rear groove portions (1204).

[0311] Figure 13A shows a cross-sectional view of an example of a dynamic contact lens provided according to the disclosure of the present invention. The dynamic contact lens includes an optical portion (1301), a peripheral portion (1303), a radially rear groove portion (1304), and a lens hole (1305). A rear view of the same dynamic contact lens is shown in Figure 13B, and the dynamic contact lens includes an optical portion (1301), a peripheral portion (1303), a radially rear groove portion (1304), and a lens hole (1305). As shown in Figures 13A and 13B, the radially rear groove portion may extend to the rear surface of the optical portion (1301) or may terminate at the interface between the peripheral portion and the optical portion as shown in Figure 12.

[0312] Figure 13C shows the dynamic contact lenses of Figures 13A and 13B on a patient's eye. The dynamic contact lens includes an optical portion (1301), a peripheral portion (1303), a transition portion (1302), a radially rear groove portion (1304), and a lens hole (1305) connected to each of the rear groove portions (1304).

[0313] Figure 14 shows a slit lamp biomicroscopic image of a dynamic contact lens showing eight lens holes on a patient's eye. The lens holes (1401) can be visually recognized as eight white dots.

[0314] From a functional perspective, the dynamic contact lens can be configured such that the optical portion is closest to the cornea during forward gaze and the optical portion bulges away from the cornea during downward gaze. During forward gaze, the lens holes are not fluidly coupled to the tear source. During downward gaze, the lens holes become fluidly coupled to the tear meniscus, whereby tears flow into the optical lacrimal body, the yellow river portion bulges away from the outside of the cornea, and the light intensity of the optical rear surface increases.

[0315] In its simplest form, a dynamic contact lens may have an optical portion with a premanufactured central sagittal height and a lens aperture located in the peripheral portion. During primary gaze, the lens aperture does not contact the tear meniscus, and thus fluid cannot be utilized to fill the optical tear body. During downward gaze, one or more lens apertures can contact the tear meniscus, which enables tears to flow into the optical tear body between the rear surface of the optical portion and the front surface of the cornea.

[0316] The mechanism for inducing a change in configuration may include manipulating the tear reservoir and / or the tear chamber.

[0317] The reservoir can be formed on the rear surface of the dynamic contact lens. The reservoir can be disposed in the peripheral portion of the lens and outside the optical region so as not to interfere with vision. The reservoir may be compressible or non-compressible.

[0318] When applied to the eye, the reservoir is filled with tears and can form a tear reservoir. The tear reservoir may be compressible or non-compressible. The dynamic contact lens can comprise a compressible tear reservoir, a non-compressible tear reservoir, or a combination thereof.

[0319] The tear reservoir may be compressible by applying eyelid pressure. For example, eyelid pressure can be applied by changing the eye's gaze angle, normal blinking, intentional blinking, squinting, or any combination thereof.

[0320] The tear reservoir may be compressible by a force of at least about 0.1 gm, 0.2 gm, 0.3 gm, 0.4 gm, 0.5 gm, 0.6 gm, 0.7 gm, 0.8 gm, 0.9 gm, 1 gm, 2 gm, 3 gm, 4 gm, 5 gm, 6 gm, 7 gm, 8 gm, 9 gm, 10 gm, or more. The tear reservoir may be compressible by a force of at most about 10 gm, 9 gm, 8 gm, 7 gm, 6 gm, 5 gm, 4 gm, 3 gm, 2 gm, 1 gm, 0.9 gm, 0.8 gm, 0.7 gm, 0.6 gm, 0.5 gm, 0.4 gm, 0.3 gm, 0.2 gm, 0.1 gm, or less. The tear reservoir may be compressed by a force within a range defined by any two of the foregoing values. The tear reservoir may be compressible by a force within a range such as 0.1 gm to 10 gm, 0.2 gm to 8 gm, 0.5 gm to 6 gm, 1 gm to 5 gm, or 2 gm to 4 gm.

[0321] To be effective in inducing a compositional change in the optical portion, it is only necessary that the tear reservoir be partially compressible. For example, to induce a compositional change, a quantity of tears can be fed into the tear film gap between the back of the optical portion and the cornea. This quantity of tears may be sufficient to widen the gap or otherwise weaken the capillary forces and release the capillary adhesion. Subsequently, when the optical portion transitions to a non-conforming configuration, the tears fill the expanding lens body and at least a portion of the tears can be withdrawn from the tear reservoir. Alternatively or additionally, by applying eyelid pressure to the tear reservoir and / or by providing one or more discrete non-conforming configurations or one or more continuous non-conforming configurations by eye movement, tears can be fed intermittently, continuously, or semi-continuously into the gap between the optical back and the cornea.

[0322] The tear reservoir may further require a mechanism for transitioning from a non-conforming configuration to a conforming configuration. When released from a full compression state or a partial compression state, the tear reservoir can be configured to expand. The expanding lens body of the tear reservoir can draw tears from the tear film and the tear body. By filling the tear reservoir, the rear surface of the optical portion can be pulled against the cornea to establish or restore a quasi-stable state of the conforming configuration.

[0323] One or more tear reservoirs can be configured to compress only when pressure is applied by the eyelids during a change in gaze. During a change in gaze, the pressure applied by the eyelids to the front surface of the cornea and / or the compressible tear reservoir may be provided by the front surface that dynamically contacts the eyelids. By blinking normally, intentionally blinking, and / or narrowing the eyes with a constant force in a closed-eye state, a greater force can be applied to the compressible tear reservoir.

[0324] Thus, at least one first mechanism, at least one second mechanism, or both may include manipulation of fluid within one or more tear reservoirs. The tear reservoir can be fluidly coupled to the tear film or the tear body between the rear surface of the peripheral portion and the cornea.

[0325] The reservoir can be configured such that tears are preferentially pushed under the optical portion during compression and preferentially withdrawn from under the optical portion of the dynamic contact lens during release. This can be achieved, for example, by appropriately selecting the shape of the cavity / tear reservoir. For example, a suitable shape may exhibit a cross-sectional shape that narrows towards the optical portion, such as a wedge-shaped cavity / tear reservoir.

[0326] The dynamic contact lens can include one or more tear reservoirs.

[0327] One tear reservoir can comprise a concentric cavity arranged at a radial distance from the geometric central axis of the dynamic contact lens. One tear reservoir can comprise a cavity arranged only in a part of the peripheral portion. For example, one tear reservoir can comprise an arcuate cavity over half of the peripheral portion of the dynamic contact lens. For example, the arcuate cavity can be arranged at a radial distance from the geometric central axis of the dynamic contact lens and configured to be worn such that the arcuate tear reservoir is in the lower part of the dynamic contact lens when worn by the user. One tear reservoir can be configured such that the reservoir can interact with the eyelid. A plurality of circular reservoirs can be provided such that each reservoir can have, for example, a different inner diameter. The circular reservoir can further have a partition such that when pressure is applied to the reservoir, the tear preferentially moves to the optical portion rather than within the circular reservoir.

[0328] The dynamic contact lens can comprise two or more tear reservoirs such as a plurality of tear reservoirs. The tear reservoir can be shaped and arranged in the peripheral portion such that it can interact with one or both eyelids and is suitable for inducing a transition between a conforming configuration and a non-conforming configuration. The tear reservoir can be arranged symmetrically or asymmetrically around the optical portion. The tear reservoir can be arranged outside the optical region so as not to interfere with vision.

[0329] At least one first mechanism, at least one second mechanism, or both can include tear exchange by compressing the optical portion of the dynamic contact lens and / or compressing the peripheral portion when pressure is applied to the dynamic contact lens by the eyelid during a change in line of sight, or when one of the lens features interacts with the tear meniscus. The tear exchange can include tear exchange from the tear between the back surface of the optical portion and the cornea, the tear between the peripheral back surface and the cornea, the lacrimal body, one or more tear reservoirs, the tear in the peripheral portion of the lens, the tear on the front surface of the lens, the tear from the lower and / or upper tear meniscus, or any combination thereof.

[0330] At least one first feature, at least one second feature, or both can comprise a protrusion on the front surface of a dynamic contact lens configured to interact with an eyelid when one of the lens features interacts with the tear meniscus.

[0331] The optical portion and one or more tear reservoirs may be continuous. In this design, the movement of the eyelid on the peripheral portion of the tear body can move the optical portion toward the cornea such that the optical portion bulges forward. The optical portion can assume a conforming or non-conforming configuration when bulging forward. The optical portion can assume at least two different non-conforming configurations when bulging forward.

[0332] Features similar to those described, when used with a tear reservoir, can be used without the need for a tear reservoir. The dynamic contact lens may not have a reservoir and a tear reservoir, and the same actions due to the eyelid and / or the viewing angle of the eye and / or when one of the lens features interacts with the tear meniscus can cause a transition between configurations, and the tear body can exchange tears, for example, with the tear film.

[0333] The protrusion can be disposed on the front surface of the peripheral portion of the dynamic contact lens outside the optical zone so as not to interfere with vision.

[0334] The protrusion can be configured to provide a frictional force when in dynamic contact with the eyelid. This frictional force can move the dynamic contact lens over the eye. That is, for example, a compressive force sufficient to reduce and release the adhesive capillary force in the conforming state can be applied to the optical portion, thereby inducing a transition from the conforming configuration to the non-conforming configuration. The protrusion can be arranged symmetrically or asymmetrically around the optical portion. The protrusion can comprise one or more concentric ridges located at various radial distances from the center of the dynamic contact lens. The protrusion can be discrete features located symmetrically around the optical portion at an angle, for example, of 120°, 90°, 60°, 45°, or 30°. The protrusion can be arranged outside the optical region of the dynamic contact lens so as not to interfere with vision.

[0335] The protrusion is a thickened region on the front surface of the lens and is designed to generate mechanical force when dynamic contact occurs between the protrusion and the eyelid. The dynamic contact lens can comprise one or more protrusions. The one or more protrusions can be arranged at a distance of at least about 0.1 mm, 0.2 mm, 0.3 mm, 0.4 mm, 0.5 mm, 0.6 mm, 0.7 mm, 0.8 mm, 0.9 mm, 1 mm, 1.5 mm, 2 mm, 2.5 mm, 3 mm, 3.5 mm, 4 mm, 4.5 mm, 5 mm, 5.5 mm, 6 mm, 6.5 mm, 7 mm, 7.5 mm, 8 mm, 8.5 mm, 9 mm, 9.5 mm, 10 mm, or more from the optical portion. The one or more protrusions can be arranged at a distance of at most about 10 mm, 9.5 mm, 9 mm, 8.5 mm, 8 mm, 7.5 mm, 7 mm, 6.5 mm, 6 mm, 5.5 mm, 5 mm, 4.5 mm, 4 mm, 3.5 mm, 3 mm, 2.5 mm, 2 mm, 1.5 mm, 1 mm, 0.9 mm, 0.8 mm, 0.7 mm, 0.6 mm, 0.5 mm, 0.4 mm, 0.3 mm, 0.2 mm, 0.1 mm, or less from the optical portion. The one or more protrusions can be arranged at a distance within the range defined by any two of the aforementioned values. The one or more protrusions can be arranged at a constant distance from the optical portion, such as in the range of 0.5 mm to 5.5 mm, 1 mm to 5 mm, 1.5 mm to 4.5 mm, or 2 mm to 4 mm. The protrusion can have a dimension of at least about 0.1 mm, 0.2 mm, 0.3 mm, 0.4 mm, 0.5 mm, 0.6 mm, 0.7 mm, 0.8 mm, 0.9 mm, 1 mm, 2 mm, 3 mm, 4 mm, 5 mm, or more. The protrusion can have a dimension of at most about 5 mm, 4 mm, 3 mm, 2 mm, 1 mm, 0.9 mm, 0.8 mm, 0.7 mm, 0.6 mm, 0.5 mm, 0.4 mm, 0.3 mm, 0.2 mm, 0.1 mm, or less. The protrusion can have a dimension within the range defined by any two of the aforementioned values. The protrusion can be, for example, in the range of 0.5 mm to 3 mm, 1 mm to 3 mm, or 1 mm to 2 mm. The one or more protrusions can independently have a height of, for example, 10 μm to 500 μm, 50 μm to 450 μm, 100 μm to 400 μm, or 150 μm to 350 μm from the front surface of the dynamic contact lens.One or more protrusions can independently exhibit any suitable cross-sectional shape, such as oval, kidney-shaped, dome-shaped, oblong, etc., and the sides may have different slopes.

[0336] In embodiments where the protrusion is on the storage portion, the protrusion can be designed to be compressible. In this context, compressible means that in a configuration where the storage portion is in a compressed state, the protrusion also moves towards the cornea, and as a result, the height of the protrusion on the front surface of the dynamic contact lens becomes smaller than the height in the compressed state. For example, the protrusion may generally conform to the curvature of the front surface to present a substantially smooth shape.

[0337] In embodiments where the protrusion is on the storage portion, the cross-sectional thickness in the overlap may be smaller than, the same as, or larger than the thickness of the adjacent peripheral portion.

[0338] One or more protrusions can be provided with surface features that increase friction, such as grooves, depressions, or ridges. The grooves, depressions, or ridges can exhibit dimensions smaller than the dimensions of the protrusion. For example, the height or depth of the grooves, depressions, or ridges can be less than 100 μm, less than 75 μm, less than 50 μm, or less than 25 μm. The dimensions of one or more features for increasing the friction between the eyelid and the dynamic contact lens can be selected to promote user comfort.

[0339] The position and height of one or more protrusions can be selected such that the movement of the eyelid relative to the protrusion can induce a change in the configuration of the optical portion of the dynamic contact lens. The mechanism by which the protrusion can induce a configuration change may be due to a change in capillary force and / or a change in the internal force of the dynamic contact lens. The protrusion can be positioned such that the force of the eyelid on one or more protrusions during downward gaze causes a change in the configuration of the optical portion.

[0340] One or more protrusions can be provided on a reservoir such as a tear reservoir. The one or more protrusions may not be provided on a reservoir such as a tear reservoir, or may be partially provided thereon.

[0341] It should also be understood that such a reservoir may be compressible or deformable even when the protrusion is not above it, for example, after applying eyelid pressure. Such compressibility can be achieved by reducing the thickness of the lens on the reservoir, increasing the dimensions of the reservoir, changing the shape of the reservoir, changing the overall shape of the lens, or changing the rigidity of the reservoir region by using a material with a low elastic modulus and / or reducing the thickness of the peripheral portion near the reservoir.

[0342] Similar mechanics and hydrodynamics are applied to cavities that are disposed on the peripheral front surface and can be fluid-coupled to the optical tear body by lens holes and grooves.

[0343] The tear body can be fluid-coupled to at least one lens hole to facilitate the movement of tears in the space between the lens and the eye. The number of lenses may be, for example, 1 to 50, 1 to 20, or 3 to 10, and the inner diameter may be, for example, 50 μm to 600 μm, 100 μm to 300 μm.

[0344] The dynamic contact lens provided by the disclosure of the present invention can include an optical portion, which refers to the region of the dynamic contact lens used for vision and can exhibit at least two metastable configurations.

[0345] When worn on the eye, the optical portion overlaps at least a part of the optical region of the cornea. The dimensions of the optical portion may be smaller than, approximately the same as, or smaller than the dimensions of the optical region.

[0346] The dynamic contact lens provided by the disclosure of the present invention can include a peripheral portion connected to an optical portion, and the peripheral portion is configured to hold the dynamic contact lens on the cornea. The optical portion and the peripheral portion can be connected at a transition portion. The transition portion can be configured to facilitate the transition between a conforming configuration and / or a non-conforming configuration, adjust the transition between a conforming configuration and / or a non-conforming configuration, stabilize a conforming configuration and / or a non-conforming configuration, destabilize a conforming configuration and / or a non-conforming configuration, or be dimensioned to perform any combination thereof.

[0347] For example, the cross-sectional thickness at the transition portion between the peripheral portion and the optical portion can be thinner or thicker than the thickness of the adjacent peripheral portion and / or the optical portion of the dynamic contact lens. For example, in the cross-sectional shape of the dynamic contact lens, the thickness can gradually increase from the edge of the lens in the peripheral portion toward the transition portion with the optical portion. The thickness of the optical portion can be substantially uniform, the same as the thickness of the transition portion, thinner than the thickness of the transition portion, or thicker than the thickness of the transition portion. The thickness of the optical portion can increase from the thickness of the transition portion to the center of the optical portion. The thickness of the optical portion can decrease from the thickness of the transition portion to the center of the optical portion.

[0348] The transition portion can be configured to facilitate the maintenance of a metastable configuration, facilitate the transition between metastable configurations, and / or facilitate the transport of tears between various regions surrounding the dynamic contact lens.

[0349] The dynamic contact lens can include an optical portion including a first material characterized by a first elastic modulus and a peripheral portion including a second material characterized by a second elastic modulus.

[0350] The first material and the second material can include the same material or different materials.

[0351] The first elastic modulus can be greater than the second elastic modulus, the first elastic modulus can be less than the second elastic modulus, or the first elastic modulus can be the same as the second elastic modulus.

[0352] The optical portion and the peripheral portion can include a single material characterized by a single elastic modulus. As will be appreciated, the dynamic contact lens can be characterized by a stiffness that varies with the radial distance from the center, depending on the thickness of the dynamic contact lens at the radial distance from the center.

[0353] The first elastic modulus may include any elastic modulus described herein. The second elastic modulus may include any elastic modulus described herein. The first elastic modulus may be, for example, in the range of 0.05 MPa to 100 MPa, and the second elastic modulus may be in the range of 0.05 MPa to 100 MPa.

[0354] The first elastic modulus may be, for example, in the range of 0.1 MPa to 2 MPa, and the second elastic modulus may be in the range of 0.1 MPa to 2 MPa.

[0355] For example, the first elastic modulus and the second elastic modulus may independently be, for example, in the ranges of 0.05 MPa to 10 MPa, 0.1 MPa to 8 MPa, 0.15 MPa to 6 MPa, 0.2 MPa to 4 MPa, 0.25 MPa to 3 MPa, 0.3 MPa to 2 MPa, 0.3 MPa to 1.5 MPa, 0.3 MPa to 1.0 MPa.

[0356] The peripheral portion of the dynamic contact lens can include a single material characterized by a single elastic modulus. The peripheral portion can include different materials having different elastic moduli. These materials may be different in the sense that they have the same basic chemical structure, such as being silicone hydrogels, but are considered different materials because they have different crosslinking densities.

[0357] The region of the peripheral portion covering dynamic features such as a dynamic groove, a dynamic lens aperture, or a dynamic tear reservoir can include a material having a lower elastic modulus than the adjacent region of the peripheral portion of the contact lens. By using a material with a lower elastic modulus, the rigidity of the region of the peripheral portion can be reduced. A lower elastic modulus material, with or without a thinner cross-sectional thickness, can facilitate the deformation of the feature in response to fluid flow into, out of, or throughout the feature. The use of a material with a lower elastic modulus, and thus a less rigid structure, can facilitate the deformation of the feature in response to interaction with the eyelid. The rigidity of the optical portion may be characterized as being lower than that of the peripheral portion.

[0358] Each of the first material, the second material, or one material can independently include silicone, hydrogel, silicone hydrogel, or any combination thereof. Any suitable material used in the manufacture of soft contact lenses can also be used. The optical portion can be manufactured from a different material than the non-dynamic optical portion, but one base material can be used to manufacture the dynamic contact lens. However, specific regions can be treated or modified to impart the desired mechanical properties. For example, the peripheral portion and the optical portion can include the same base material. However, specific regions can have a higher crosslink density or a lower crosslink density design to facilitate, for example, the ability of the optical portion to exhibit a metastable configuration and / or transition between metastable configurations in response to the forces applied to the dynamic contact lens by the eyelid.

[0359] The dynamic contact lens can have a back surface. At least a portion of the back surface can include a material, surface treatment, or combination thereof selected to regulate capillary forces between at least a portion of the back surface and the tear fluid, between the cornea and the tear fluid, between the back surface and the cornea, or any combination thereof.

[0360] The material and / or surface treatment can be selected to provide surface hydrophobicity, hydrophilicity, polarity, charge, or other attributes that can affect capillary forces. The latter properties can be uniform or non-uniform. The latter surface properties can be continuous or discontinuous.

[0361] Examples of suitable surface treatments include coating, plasma treatment, impregnation.

[0362] The material itself can be selected to establish the desired surface properties.

[0363] The posterior surface properties of a lens including a peripheral portion and an optical portion can be the same or different in one or more regions of the posterior surface. For example, one surface property may be desirable for adjusting capillary adhesion of the posterior surface of the optical portion to the cornea, and another surface property may be desirable for facilitating the exchange of tears in a region, for example, between the tear reservoir and the optical portion.

[0364] In a cross-sectional shape, the optical portion can have a posterior surface with a gap shape between the posterior surface and the cornea. The shape of the gap can be characterized by a gap difference, where the gap difference is the difference between a central gap height and a peripheral gap height. The shape of the gap includes a plurality of gap differences that decrease as the radial distance travels from the center of the optical portion towards the peripheral transition portion with the peripheral portion. The maximum gap difference can be defined as the difference between the central gap height and the gap height at the periphery of the optical portion.

[0365] A conforming configuration can be characterized by a first maximum gap difference, and a non-conforming configuration can be characterized by a second maximum gap difference, where the second maximum gap difference is greater than the first maximum gap difference.

[0366] The dynamic contact lens provided by the disclosure of the present invention may include a shape during manufacturing. The shape during manufacturing includes an optical portion that bulges away from the peripheral base curvature of the peripheral portion from the posterior surface towards the anterior surface.

[0367] The dynamic contact lens may not have an optically bulging front portion during manufacturing. The optical portion can have, for example, a front surface that is substantially continuous with the front surface of the peripheral portion. The tear body in this configuration can be provided by making the thickness of at least a part of the optical portion smaller than the thickness of the transition portion with the peripheral portion. Such a configuration may be useful for bringing negative light intensity to the lens. By increasing the gap of the optical portion and applying a mechanical force to the front curvature, a tear body can be obtained that changes the light intensity of an optical system capable of improving near vision such as reading at close range.

[0368] In one of at least one non-conforming configuration, the dynamic contact lens can include the shape during manufacturing.

[0369] The dynamic contact lens can include a peripheral portion with a peripheral rear surface, the peripheral rear surface including a peripheral base curvature, the optical portion including an optical rear surface, and the optical rear surface including an optical base curvature.

[0370] In a conforming configuration, the optical rear surface base curvature may be approximately the same as the peripheral base curvature.

[0371] In a non-conforming configuration, the optical rear surface base curvature may deviate from the peripheral base curvature. For example, the curvature of the optical portion can be made larger than the peripheral base curvature.

[0372] The cornea can be characterized by the curvature of the cornea. The optical portion of the dynamic contact lens can include an optical rear surface, which can be characterized by the optical rear surface base rate. In a conforming configuration, the optical rear surface base curvature may be approximately the same as the corneal curvature. In a non-conforming configuration, the optical rear surface base curvature may deviate from the corneal curvature.

[0373] The dynamic contact lens can include a peripheral portion with a peripheral rear surface, the peripheral rear surface including a peripheral base curvature, and the optical portion can be characterized by the central sagittal height with respect to the peripheral base curvature.

[0374] The optical portion is characterized by a first central sagittal height with respect to the peripheral base curvature and can exhibit a second configuration characterized by a second central sagittal height with respect to the peripheral base curvature, and the first central sagittal height and the second central sagittal height are different. The first central sagittal height can be greater than or less than the second central sagittal height.

[0375] The optical portion exhibits a first configuration characterized by a first central clearance height with respect to the peripheral base curvature and can exhibit a second configuration characterized by a second central clearance height with respect to the peripheral base curvature, and the first central clearance height and the second central clearance height are different. The first central clearance height can be greater than or less than the second central clearance height.

[0376] The dynamic contact lens provided by the disclosure of the present invention includes a peripheral portion having a peripheral rear surface and a peripheral front surface, the peripheral rear surface being a peripheral portion including a peripheral rear surface base curvature, and an optical portion having an optical rear surface and an optical front surface, at least the optical rear surface being an optical portion that bulges away from the peripheral base curvature toward the optical front surface.

[0377] The dynamic contact lens includes an optical portion having an optical rear surface, the optical rear surface being an optical portion that can be characterized by an optical rear surface base curvature, and a peripheral portion connected to the dynamic optical portion, the peripheral portion including a peripheral rear surface, the peripheral rear surface being a peripheral portion that can be characterized by a peripheral rear surface base curvature.

[0378] In the first configuration, the optical rear surface base curvature may be approximately the same as the peripheral base curvature, and in the second configuration, the optical rear surface base curvature may deviate from the peripheral base curvature. In the second configuration, the optical rear surface base curvature can be less than the peripheral base curvature.

[0379] The dynamic contact lens can include an optical portion having an optical rear surface, and the optical rear surface includes an optical rear surface base curvature.

[0380] In the first configuration, the optical back surface base curvature may be approximately the same as the corneal curvature, and in the second configuration, the optical back surface base curvature may deviate from the corneal curvature. In the second configuration, the optical back surface base curvature can be made smaller than the corneal curvature.

[0381] The dynamic contact lens can include a peripheral portion having a peripheral back surface, where the peripheral back surface can be characterized by a peripheral base curvature, and an optical portion connected to the peripheral portion, where the optical portion, when applied to the cornea, can include a central thickness, a central sagittal height, and a clearance height with respect to the peripheral base curvature or a para-peripheral base curvature adjacent to the optical portion.

[0382] The optical portion can be configured to exhibit a first configuration characterized by a first central clearance height with respect to the peripheral base curvature, and can also be configured to exhibit a second configuration characterized by a second clearance height with respect to the peripheral base curvature.

[0383] The first central clearance height and the second central clearance height may be different.

[0384] The first configuration and the second configuration may be metastable.

[0385] The dynamic contact lens can include an optical portion having a back surface, and the back surface includes an optical back surface base curvature.

[0386] In the first configuration, the back surface of the optical portion can be characterized by a first base curvature, and in the second configuration, the back surface of the optical portion can be characterized by a second base curvature.

[0387] The first configuration can be configured to provide a first light intensity to an eye having a cornea, and the second configuration can be configured to provide a second light intensity to the eye.

[0388] The first base curvature may be approximately the same as the corneal curvature.

[0389] The dynamic contact lens can further include at least one first feature, such as a protrusion, configured to induce a change between a first configuration and a second configuration, and at least one second mechanism configured to induce a change between the second configuration and the first configuration.

[0390] In the dynamic contact lens provided by the disclosure of the present invention, the optical portion can be dome-shaped and have a circular cross-section.

[0391] The dynamic contact lens provided by the disclosure of the present invention can include an optical portion having a sagittal height and a central thickness during manufacturing, and the central thickness is smaller than the sagittal height, and a peripheral portion connected to the optical portion and configured to hold the dynamic contact lens on the cornea. Referring to FIG. 1, the sagittal height is the distance between the extension of the curvature of the peripheral portion across the optical portion and the rear surface of the optical portion on the central axis of the optical portion.

[0392] The optical portion can be characterized by a sagittal height, a central thickness, a radial thickness, a rear surface shape, a front surface shape, a diameter, a spherical shape, a radius of curvature of the rear surface, and a radius of curvature of the front surface.

[0393] The sagittal height during the manufacture of the optical part may be at least about 5μm, 10μm, 15μm, 20μm, 25μm, 30μm, 35μm, 40μm, 45μm, 50μm, 55μm, 60μm, 65μm, 70μm, 75μm, 80μm, 85μm, 90μm, 95μm, 100μm, 105μm, 110μm, 115μm, 120μm, 125μm, 130μm, 135μm, 140μm, 145μm, 150μm, 155μm, 160μm, 165μm, 170μm, 175μm, 180μm, 185μm, 190μm, 195μm, 200μm, 205μm, 210μm, 215μm, 220μm, 225μm, 230μm, 235μm, 240μm, 245μm, 250μm, or more. The sagittal height during the manufacture of the optical part may be at most about 250μm, 245μm, 240μm, 235μm, 230μm, 225μm, 220μm, 215μm, 210μm, 205μm, 200μm, 195μm, 190μm, 185μm, 180μm, 175μm, 170μm, 165μm, 160μm, 155μm, 150μm, 145μm, 140μm, 135μm, 130μm, 125μm, 120μm, 115μm, 110μm, 105μm, 100μm, 95μm, 90μm, 85μm, 80μm, 75μm, 70μm, 65μm, 60μm, 55μm, 50μm, 45μm, 40μm, 35μm, 30μm, 25μm, 20μm, 15μm, 10μm, 5μm, or less. The sagittal height during the manufacture of the optical part may be within the range defined by any two of the above-mentioned values. The sagittal height (110) in FIG. 1 during the manufacture of the optical part may be, for example, in the range of 5μm to 300μm, 10μm to 250μm, 15μm to 200μm, 20μm to 150μm, 30μm to 125μm, or 40μm to 100μm.

[0394] In a non-conforming configuration, the gap height may be at least about 5 μm, 10 μm, 15 μm, 20 μm, 25 μm, 30 μm, 35 μm, 40 μm, 45 μm, 50 μm, 55 μm, 60 μm, 65 μm, 70 μm, 75 μm, 80 μm, 85 μm, 90 μm, 95 μm, 100 μm, 105 μm, 110 μm, 115 μm, 120 μm, 125 μm, 130 μm, 135 μm, 140 μm, 145 μm, 150 μm, 155 μm, 160 μm, 165 μm, 170 μm, 175 μm, 180 μm, 185 μm, 190 μm, 195 μm, 200 μm, 205 μm, 210 μm, 215 μm, 220 μm, 225 μm, 230 μm, 235 μm, 240 μm, 245 μm, 250 μm, or more. In a non-conforming configuration, the gap height of the optical portion may be at most about 250 μm, 245 μm, 240 μm, 235 μm, 230 μm, 225 μm, 220 μm, 215 μm, 210 μm, 205 μm, 200 μm, 195 μm, 190 μm, 185 μm, 180 μm, 175 μm, 170 μm, 165 μm, 160 μm, 155 μm, 150 μm, 145 μm, 140 μm, 135 μm, 130 μm, 125 μm, 120 μm, 115 μm, 110 μm, 105 μm, 100 μm, 95 μm, 90 μm, 85 μm, 80 μm, 75 μm, 70 μm, 65 μm, 60 μm, 55 μm, 50 μm, 45 μm, 40 μm, 35 μm, 30 μm, 25 μm, 20 μm, 15 μm, 10 μm, 5 μm, or less. In a non-conforming configuration, the gap height may be within a range defined by any two of the foregoing values. In a non-conforming configuration, the gap height (110 in FIG. 1) may be, for example, in the range of 5 μm to 300 μm, 10 μm to 250 μm, 15 μm to 200 μm, 20 μm to 150 μm, 30 μm to 125 μm, or 40 μm to 100 μm.

[0395] The central thickness of the dynamic contact lens may be at least about 10 μm, 20 μm, 30 μm, 40 μm, 50 μm, 60 μm, 70 μm, 80 μm, 90 μm, 100 μm, 200 μm, 300 μm, 400 μm, 500 μm, 600 μm, 700 μm, 800 μm, 900 μm, 1,000 μm, or more. The central thickness of the dynamic contact lens may be at most about 1,000 μm, 900 μm, 800 μm, 700 μm, 600 μm, 500 μm, 400 μm, 300 μm, 200 μm, 100 μm, 90 μm, 80 μm, 70 μm, 60 μm, 50 μm, 40 μm, 30 μm, 20 μm, 10 μm, or less. The central thickness of the dynamic contact lens may be within the range defined by any two of the aforementioned values. The central thickness of the dynamic contact lens ((112) in FIG. 1) may be, for example, in the range of 10 μm to 600 μm, 20 μm to 600 μm, 30 μm to 600 μm, 40 μm to 500 μm, 50 μm to 400 μm, 100 μm to 300 μm, 150 μm to 200 μm, 50 μm to 100 μm, 100 μm to 150 μm, 150 μm to 200 μm, 200 μm to 250 μm, or 250 μm to 300 μm.

[0396] The optical portion may be characterized by a diameter of at least about 0.5 mm, 1 mm, 1.5 mm, 2 mm, 2.5 mm, 3 mm, 3.5 mm, 4 mm, 4.5 mm, 5 mm, 5.5 mm, 6 mm, 6.5 mm, 7 mm, 7.5 mm, 8 mm, 8.5 mm, 9 mm, 9.5 mm, 10 mm, or more. The optical portion may be characterized by a diameter of at most about 10 mm, 9.5 mm, 9 mm, 8.5 mm, 8 mm, 7.5 mm, 7 mm, 6.5 mm, 6 mm, 5.5 mm, 5 mm, 4.5 mm, 4 mm, 3.5 mm, 3 mm, 2.5 mm, 2 mm, 1.5 mm, 1 mm, 0.5 mm, or less. The optical portion may be characterized by a diameter within the range defined by any two of the aforementioned values. The optical portion ((115) in FIG. 1) can be characterized by a diameter, for example, in the range of 1 mm to 7 mm, 1.5 mm to 6 mm, 1.5 mm to 5 mm, 2 mm to 5 mm, 2 mm to 4 mm, or 2.5 mm to 3.5 mm.

[0397] The transition portion may have a thickness of at least about 10 μm, 20 μm, 30 μm, 40 μm, 50 μm, 60 μm, 70 μm, 80 μm, 90 μm, 100 μm, 200 μm, 300 μm, 400 μm, 500 μm, 600 μm, 700 μm, 800 μm, 900 μm, 1,000 μm, or more. The transition portion may have a thickness of at most about 1,000 μm, 900 μm, 800 μm, 700 μm, 600 μm, 500 μm, 400 μm, 300 μm, 200 μm, 100 μm, 90 μm, 80 μm, 70 μm, 60 μm, 50 μm, 40 μm, 30 μm, 20 μm, 10 μm, or less. The transition portion may have a thickness within a range defined by any two of the above-mentioned values. The transition portion ((108) in FIG. 1) may have a thickness within a range of, for example, 10 μm to 600 μm, 20 μm to 600 μm, 30 μm to 600 μm, 40 μm to 500 μm, 50 μm to 400 μm, 100 μm to 300 μm, 150 μm to 200 μm, 50 μm to 100 μm, 100 μm to 150 μm, 150 μm to 200 μm, 200 μm to 250 μm, or 250 μm to 300 μm.

[0398] The optical portion can exhibit a spherical shape, and the radius of curvature of the rear surface and / or the front surface may be within a range of, for example, 5 mm to 10 mm, 4 mm to 9 mm, 3 mm to 8 mm, 5 mm to 6 mm, 6 mm to 7 mm, 7 mm to 8 mm, 8 mm to 9 mm, 9 mm to 10 mm, or 10 mm to 11 mm.

[0399] The optical portion of the dynamic contact lens can include a rear surface and a front surface.

[0400] When manufactured, the shape of the optical portion having a rear surface and a front surface can exhibit an outwardly bulging shape or a dome shape in which the optical portion extends from the rear to the front and departs from the shape of the peripheral base curvature.

[0401] In the dynamic contact lens provided by the disclosure of the present invention, the optical portion can be configured such that each of two or more configurations does not conform to the surface of the cornea. Therefore, the dynamic contact lens has an optical portion, and the optical portion includes at least one first non-conforming configuration configured to provide a first light intensity to an eye having a cornea, and at least one second non-conforming configuration configured to provide a second light intensity to the eye, wherein the second light intensity is different from the first light intensity; an optical portion; at least one first physical characteristic configured to cause a change between the first non-conforming configuration and at least one second non-conforming configuration; and at least one second physical characteristic configured to cause a change between at least one second non-conforming configuration and at least one first conforming configuration.

[0402] The volume of the optical tear body may be in the range of, for example, 0.001 μl to 0.01 μl, 0.001 μl to 0.1 μl, 0.01 μl to 10 μl, 0.02 μl to 8 μl, 0.05 μl to 7 μl, 0.1 μl to 6 μl, 0.1 μl to 5 μl, 0.5 μl to 4 μl, or 1 μl to 3 μl.

[0403] The peripheral portion may have a diameter in the range of, for example, 8 mm to 17 mm, 8.5 mm to 16.5 mm, 9 mm to 16 mm, or 9.5 mm to 15.5 mm.

[0404] The peripheral portion can be characterized by a base curvature, that is, a front curvature in the range of, for example, 7 mm to 10 mm, 7.2 mm to 9.8 mm, 7.4 mm to 9.6 mm, 7.6 mm to 9.4 mm, 7.8 mm to 9.2 mm, or 8 mm to 9 mm.

[0405] In certain dynamic contact lenses provided by the disclosure of the present invention, the optical portion can be configured to facilitate dynamic changes between configurations when applied to the eye. For example, the optical portion can be configured to change its configuration while dynamic contact with the eyelid is induced, or when one of the lens features interacts with the tear meniscus, for example, due to a change in the viewing angle, a normal blink, an intentional blink, keeping the eyelid closed, or squeezing the eyelid against the eye.

[0406] The back and front surfaces of the optical portion can independently exhibit a spherical or aspherical shape. For example, the thickness of the optical portion can be substantially constant throughout the shape, can be thinner towards the center than the transition portion, or can be thicker towards the center than the transition portion.

[0407] The dynamic contact lens includes an optical portion having a back surface characterized by a first radius of curvature and a peripheral portion characterized by at least one second radius of curvature, and the first radius of curvature is smaller than the second radius of curvature. In other words, the optical portion extends forward from the peripheral base curvature.

[0408] The optical portion of the dynamic contact lens has a thickness. This thickness of the optical portion can include a central thickness that refers to the thickness of the optical portion at the physical center of the optical portion, and a plurality of radial thicknesses that extend from the center of the optical portion section to the transition portion between the optical portion and the peripheral portion.

[0409] The thickness of the optical portion may be substantially uniform throughout the shape. In some lenses, the thickness may vary or be non-uniform throughout the shape. For example, the central thickness can be greater than each of the plurality of radial thicknesses. The thickness of the optical portion can be radially symmetric about the central axis of the optical portion.

[0410] The thickness of the optical portion need not be uniform across the entire shape. The thickness can increase or decrease towards the center when compared to the periphery. The thickness of the optical portion may further vary across the entire shape.

[0411] The optical portions can be aligned with the optical axis of the dynamic contact lens. The optical axis of the dynamic contact lens refers to the central axis of the lens. In some embodiments, the optical portion is not aligned with the central axis of the contact lens.

[0412] The optical region can be characterized by a diameter in the range of, for example, 1 mm to 8 mm, 2 mm to 7 mm, or 3 mm to 6 mm.

[0413] The optical portion and the peripheral portion of the dynamic contact lens provided by the disclosure of the present invention can include silicone, hydrogel, or silicone hydrogel. Any suitable soft contact lens material can be used.

[0414] The optical portion and the peripheral portion of the dynamic contact lens can include the same material. The optical portion and the peripheral portion can include various materials characterized by, for example, different physical and / or mechanical properties. The optical portion and the peripheral portion can be characterized by materials having different elastic moduli, and these portions can exhibit different rigidities.

[0415] The optical portion and the peripheral portion can be further characterized by rigidity. This cross-sectional rigidity is proportional to the material elastic modulus of the cube of the cross-sectional thickness. As can be appreciated, when the peripheral portion includes one material, as the thickness increases towards the transition portion with the optical portion from the edge of the peripheral portion, the cross-sectional rigidity increases.

[0416] The dynamic contact lens provided by the disclosure of the present invention can include a deformable optical portion and a peripheral portion connected to the deformable optical portion. The optical portion can be configured to deform to conform to the depth of the field of view. The peripheral portion can be configured to hold the dynamic contact lens on the cornea.

[0417] When applied to the eye, the lens body between the rear surface of the optical portion and the front surface of the cornea can be filled with tears to form a tear body. In the dynamic contact lens, the optical portion is configured to change its shape according to the distance of the field of view. A tear body is obtained by the configuration change of the optical portion. The configuration of the optical portion can change continuously or exhibit discrete configurations. It should be understood that the dynamic contact lens having the optical portion can be manufactured in a dome shape extending outward (from the rear to the front) from the curvature of the peripheral portion. Also, it should be understood that when a lens manufactured in an outwardly extending dome shape is worn by the user, this dome can extend outward more than in the manufactured state. That is, the dynamic contact lens can extend outward when applied to the cornea.

[0418] The first and second configurations correspond to various light intensities imparted by the optical front surface. The first configuration may be suitable for distant vision, and the second configuration may be suitable for near vision. The first configuration may be suitable for near vision, and the second configuration may be suitable for distant vision.

[0419] The purpose of the optical portion is to facilitate the change in the light intensity of the optical portion according to the viewing distance of the eye. For example, in the first configuration suitable for distant vision, the optical portion is disposed close to the front surface of the cornea, and in near vision, the optical portion extends away from the cornea to form a tear body.

[0420] In a dynamic contact lens, the light intensity of the optical portion does not change when the configuration of the optical portion changes. For example, the thickness of the optical portion and the relative cross-sectional shape of the rear and front surfaces of the dynamic optical portion do not change when the optical portion assumes a different configuration. Therefore, the light intensity of the lens itself does not change (i.e., the relationship between the front curvature and the rear curvature, and the refractive index remain constant). The shape of the peripheral portion clearly does not change even when the configuration of the optical portion changes. The peripheral portion can be configured to hold the dynamic contact lens on the cornea, maintain the dynamic contact lens at the center of the optical region of the cornea, and minimize the translational movement of the dynamic contact lens on the cornea. For example, the translational movement of the dynamic contact lens on the cornea may be less than ±1.5 mm, less than ±1.0 mm, or less than ±0.5 mm.

[0421] In different configurations, the central thickness of the optical portion and the radial thickness of the optical portion may clearly not change. For example, the optical portion may include a plurality of radial thicknesses, and the plurality of radial thicknesses in the first configuration are substantially the same as the corresponding radial thicknesses in the second configuration.

[0422] The uniform shape of the optical portion with a changing configuration can also be considered from the perspective of curvature. In a certain dynamic contact lens, the optical portion does not have light intensity, and the rear and front surfaces of the optical portion exhibit a spherical shape characterized by the same radius of curvature. The radius of curvature can be determined by the diameter of the optical portion, the thickness of the peripheral portion at the transition with the optical portion, and the gap height.

[0423] In a certain dynamic contact lens, the optical portion can include a rear surface with a first radius of curvature, the optical portion can include a front surface with a second radius of curvature, and the ratio of the first radius of curvature to the second radius of curvature in the first configuration is the same as the ratio in at least one second configuration.

[0424] In a certain dynamic contact lens, the optical portion can be characterized by a plurality of radial thicknesses, and each of the plurality of radial thicknesses is substantially the same over the entire range of the accessible gap height of the optical portion.

[0425] The configuration of the optical portion can be configured to change in response to the application of a force applied to the dynamic contact lens by the eyelid. This force can be applied to the peripheral portion, the region of the peripheral portion, and / or the optical portion.

[0426] The tear meniscus can also function as a major tear source and act as a driving force for the activation of the lacrimal body. For example, during near vision and / or downward gaze, the lens aperture becomes fluidly coupled to the tear meniscus, and the tear source may be available to fill the optical lacrimal body and cause the optical region to transition to a myopic configuration after the lacrimal body is formed.

[0427] Therefore, the dynamic contact lens can be configured such that no fluid coupling occurs between the tear meniscus and the optical portion during primary gaze, while during downward gaze, the lens aperture and / or other fluid transport elements can be configured to move downward and become fluidly coupled to the tear meniscus. Using the lens aperture, and other elements such as rear grooves, front grooves, and / or indentations, as well as passive forces such as capillary forces and capillary valve forces, and active forces such as pumping forces generated by the optical portion, tears can flow from the tear meniscus to the optical lacrimal body to create the lacrimal body.

[0428] The eyelid force can be applied by changing the gaze angle such as forward gaze in hyperopia or by downward gaze in myopia. The eyelid force can be applied by a normal blink or an intentional blink. An intentional blink may include keeping the eyelids closed for a period of time, squeezing the closed eyelids for a period of time, and / or repeating any of the above multiple times.

[0429] The eyelid force can be used to shift the optical portion from one configuration to another and / or to accelerate the shift from one configuration to another.

[0430] The light intensity on the optical front surface may change in response to a change in the configuration of the optical portion caused by the force exerted by the eyelid.

[0431] During manufacturing, the optical portion of the dynamic contact lens extends forward to form a dome with respect to the expanded shape of the peripheral portion of the dynamic contact lens.

[0432] In a configuration where the optical portion is close to the front surface of the cornea, the optical portion can be held in this metastable configuration by a combination of adhesive force and capillary force. As the layer of the tear film becomes thinner, the adhesive force between the rear surface of the optical portion and the front surface of the cornea becomes greater than the cohesive force of the tear fluid, whereby the optical portion comes to exhibit a metastable configuration in which the optical part substantially conforms to the surface of the cornea.

[0433] The transition of the optical portion between two or more configurations induced by the eyelid force can be facilitated using various methods and features.

[0434] In one method, the capillary force holding the optical portion against the cornea can be broken by increasing the separation between the two surfaces. This can be achieved, for example, by pushing tear fluid between the surfaces to reduce the adhesive force and releasing the rear surface of the optical portion. Depending on the structure, upon release, the optical portion can assume a fully expanded dome-shaped configuration and the tear fluid can be drawn out from the transition portion between the rear surface of the peripheral portion and the cornea to fill the lacrimal body by itself. Alternatively, or in combination, blinking can be repeated to facilitate the movement of the tear fluid into and / or out of the lacrimal body. Blinking may include intentional blinking, whereby the user can achieve the desired vision correction without fully expanding the optical portion.

[0435] In one method, in order to vary the configuration of the optical portion and thus the light intensity at the optical front surface, frictional forces can be imparted to the peripheral portion by the eyelids. In such a method, the eyelids grasp the peripheral portion and physically squeeze it towards the center of the dynamic contact lens, applying a force sufficient to overcome the capillary forces that hold the optical portion against the cornea, thereby releasing the rear surface of the optical portion to allow the tear fluid to pass. Examples of physical lens features that can be used to facilitate the eyelids' ability to apply mechanical forces include protrusions such as ridges on the front surface of the peripheral portion of the dynamic contact lens, hypertrophy of the peripheral portion, features that increase the friction between the edge of the peripheral portion and the conjunctiva, and the use of multiple curvatures in the peripheral portion.

[0436] The optical portion in the expanded configuration can be brought against the corneal surface by an intentional blink.

[0437] In addition to or instead of the above method, changes in the configuration of the optical portion can be facilitated by manipulating the flow of tears into and out of the tear reservoir.

[0438] The dynamic contact lens provided by the disclosure of the present invention can comprise a plurality of cavities disposed on the rear surface of the peripheral portion. The cavities may desirably be outside the optical region of the lens so as not to interfere with vision. The dynamic contact lens can be manufactured such that the rear surface of the peripheral portion includes one or more cavities.

[0439] One or more cavities can be configured to provide one or more tear reservoirs when the dynamic contact lens is applied to the cornea.

[0440] One or more cavities can be configured to provide one or more compressible tear reservoirs when the dynamic contact lens is applied to the cornea. The thickness of the peripheral portion between the cavity and the front surface of the peripheral portion can be made thin enough that the force applied by the eyelids can compress the cavity. The eyelid force can be applied by a blink, an intentional blink, or the movement of the eyelid moving over the cavity.

[0441] The cavity can be arranged and configured in any suitable way that facilitates the transition of the optical portion between two or more components.

[0442] For example, one or more cavities can be arranged symmetrically around the optical portion. One or more cavities can be arranged asymmetrically around the optical portion.

[0443] One or more cavities can comprise one or more concentric rings, one or more grooves, one or more wedge-shaped cavities, and / or one or more circular cavities.

[0444] The cavity can be continuous around the optical portion or can comprise a plurality of discrete cavities. The cavity can be elongated, such as oval or wedge-shaped with the major axis facing the center of the lens. The discrete cavities can be fluidly coupled to the grooves to facilitate the filling and flow of tears between the cavities and / or between the cavities and the optical portion.

[0445] For example, the discrete cavities can be in the range of 0.1 mm to 5 mm in width, 0.1 mm to 5 mm in length, and 10 μm to 200 μm in depth.

[0446] The cavity can be continuous, semi-continuous, or separated. A continuous cavity refers to one cavity arranged around the optical portion. An example of a continuous cavity is a concentric ring or a plurality of concentric rings. The concentric ring can exhibit any suitable cross-sectional shape. For example, the cross-sectional shape can be circular, elliptical, square, rectangular, triangular, and / or trapezoidal. The plurality of concentric rings can be fluidly coupled to one or more fluid grooves.

[0447] An example of a separated fluid cavity is a plurality of cavities arranged around the optical portion of a dynamic contact lens. The plurality of cavities can be arranged symmetrically around the optical portion, such as being separated by 45°, or can be spaced around the optical portion. For example, a collection of cavities can be arranged around the optical portion at intervals of, for example, 120°, 90°, 60°, 45°, or 30°, or at other suitable intervals. The separated cavities can exhibit any suitable dimensions and cross-sectional shapes. For example, the separated cavities can exhibit a hemispherical or triangular cross-sectional shape. The cavities can be elliptical, oval, cylindrical, circular, or any other suitable cross-sectional shape. The cavities can be symmetric or characterized by a length different from the width.

[0448] One or more cavities can be arranged at a fixed distance from the optical portion, such as in the range of 0.5 mm to 5.5 mm, 1 mm to 5 mm, 1.5 mm to 4.5 mm, or 2 mm to 4 mm. The cavities can be, for example, in dimensions within the range of 0.5 mm to 3 mm, 1 mm to 3 mm, or 1 mm to 2 mm. One or more cavities can independently have a height, for example, from 10 μm to 500 μm, 50 μm to 450 μm, 100 μm to 400 μm, or 150 μm to 350 μm from the front surface of the dynamic contact lens. One or more cavities can independently exhibit any suitable cross-sectional shape, such as elliptical, kidney-shaped, dome-shaped, oval, etc., and the sides can have different slopes.

[0449] A semi-continuous cavity refers to a separated cavity that is fluidly coupled to a groove formed on the rear surface of a dynamic contact lens. This groove allows tears to flow between adjacent tear reservoirs.

[0450] When placed on the cornea, the cavities can be filled with tears and form tear reservoirs.

[0451] When compressed by the movement of the eyelid or dynamic contact with the eyelid accompanied by a change in the viewing angle, the tear fluid is pushed towards the optical portion of the dynamic contact lens, breaking the capillary force that holds the optical portion against the cornea and / or increasing the SAG height. The tear reservoir provides a source of tear fluid to fill the tear body, thereby facilitating a faster response in changing from one configuration to another.

[0452] When the eyelid pressure is removed, the reservoir expands and acts to draw tear fluid from the tear body to fill the reservoir, effectively pulling the optical portion towards the cornea. The cavity, and the resulting tear reservoir, can serve to push and pull the tear fluid between the tear bodies. The cavity may serve to modify the internal mechanical properties of the dynamic contact lens to facilitate the transition of the optical portion between metastable configurations.

[0453] By symmetrically arranging the cavity and the tear reservoir around the optical portion, the function of the dynamic contact lens can be made independent of the orientation of the eye. By making the dynamic contact lens rotationally symmetric, the user can more easily insert the dynamic contact lens.

[0454] Thus, the pushing / pulling action on the compressible cavity that facilitates the transition of the optical portion from one configuration to another can serve as the only mechanism for changing the configuration or can be enhanced by an intentional blink. For example, an intentional blink may serve to stabilize the configuration in which the optical portion is close to the corneal surface, for example, by discharging tear fluid or thinning the tear layer between the optical portion and the cornea.

[0455] The dynamic contact lens provided by the disclosure of the present invention has an optical portion, but may not be provided with a mechanism for transitioning between configurations. The dynamic contact lens can assume a shape at the time of manufacture in which the optical portion bulges forward from the rear base curvature of the peripheral portion. When applied to the cornea, the optical portion forms a lacrimal body. However, unlike the lacrimal body in this embodiment, the dynamic contact lens may produce a lacrimal body that does not change its configuration with changes in eyelid pressure on the lens. In certain embodiments of the contact lens, the optical portion can be configured to resist deformation. Referring to a contact lens having an optical portion configured to exhibit a conforming configuration and one or more conforming configurations, or a plurality of non-conforming configurations, a contact lens having a static lacrimal body will exhibit one non-conforming configuration when placed on the cornea. The contact lens, optical portion, and peripheral portion of a lens configured to have a static lacrimal body can be dimensioned like a contact lens having an optical portion configured to exhibit a plurality of configurations. A contact lens having a static lacrimal body may be suitable for vision correction of an irregular cornea, treatment of astigmatism, and corneal wound healing.

[0456] The dynamic contact lens provided by the disclosure of the present invention can be provided with one or more lens apertures.

[0457] One or more lens apertures can be disposed outside the optical region and in the peripheral portion of the lens so as not to interfere with vision.

[0458] One or more lens apertures can extend across the thickness of the peripheral portion and fluidly couple the front and rear surfaces of the peripheral portion. The lens aperture can facilitate the flow of tears to the tear film adjacent to the epithelium, facilitate the flow of tears into and out of the lacrimal body depending on the lens configuration, and / or facilitate tear exchange along the epithelium to promote eye health.

[0459] One or more lens holes can be fluidly coupled to one or more cavities. The lens holes can enable tears to flow from the front surface of the dynamic contact lens to one or more cavities, thereby facilitating the transition of the optical portion between different configurations.

[0460] The lens holes can be fluidly coupled to the rear groove of the dynamic contact lens. The rear groove can extend from the peripheral region of the lens to the optical portion. The groove can further fluidly couple a fluid cavity, which may or may not be fluidly coupled to the optical portion of the dynamic contact lens.

[0461] The tear meniscus is a tear source for exchange with the tear fluid.

[0462] The tear meniscus can be made accessible by fluidly coupling one or more lens holes to the upper and / or lower tear menisci.

[0463] Lens holes with a diameter of 25 μm to 500 μm are relatively small, and it may be difficult to bring the opening of the lens hole into contact with the shallow tear meniscus. To facilitate the fluid coupling of the lens hole with the tear meniscus, the front opening of the lens hole can be disposed in a recess or cavity on the front surface of the dynamic contact lens. The recess is larger than the diameter of the lens hole opening window, and this recess can facilitate the fluid coupling of the front opening of the lens hole with the tear meniscus. The recess can have a diameter of 0.5 mm to 4 mm, such as 1 mm to 3 mm. The recess can have a depth of, for example, 3 μm to 150 μm. The recess can have any suitable cross-sectional shape, such as circular, elliptical, slit, oblong, etc., or can have an irregular contour. The edge of the recess can be smoothed or chamfered to facilitate fluid coupling to the lens hole and / or to improve comfort.

[0464] For example, FIGS. 15A to 15H show diagrams of a dynamic contact lens having a recess portion disposed in a second peripheral portion near the transition portion and a lens hole within the recess portion. FIGS. 15A and 15B show a front view and a cross-sectional view of the dynamic contact lens, respectively. The dynamic contact lens shown in FIGS. 15A and 15B includes a first peripheral portion (1501), a second peripheral portion (1502), an optical portion (1503), a transition portion (1506), a lens hole (1504) within the recess portion (1507), and a rear groove portion (1505). FIG. 15C is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the recess portion (1507) and the lens hole (1504), which are connected to the groove portion (1505) on the rear surface of the contact lens. FIG. 15C shows the recess portion (1507) and the lens hole (1504) in the peripheral portion (1502) connected to the rear groove portion (1505). FIG. 15D shows an enlarged plan view of the elements shown in FIG. 15C, including the peripheral rear surface (1502), the recess portion (1507), and the lens hole (1504). FIG. 15E shows a rear view of the dynamic contact lens including the first peripheral portion (1501), the second peripheral portion (1502), the optical portion (1503), and the recess portion (1507) with the lens hole (1504). FIG. 15F shows the front surface of the dynamic contact lens shown in FIG. 15E, including the first peripheral portion (1501), the second peripheral portion (1502), the optical portion (1503), and the recess portion (1507) with the lens hole (1504). As shown in FIGS. 15D and 15F, the recess portion and the lens hole are positioned close to the transition portion (1506) and the optical portion (1503). FIG. 15G shows a rear view of the dynamic contact lens including the first peripheral portion (1501), the second peripheral portion (1502), the optical portion (1503), and the groove portion (1505) with the lens hole (1504). The groove portion (1505) extends from the lens hole to the optical portion (1503). FIG. 15H shows the front surface of the dynamic contact lens shown in FIG. 15G, including the first peripheral portion (1501), the second peripheral portion (1502), the optical portion (1503), and the recess portion (1507) with the lens hole (1504).

[0465] Alternatively, or in addition to the dimple, the fenestrations can be fluidly coupled to a groove in the anterior surface of the peripheral portion configured to draw fluid from the tear meniscus toward and into the fenestrations by capillary forces. Examples of these structures are shown in Figures 16A-16C. Figures 16A-16C show side, perspective, and cross-sectional views, respectively, of a dynamic contact lens comprising a first peripheral portion (1601), a second peripheral portion (1602), an optic portion (1603), and a fenestrations (1604) in the anterior surface of the second peripheral portion (1602), with the lens (1605) below the fenestrations (1604). As shown in Figure 16B, on the posterior surface, a groove (1606) is connected to the fenestrations (1605) and extends from the second peripheral portion (1602) to the optic portion (1603). A cross-sectional view of a dynamic contact lens is shown in Figure 16C. In addition to the elements shown in Figures 16A-16B, it can be seen that the posterior groove (1606) narrows towards the optic portion (1603) and is fluidly coupled to the optical tear (1607).

[0466] To increase the ability to access the tear meniscus, multiple fenestrations located at various radial distances from the physical or optical center of the dynamic contact lens can be used. For example, a fenestrations of size 250 μm can be located at a radial distance of 3.5 mm, and a fenestrations of size 300 μm can be located at a radial distance of 4 mm. Other fenestrations sizes, radial distances, and numbers of fenestrations may be used. Multiple fenestrations may be on the same or different meridians. If used, the indentations surrounding the anterior opening of the fenestrations may be different or the same for the various fenestrations. For example, the maximum dimension of the indentations may be, for example, 10 μm to 5 mm, 50 μm to 4 mm, 100 μm to 3 mm, 200 μm to 2 mm, or 500 μm to 1.5 mm. The depth of the indentations may be, for example, 3 μm to 600 μm, 10 μm to 500 μm, 100 μm to 400 μm, or 150 μm to 300 μm. The indentations may have any suitable shape, such as, for example, oval, circular, elliptical, triangular, or rectangular.

[0467] An example of multiple fenestrations for coupling to the tear meniscus is shown in Figures 17A-17D. Figures 17A-17D show a dynamic contact lens having a first peripheral portion (1701), a second peripheral portion (1702), and an optical portion (1703). Fenestrations (1704) are radially arranged around the optical portion (1703) at various radial distances from the center of the optical portion. Figures 17A and 17B show front and rear views, respectively, of a dynamic contact lens with 24 fenestrations arranged in 12 radial segments, two each. As shown in Figure 17B, the fenestrations (1704) are connected to a rear groove (1705) that extends from the second peripheral portion (1702) to the optical portion (1703). Figures 17C and 17D show front and back views, respectively, of a dynamic contact lens having 36 fenestrations arranged in 2 each of 12 radial sections, with the fenestrations (1704) located at various radial distances from the center of the optic portion (1703). As shown in Figure 17D, each of the fenestrations is connected to a radial groove (1705) that extends from the second peripheral portion (1702) to the optic portion (1703).

[0468] To facilitate coupling of the posterior groove with the tear meniscus, an elongated fenestration may be used. The elongated fenestration extends at an angle to the surface of the dynamic contact lens, rather than being approximately perpendicular to the surface of the dynamic contact lens. The length of the fenestration may be, for example, 0.6 mm to 5 mm, 0.8 mm to 4 mm, 1 mm to 3 mm, or 1.5 mm to 2.5 mm.

[0469] 18A-18C and 19A-19C show examples of anterior grooves extending radially from the periphery of a dynamic contact lens towards the optic and connected to a fenestrations, which are then connected to a posterior groove. Upon contact with the tear meniscus, tear fluid can be drawn from the tear meniscus by capillaries and / or a combination of forces through the anterior groove, fenestrations, and posterior grooves towards the optical tear. FIGS. 18A-18C show a first peripheral portion (1801), a second peripheral portion (1802), an optic portion (1803), a radial anterior groove (1805), and a fenestrations (1805). FIG. 18B shows a fenestrations (1804) connected to a posterior groove (1806) which extends from the fenestrations (1804) to the optic portion (1803). 18C shows a cross-sectional view including an anterior channel (1805) connected to a posterior channel (1806) by a lens fenestration (1804). The posterior channel (1806) narrows at a transition interface with the optic portion (1803) and connects the anterior channel (1805) to the optical tear body (1807). The anterior channel (1805) can be configured to fluidly couple to the tear meniscus of the eye, such as during downward gaze.

[0470] 32 shows an anterior groove extending from the peripheral portion to the optical portion, the anterior groove having a variable length that facilitates fluid coupling to the tear meniscus.

[0471] 19A-19C show an anterior view, a posterior view, and a cross-sectional view, respectively, of an example of a dynamic contact lens. As shown in FIG. 19A, the lens includes a first peripheral portion (1901), a second peripheral portion (1902), an optical portion (1903), and a cavity (1904) in front of the second peripheral portion (1902), each of the cavities (1904) having a lens fenestration (1905). As shown in FIG. 19B, on the posterior surface, a groove (1906) extends from the lens fenestration (1905) to the optical portion (1903). As shown in FIG. 19C, the cavity (1904) is coupled to the tear body (1907) by the lens fenestration (1905) and the posterior groove (1906). The anterior cavity (1904) can be configured to be fluidly coupled to the tear meniscus of the eye, such as during downward gaze.

[0472] The tear meniscus can theoretically provide enough tear fluid to fill the optical tear.

[0473] The relationship between the optical tear and the light intensity of the tear can be calculated by the diameter of the optic portion and the prefabricated sagittal height, which represents the largest tear, and is shown in Table 1. As shown in Table 1, tears in the meniscus with a normal volume of 0.1 μL to 1 L are sufficient to fill the optical tear for vision correction up to 3D for an optic portion with a diameter of 3 mm to 7 mm.

[0474] [Table 1-1]

[0475] [Table 1-2]

[0476] [Table 1-3]

[0477] The posterior surface of the optic portion, the posterior surface of the peripheral portion, or both, can be surface treated.

[0478] The surface treatment can be configured to regulate, modify, and / or select the adhesive and cohesive forces of the tear fluid to the posterior surface of the optic portion, the posterior surface of the peripheral portion, or both.

[0479] The surface treatment may be applied to all or a portion of the medial posterior surface and / or peripheral posterior surface of the dynamic contact lens.

[0480] In dynamic contact lenses with cavities, the surface treatment may be applied to the walls of the cavities and / or to the grooves extending from the cavities.

[0481] The surface treatment may include, for example, a coating, a thin film, a chemical treatment, a plasma treatment, or any combination thereof.

[0482] The surface treatment can be selected to modify the hydrophobicity / hydrophilicity of the posterior surface of the optic portion, the posterior surface of the peripheral portion, or both.

[0483] The surface treatment may be selected to regulate and / or adjust the capillary forces between the posterior surface of the optic and the cornea.

[0484] Surface treatments can be selected to regulate and / or facilitate the flow of tear fluid into and out of the optical tear body.

[0485] The posterior surface of a dynamic contact lens can include materials selected to adjust the hydrophilicity / hydrophobicity of the posterior surface. The posterior surface can include materials selected to adjust the charge of the posterior surface, the polarity of the posterior surface, or a combination thereof.

[0486] Dk refers to oxygen permeability, i.e., the amount of oxygen that passes through a device such as a dynamic contact lens for a given period of time and pressure differential conditions. Dk is 10 -11 Oxygen permeability is expressed in units of (cm / sec)(mL O2)(mL x mmHg) and is also called barrers. Oxygen permeability can be expressed as Dk / t, where t is the thickness of a structure such as a dynamic contact lens, so that Dk / t represents the amount of oxygen that will pass through a dynamic contact lens of a specified thickness for a given period of time and pressure differential conditions. Oxygen permeability is expressed in barrers / cm or 10 -9 It has units of (cm / sec)(mL O2)(mL×mm Hg).

[0487] Ocular health is promoted by lens materials that have oxygen permeability. For dynamic contact lenses, oxygen permeability of greater than about 80 Dk is generally desired. This high oxygen permeability can be difficult to obtain for high modulus materials and / or thicker material cross sections.

[0488] The optic and peripheral portions of the dynamic contact lens may comprise a material characterized by an oxygen permeability of at least about 10Dk, 20Dk, 30Dk, 40Dk, 50Dk, 60Dk, 70Dk, 80Dk, 90Dk, 100Dk, 200Dk, 300Dk, 400Dk, 500Dk, or more. The optic and peripheral portions of the dynamic contact lens may comprise a material characterized by an oxygen permeability of at most about 500Dk, 400Dk, 300Dk, 200Dk, 100Dk, 90Dk, 80Dk, 70Dk, 60Dk, 50Dk, 40Dk, 30Dk, 20Dk, 10Dk, or less. The optic and peripheral portions of the dynamic contact lens may comprise a material characterized by an oxygen permeability within a range defined by any two of the tactic values. The optic and peripheral portions of a dynamic contact lens may comprise a material characterized by an oxygen permeability of from about 10 Dk to about 500 Dk, from about 50 Dk to about 400 Dk, from about 50 Dk to about 300 Dk, and in some embodiments, from about 50 Dk to about 100 Dk.

[0489] The dynamic contact lens may comprise a silicone or silicone hydrogel with low ionoporosity. For example, the dynamic contact lens may comprise a silicone hydrogel or silicone with low ion permeability, with a water range of Dk of 100×10 -11 The low ion permeability can be about 5% to about 35% or more. -3 cm 2 / sec, 0.02×10 -3 cm 2 / sec, 0.03×10 -3 cm 2 / sec, 0.04×10 -3 cm 2 / sec, 0.05×10 -3 cm 2 / sec, 0.06×10 -3 cm 2 / sec, 0.07×10 -3 cm 2 / sec, 0.08×10 -3 cm 2 / sec, 0.09×10-3 cm 2 / sec, 0.1×10 -3 cm 2 / sec, 0.15×10 -3 cm 2 / sec, 0.2×10 -3 cm 2 / sec, 0.25×10 -3 cm 2 / sec, or higher. Low ion permeability may include an ionoton ion permeability coefficient of at most about 0.25×10 -3 cm 2 / sec, 0.2×10 -3 cm 2 / sec, 0.15×10 -3 cm 2 / sec, 0.1×10 -3 cm 2 / sec, 0.09×10 -3 cm 2 / sec, 0.08×10 -3 cm 2 / sec, 0.07×10 -3 cm 2 / sec, 0.06×10 -3 cm 2 / sec, 0.05×10 -3 cm 2 / sec, 0.04×10 -3 cm 2 / sec, 0.03×10 -3 cm 2 / sec, 0.02×10 -3 cm 2 / sec, 0.01×10 -3 cm 2 Low ion permeability may include an ionoton ion permeability coefficient of about 0.25×10 / sec or less. Low ion permeability may include an ionoton ion permeability coefficient that is within a range defined by any two of the preceding values. Low ion permeability may include an ionoton ion permeability coefficient of about 0.25×10 / sec or less. -3 cm 2 / sec or less, e.g., about 0.08×10 -3 cm 2 . / sec or less.

[0490] The dynamic contact lens may include a wettable surface disposed on at least the anterior surface of the dynamic contact lens, such that the tear film is smooth on the dynamic contact lens. The wettable surface coating may include a lubricious coating for patient comfort, e.g., to lubricate the eye when the patient blinks. The wettable coating may create a contact angle of about 80° or less. For example, the coating may create a contact angle of about 70° or less, which may be within a range of about 55°-65° to provide a surface with a smooth tear film for vision. For example, the wettable coating may be disposed on both the upper and lower surfaces of the device, i.e., the anterior and posterior surfaces of the dynamic contact lens. The upper surface may include a wettable coating extending over at least the inner optical portion.

[0491] The wettable coating may include one or more suitable materials. For example, the wettable coating may include polyethylene glycol (PEG), and the PEG coating may be disposed on Parylene™. Alternatively, or in combination, the wettable coating may include a plasma coating, and the plasma coating may include a light-emitting chemical vapor deposition (LCVD) film. For example, the plasma coating may include at least one of a hydrocarbon, such as CH4, O2, or a fluorine-containing hydrocarbon, such as CF4 coating. Alternatively, or in combination, the wettable coating may include a polyethylene glycol (PEG) coating or 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA). For example, the wettable coating may include a Parylene™ coating, or HEMA disposed on the wettable coating.

[0492] Dynamic contact lenses provided by the present disclosure may have a water content of, for example, 10% to 70% by weight, such as 30% to 60% by weight, the weight percentage being based on the total weight of the dynamic contact lens.

[0493] The dynamic contact lens provided by the disclosure of the present invention can be manufactured using any method suitable for the manufacture of contact lenses, specifically soft contact lenses. An example of a suitable method is compression molding. The dynamic contact lens can be manufactured such that, during manufacture, the optical portion bulges outward to form a dome-shaped eccentric bulge or other forward-facing surface shape.

[0494] The manufacturing method of the dynamic contact lens includes, for example, a step of forming the dynamic contact lens, and the dynamic contact lens includes an optical portion including a sagittal height and a central thickness, and the central thickness is smaller than the sagittal height, and a peripheral portion connected to the optical portion and configured to hold the dynamic contact lens on the cornea. The manufacturing method of the dynamic contact lens includes, for example, a step of forming the dynamic contact lens, and the dynamic contact lens includes an optical portion characterized by an optical posterior base curvature and a peripheral portion connected to the optical portion and including a posterior base curvature, and the optical posterior base curvature is different from the peripheral posterior base curvature. For example, the radius of curvature of the optical portion can be made smaller than the radius of curvature of the peripheral portion. For example, the radius of curvature of the optical portion can be made smaller than the radius of curvature of the eccentric peripheral portion, where the eccentric peripheral portion is a part of the transition portion and the peripheral portion adjacent to the optical portion. The material used in the manufacture of the dynamic contact lens may be a material suitable for use in conventional soft contact lenses. The Young's modulus of this material may be, for example, 0.05 MPa to 30 MPa, 0.1 MPa to 20 MPa, 0.1 MPa to 10 MPa, 0.1 MPa to 5 MPa, or 0.1 MPa to 2 MPa.

[0495] The dynamic contact lens provided by the disclosure of the present invention can be manufactured with the SAG height at the time of manufacture. The central sagittal height at the time of manufacture refers to the distance from the rear surface at the center of the optical portion to the extension of the base curvature with respect to the central peripheral portion adjacent to the optical portion. The central SAG at the time of manufacture is shown as element (110) in FIG. 1, and the dashed line is the extension of the base curvature of the central peripheral portion under the optical portion. The SAG height at the time of manufacture is the maximum gap achievable when the lens is arranged on the cornea and the optical portion when a lens-shaped tear body is formed when filled with tears. Depending on many factors including the availability of tears, an optical portion with a sagittal height of 40 μm at the time of manufacture can generate, for example, a quasi-stable tear body with gaps of 40 μm, 30 μm, 20 μm, and / or 10 μm. An optical portion with a SAG height of 100 μm at the time of manufacture can generate, for example, a quasi-stable tear body with gaps of 100 μm, 90 μm, 80 μm, 70 μm, 60 μm, 50 μm, 40 μm, 30 μm, and / or 10 μm.

[0496] The dynamic contact lens provided by the disclosure of the present invention can be used to correct or improve vision.

[0497] A method for correcting a patient's vision may include the step of applying a dynamic contact lens provided by the disclosure of the present invention to the eye of a patient in need of vision correction.

[0498] Vision correction may include correction of myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism, or presbyopia.

[0499] The method provided by the disclosure of the present invention includes the step of treating presbyopia by applying a dynamic contact lens provided by the disclosure of the present invention to the eye of a presbyopic patient.

[0500] The dynamic contact lens provided by the disclosure of the present invention can be designed to dramatically correct vision. For example, presbyopia is characterized by the inability of the eye to focus on nearby objects. The optical portion of the dynamic contact lens provided by the disclosure of the present invention can be configured to dramatically change so as to conform to either myopic vision or hyperopic vision. For example, as related to presbyopia, in a first configuration suitable for viewing distant objects, the optical portion of the dynamic contact lens can be placed near the cornea. In this configuration, there is little tear fluid and the myopic vision is not corrected. Then, when the patient views nearby objects, the optical portion of the dynamic contact lens can assume a second configuration that corrects presbyopia and makes nearby objects clearly visible. This can be achieved without changing the radial thickness of the optical portion or by changing the ratio of the optical back surface curvature to the optical front surface curvature of the optical portion. Rather, as the optical portion bulges outward, a lens-shaped optical tear fluid expands to provide a tear fluid that helps dynamically correct myopic vision by changing the curvature of the front surface of the optical portion.

[0501] The dynamic contact lens provided by the disclosure of the present invention can also be used as a multifocal lens for correcting presbyopia and preventing the progression of myopia.

[0502] The static configuration of the dynamic contact lens provided by the disclosure of the present invention can be used to supplement an irregular cornea, treat astigmatism, or aid in corneal wound healing.

[0503] A dynamic contact lens incorporating a tear fluid can correct the visual field resulting from an irregularly shaped cornea. An irregularly shaped cornea can be permanent or temporary and can result from eye surgeries such as photorefractive keratectomy or a corneal cross-linking procedure. The tear fluid can correct astigmatism. In some cases, the dynamic contact lens provided by the disclosure of the present invention having a static tear fluid may be appropriate for treating such conditions.

[0504] The dynamic contact lens provided by the disclosure of the present invention can be used to enhance or restore vision after eye treatment. Eye treatment can include the manipulation of eye tissues and can be associated with lesions outside the optical region. Eye treatment may include the steps of incising the eye tissue and implanting a device within the optical region. In certain embodiments, eye treatment includes the step of excising at least a portion of the stroma and / or epithelium. Examples of eye treatment include cataract surgery such as phacoemulsification, conventional extracapsular cataract extraction, intracapsular cataract extraction, laser trabeculoplasty, iridectomy, peripheral iridectomy (irdectomy), scleral incision, goniosynechialysis, drainage implant surgery, glaucoma surgery such as canaloplasty, corneal transplantation surgery, full-thickness corneal transplantation, artificial corneal transplantation, pterygium excision, corneal tattoo, corneal surgery such as modified root utilization artificial cornea, photorefractive therapy such as photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) and laser beam myopia surgery (LASKI). Eye treatment may further include the step of treating an eye wound, which may or may not include eye surgery. Eye treatment may include cataract surgery, corneal inlay surgery, corneal transplantation surgery, or treatment of an eye trauma wound. Eye treatment may include the step of incising the cornea and / or the step of perforating the cornea at a site outside the optical region.

[0505] Generally, ophthalmic therapies such as cataract surgery, corneal inlay surgery, and corneal transplantation surgery can be distinguished from ophthalmic therapies that involve operations only on the optical region of the cornea or mainly on the optical region of the cornea. The former ophthalmic therapies can be considered transplantation surgeries in that they involve implanting a device as an appendage or substitute for the eye tissue to be removed into the eye tissue, and the procedures in this ophthalmic therapy include steps of operating on the eye tissue outside the optical region as well as on the optical region itself. The latter therapies are exemplified by refractive surgeries in which the optical region of the cornea is adjusted to correct refractive visual errors. Examples of refractive correction surgeries include, for example, PRK and LASIK. Ophthalmic therapies that include operations on the optical region of the cornea are included to the extent that the treatment also includes operations on eye tissue outside the optical region. For example, LASIK includes steps of making incisions in the stroma outside the optical region to form a flap. Then, this flap is lifted and turned over to expose the stroma. Thereafter, it is excised by a laser to bring about a shape for refractive correction. Furthermore, operations on the eye that include tissue outside the optical region and photorefractive surgeries that include operations on tissue within the optical region can be combined. For example, corneal inlay surgery can be combined with related photorefractive surgeries such as LASIK surgery.

[0506] The dynamic contact lens provided by the disclosure of the present invention may be used to treat the cornea after corneal inlay surgery or corneal onlay surgery. Corneal inlays and onlays are optical devices such as small lenses that are inserted into the cornea to reshape the front surface of the eye, i.e., the front surface of the cornea, in order to improve vision, and in some cases can be made to resemble small contact lenses. The main current uses of corneal inlays are to improve near vision and address presbyopia. In some cases, corneal inlay surgery can be combined with an optical keratectomy such as LASIK to correct both common refractive abnormalities such as myopia, hyperopia, and / or astigmatism and presbyopia.

[0507] The dynamic contact lens provided by the disclosure of the present invention may be used to treat the cornea after cataract surgery. In certain embodiments, the ophthalmic therapy includes cataract surgery. Cataract surgery involves the removal and replacement of the natural eye lens that has progressed to opacity and is called a cataract.

[0508] The dynamic contact lens provided by the disclosure of the present invention may be used to treat the cornea after corneal transplantation surgery. Examples of corneal transplantation therapies include penetrating keratoplasty, lamellar keratoplasty, deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty, and endothelial keratoplasty.

[0509] When the contact lens provided by the disclosure of the present invention is applied to a patient's eye after eye therapy, it accelerates the healing of eye defects. Examples of eye defects include incisions and perforations of the cornea and / or other eye tissues.

[0510] The dynamic contact lens provided by the disclosure of the present invention may be used to treat the cornea after cross-linking therapy. Corneal cross-linking is a technique that facilitates the ability of the cornea to resist irregular changes in corneal shape known as ectasia by strengthening chemical bonds within the cornea.

[0511] The dynamic contact lens provided by the disclosure of the present invention may be used to treat the cornea after photorefractive therapy such as PRK or LASIK. Refractive surgery of the eye is used to improve the refractive state of the eye and includes, for example, automated lamellar keratoplasty (ALK), laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK), photorefractive keratectomy (PRK), laser subepithelial keratomileusis (LASEK), EPI-LASIK, radial keratotomy, mini asymmetric radial keratotomy, astigmatic keratotomy, corneal limbal relaxing incisions, thermokeratoplasty, intrastromal corneal ring segment removal, posterior chamber phakic intraocular lens implantation, and the like. After performing any of these procedures, a certain period of time is required to restore optimal vision. For example, in LASIK, optimal vision is usually achieved within about 24 hours after surgery. During this recovery period, in addition to suboptimal vision, patients may experience discomfort such as photophobia or photosensitivity and / or a burning sensation. A method is desired to shorten the time to achieve optimal vision and reduce or eliminate the discomfort associated with refractive surgery of the eye.

[0512] PRK is a surgical procedure in which a laser is used to form the stroma to correct refractive errors. In this procedure, the epithelium covering a portion of the excised stroma is removed to create an epithelial defect.

[0513] LASIK is a surgical procedure used to correct refractive vision errors such as myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism. In this procedure, a laser is used to reshape the cornea to improve vision, such as image clarity and sharpness. The LASIK procedure requires surgical excision of the cornea and laser ablation. During LASIK, the eye is fixed by applying a soft corneal suction ring. A flap is then created in the outer cornea using a blade or laser, leaving a hinge at one end of the flap. The flap is then folded back to expose the stroma, or the middle portion of the cornea. A laser is used to evaporate the corneal stroma and reshape the cornea to correct vision. After the stromal layer is reshaped, the position of the flap is changed over the eye and held in place by natural adhesion. Optimal vision is usually achieved within about 24 hours after surgery.

[0514] The dynamic contact lens provided by the disclosure of the present invention can be configured to correct refractive errors such as astigmatism. The lens presents a smooth spherical front surface and minimizes lens-induced distortion by reducing the deflection of the internal optical portion and maintaining the centration of the lens during wear. The reduction in the flexion of the inner optical portion can be achieved in part by increasing the rigidity of the inner portion and creating a tear body. The centration of the inner optical portion minimizes astigmatism and the prism effect caused by tilting of the optical system, minimizing edge distortion.

[0515] The above has focused on ophthalmic therapies related to intentional manipulation of the eye, but it can be understood that dynamic contact lenses and their methods of use may also be useful for treating other injuries to the eye, such as the treatment of traumatic wounds. Trauma to the eye can also cause edema and may damage the interfaces between various eye tissues. Therefore, in addition to postoperative methods, the dynamic contact lenses provided by the disclosure of the present invention are useful for the healing of traumatic wounds to the eye. Examples of trauma include physical trauma such as blunt trauma and penetrating trauma, chemical trauma, blast injury, burns, and psychological trauma. The treatment of traumatic wounds may include surgical procedures such as removing an embedded physical object or removing scar tissue. To the extent that the trauma causes edema and optical irregularities, the application of the dynamic contact lens results in more rapid visual recovery and promotes healing by stabilizing the involved eye tissues. Trauma can further cause defects in eye tissues including the anterior corneal surface, with epithelium and / or stroma, and may cause damage to the internal eye tissues. Therefore, wound healing includes wound healing related to physical damage to eye tissues that does not necessarily occur surgically.

[0516] The dynamic contact lenses provided by the disclosure of the present invention may further be used as a prophylactic device. For example, the dynamic contact lens can be used to protect the eye from possible damage, such as protection from damage due to physical trauma, protection from chemicals, protection from microparticles, and protection from edema. As a prophylactic device, the dynamic contact lens can be applied to the eye before the expected exposure to possible damage. When worn to protect the eye from possible damage, the dynamic contact lens can provide a physical or chemical barrier for the purpose of sealing the front surface of the eye, and / or can prevent or minimize edema caused by non-physical forces such as blast pressure or trauma to other body parts. In certain embodiments, protecting the eye from possible damage includes protecting the eye from gas, vapor, dust, or smoke. In certain embodiments, the protection includes protection from edema.

Examples

[0517] The embodiments provided by the disclosure of the present invention are further illustrated by reference to the following examples. These examples describe the dynamic contact lens provided by the disclosure of the present invention and its use.

[0518] Example 1: Optical function of the dynamic contact lens in an eye model OCT images of the dynamic contact lens having a transition mechanism are shown in FIGS. 20A and 20B. The dynamic contact lens (2002) covers the cornea (2001). As shown in FIG. 20A, the lens hole (2005) connects the tear fluid of the tear meniscus (2006) to the groove (2004) disposed behind the peripheral portion (2007) of the dynamic contact lens (2002). The groove (2004) is chamfered toward the optical portion (2008) of the dynamic contact lens, whereby the groove (2004) fluidly couples the tear fluid from the tear meniscus to the tear body (2003) formed between the rear surface of the optical portion and the front surface of the cornea.

[0519] An enlarged view of the optical tear body (2003) and the fluid coupling with the groove (2004) is shown in FIG. 20B.

[0520] FIGS. 21A and 21B show horizontal and vertical OCT images of the dynamic contact lens (2102) on a patient's cornea (2101), further exemplifying the coupling of the tear fluid through the lens hole (2105) at the tear meniscus (2106) with the groove (2104).

[0521] FIG. 21C is an OCT image of the dynamic contact lens on the cornea, showing the fluid coupling between the tear meniscus and the groove, and the gap height between the rear surface of the optical portion and the front surface of the cornea is 68 μm. The dimension of the groove is 498 μm.

[0522] FIG. 22 shows an OCT image of the tear body (2203) formed between the optical portion of the dynamic contact lens (2202) and the cornea (2201) during downward gaze. During downward gaze, the eyelid applies pressure to the peripheral portion of the dynamic contact lens, pushing the tear fluid into the volume between the optical portion and the cornea and changing the tear body. Alternatively, or in addition, the fluid coupling of the optical tear body to a tear fluid source such as the tear meniscus during downward gaze can change the lens force to bulge the optical tear body away from the cornea. As shown in FIG. 22, in this example, the gap height of the optical tear body (2203) is 29 μm.

[0523] Example 2: Dynamic contact lens with lens holes and grooves A dynamic contact lens having the parameters shown in Table 2 was manufactured.

[0524] [Table 2]

[0525] The dynamic contact lens was placed on the patient's cornea. FIG. 23 shows a photograph of the dynamic contact lens on the patient's eye, with the lens hole (2301) visible on the left side outside the optical region of the eye. An OCT image of the dynamic contact lens on the cornea during forward gaze is shown in FIG. 24. FIG. 24 shows the dynamic contact lens (2401), the cornea (2402), the optical portion (2403), the lens hole (2404), and the groove (2405), and the groove (2405) tapers towards the optical portion (2403). Although visualization from the OCT image was difficult, the gap height was approximately 10 μm to 15 μm.

[0526] Using a micropipette adjusted for a small amount, 0.1 μL of tear fluid was placed above the lower lens hole. The OCT images of the dynamic contact lens and the cornea with the patient gazing straight ahead are shown in Fig. 25. As shown in Fig. 25, the optical portion (2503) bulges immediately forward, providing a 70-μm gap between the center of the optical portion (2503) and the cornea (2502). Fig. 25 shows an OCT image of a dynamic contact lens including the optical portion (2501), the cornea (2502), the tear body (2503), the lens hole (2504), and the rear groove portion (2505) extending to the transition portion (2506).

[0527] Example 3: Dynamic Contact Lens with a Lens Hole and a Groove A dynamic contact lens having the parameters shown in Table 3 was manufactured.

[0528]

Table 3

[0529] A dynamic contact lens characterized by the parameters in Table 2 was placed on the patient's eye. In the primary fixation (forward gaze), the optical portion of the lens was flattened in a conforming configuration with respect to the cornea. As shown in Fig. 26 (and the upper horizontal OCT portion), the rear groove portion was less than 1 mm (Fig. 27), the lens hole was 2.5 mm below the center (Fig. 28), and approximately 2.5 mm above the tear meniscus. Fig. 26 is an OCT image of a dynamic contact lens covering the cornea (2602), and the optical portion (2601) substantially conforms to the cornea (2602) with a small tear body (2603). Fig. 27 shows a cross-sectional OCT image of a dynamic contact lens showing the rear groove portion (2707). Fig. 28 shows a cross-sectional OCT image of a dynamic contact lens (2801) covering the cornea (2802), showing the rear groove (2807) and the lens hole (2808).

[0530] The patient then diverted their line of sight approximately 40 degrees downward at the reading position. As shown in FIG. 29, during downward gaze, the lower lens aperture becomes fluid-coupled to the tear meniscus, such that the tear meniscus is fluid-coupled to the optical tear body via the lens aperture and the groove portion. When the lens aperture is fluid-coupled to the tear meniscus, the optical portion immediately bulges forward as shown in FIG. 30, and a 40 μm gap is formed between the rear surface of the lens and the cornea. FIG. 30 shows an OCT image of a dynamic contact lens (3001) covering the cornea (3002), and the tear body (3006) is located between the rear surface of the optical portion (3003) and the cornea (3002). FIG. 31 is an OCT image showing the rear groove portion (3107) during downward gaze.

[0531] Further aspect of the present invention Aspect 1. A contact lens comprising an optical portion having an optical rear base curvature and an optical center, a posterior learning center, and a peripheral portion, wherein the peripheral portion comprises a peripheral rear base curvature and a transition portion connecting the optical portion and the peripheral portion, the transition portion being located at a radius of less than 3.5 mm from the optical center, the central base curvature (also referred to herein as the optical rear base curvature) being less than 7.4 mm, and the peripheral base curvature being at least 0.4 mm greater than the central base curvature.

[0532] Aspect 1.1. The contact lens according to aspect 1, wherein the optical rear base curvature is less than 7.3 mm.

[0533] Aspect 1.2. The contact lens according to aspect 1, wherein the optical rear base curvature is less than 7.2 mm.

[0534] Aspect 1.3. The contact lens according to aspect 1, wherein the optical rear base curvature is less than 7.1 mm.

[0535] Aspect 1.4. The contact lens according to aspect 1, wherein the optical rear base curvature is less than 7.0 mm.

[0536] Aspect 1.5. The contact lens according to Aspect 1, wherein the optical back base curvature is less than 6.9 mm.

[0537] Aspect 1.6. The contact lens according to Aspect 1, wherein the optical back base curvature is less than 6.8 mm.

[0538] Aspect 1.7. The contact lens according to Aspect 1, wherein the optical back base curvature is less than 6.7 mm.

[0539] Aspect 1.8. The contact lens according to Aspect 1, wherein the optical back base curvature is less than 6.6 mm.

[0540] Aspect 1.9. The contact lens according to Aspect 1, wherein the optical back base curvature is less than 6.5 mm.

[0541] Aspect 1.10. The contact lens according to Aspect 1, wherein the curvature immediately adjacent to the central base curvature is at least 0.2 mm greater than the central base curvature.

[0542] Aspect 2. A contact lens comprising an optical portion having an optical back base curvature, a peripheral portion having a peripheral back base curvature, and a transition portion connecting the optical portion and the peripheral portion, wherein the transition portion has a radial width of 150 microns or less.

[0543] Aspect 3. A contact lens comprising an optical portion having an optical back base curvature, a peripheral portion having a peripheral back base curvature, and a transition portion connecting the optical portion and the peripheral portion, wherein the transition portion has a constant outer circumference and thickness, and the thickness varies around the outer circumference of the transition portion.

[0544] Aspect 4. A contact lens, the contact lens comprising: an optical portion having an optical center, an optical back base curvature, and an optical back surface; a peripheral portion having a peripheral back base curvature, a peripheral back surface, and a peripheral front surface; a transition portion connecting the optical portion and the peripheral portion; one or more groove portions provided on the peripheral back surface, at least one groove portion extending from the peripheral back surface to the optical portion; and at least one lens hole connecting the at least one groove portion to the peripheral front surface, the transition portion having a constant outer circumference and thickness, the thickness varying around the outer circumference of the transition portion, the optical back base curvature being less than 7.1 mm, and the peripheral back base curvature being less than 3.5 mm in radius from the optical center and at least 0.4 mm greater than the optical back base curvature.

[0545] Aspect 5. A contact lens, the contact lens comprising: an optical portion having an optical center, an optical back base curvature, and an optical back surface; and a peripheral portion connected to the optical portion and having a peripheral back base curvature, a peripheral diameter, a peripheral back surface, and a peripheral front surface, the contact lens being configured such that when worn on a patient's eye, the optical portion forms a lens body between the cornea and the optical back surface, the lens body having a diameter of at least 1.5 mm and a height of at least 0.01 mm on the cornea.

[0546] Aspect 6. A contact lens, the contact lens comprising: an optical portion having an optical back base curvature; and a peripheral portion connected to the optical portion and having a peripheral back base curvature and a peripheral diameter, the contact lens being configured such that when worn on a patient's eye, the optical portion can exhibit a first metastable configuration and a second metastable configuration.

[0547] Aspect 7. A contact lens, comprising an optical portion having an optical rear surface, a peripheral portion having a peripheral rear surface, and a transition portion connecting the optical portion and the peripheral portion, wherein the contact lens is configured such that when worn on a patient's eye, the optical portion can exhibit a plurality of configurations according to the pressure applied to the optical portion, and when a negative pressure is applied to the optical rear surface, the optical rear surface exhibits one or more configurations that substantially coincide with the front surface of the cornea, and in the absence of negative pressure, the optical rear surface exhibits a neutral configuration that provides a tear body between the optical rear surface and the front surface of the cornea.

[0548] Aspect 8. The contact lens according to aspect 7, wherein in the one or more substantially coinciding configurations, the thickness of the tear film between the optical rear surface and the front surface of the cornea varies to less than 10 μm.

[0549] Aspect 9. The contact lens according to aspect 7, wherein in the one or more substantially coinciding configurations, the thickness of the tear film between the optical rear surface and the front surface of the cornea varies to less than 3 μm.

[0550] Aspect 10. The contact lens according to any one of aspects 7 to 9, wherein the negative pressure is 5 Pa to 1,500 Pa.

[0551] Aspect 11. The contact lens according to any one of aspects 7 to 9, wherein the negative pressure is 10 Pa to 250 Pa.

[0552] Aspect 12. The contact lens according to any one of aspects 2, 3, and 5 to 11, wherein the peripheral rear surface base curvature is 7.5 mm to 9.5 mm, and the difference between the peripheral rear surface base curvature and the optical rear surface base curvature exceeds 0.4 mm.

[0553] Aspect 13. The contact lens according to any one of aspects 1 to 12, wherein the optical rear surface base curvature is less than 6.8 mm.

[0554] Aspect 14. The contact lens according to any one of Aspects 1 to 13, wherein the transition portion has a thickness that varies around the outer periphery of the transition portion.

[0555] Aspect 15. The contact lens according to any one of Aspects 1 to 13, wherein the transition portion has a thickness that varies in a regular pattern around the outer periphery of the transition portion.

[0556] Aspect 16. The contact lens according to any one of Aspects 1 to 13, wherein the transition portion has one or more cuts extending across the entire transition portion.

[0557] Aspect 17. The contact lens according to Aspect 16, wherein the one or more cuts include one or more rear surface grooves located on the rear surface of the peripheral portion and extending toward the optical portion.

[0558] Aspect 18. The contact lens according to Aspect 17, wherein the one or more rear surface grooves are connected to lens holes.

[0559] Aspect 19. The contact lens according to Aspect 17, wherein the one or more rear surface grooves are connected to a tear reservoir.

[0560] Aspect 20. The contact lens according to any one of Aspects 1 to 19, wherein the optical rear surface base curvature is less than 7.1 mm, and the peripheral rear surface base curvature is at least 0.4 mm greater than the optical rear surface base curvature.

[0561] Aspect 21. The contact lens according to any one of Aspects 1 to 20, wherein each of the optical portion and the peripheral portion is made of a material having an elastic modulus of 0.1 MPa to 10 MPa.

[0562] Aspect 22. The contact lens according to any one of Aspects 1 to 21, comprising one or more rear surface grooves provided on the peripheral rear surface, wherein at least one rear surface groove extends from the peripheral rear surface to the optical portion.

[0563] Aspect 23. The contact lens according to any one of Aspects 4 and 22, wherein each of the one or more rear surface grooves extends radially from the center of the optical portion.

[0564] Aspect 24. When the contact lens is worn on a patient's eye, the optical portion is characterized by a first metastable configuration and a second metastable configuration, and a transition occurs between the first metastable configuration and the second metastable configuration due to the interaction between the contact lens and the movement of the eye. The contact lens according to any one of Aspects 1 to 23.

[0565] Aspect 25. The first metastable configuration has a first gap height, the second metastable configuration has a second gap height, the first gap height and the second gap height are different, and the gap height is the distance from the center of the optical rear surface to the cornea. The contact lens according to Aspect 24.

[0566] Aspect 26. The movement of the eye includes changing the eye's looking position. The contact lens according to Aspect 24 or 25.

[0567] Aspect 27. In the first metastable configuration, the optical portion has a first light intensity, in the second metastable configuration, the optical portion has a second light intensity, and the first light intensity is different from the second light intensity. The contact lens according to any one of Aspects 24 to 26.

[0568] Aspect 28. When the contact lens is worn on a patient's eye, an optical tear fluid is formed between the optical rear surface and the front surface of the cornea. In the first metastable configuration, the optical tear fluid has a first volume, in the second metastable configuration, the optical tear fluid has a second volume, and the first volume is different from the second volume. The contact lens according to any one of Aspects 24 to 27.

[0569] Aspect 29. When the contact lens is worn on a patient's eye, an optical tear film is formed between the optical rear surface and the front surface of the cornea. In the first metastable configuration, the optical tear film has a first shape, and in the second metastable configuration, the optical tear film has a second shape, where the first shape is different from the second shape. The contact lens according to any one of aspects 24 to 28.

[0570] Aspect 30. The first metastable configuration provides a light intensity that focuses on an image on the fovea from a first distance, and the second metastable configuration provides a light intensity that focuses on an image on the fovea from a second distance. The contact lens according to any one of aspects 24 to 29.

[0571] Aspect 31. When the contact lens is worn on a patient's eye, the optical portion is characterized by a first metastable configuration and a second metastable configuration. An optical tear film is formed between the optical rear surface and the front surface of the cornea. The transition between the first metastable configuration and the second metastable configuration is regulated by the flow of tears into and out of the optical tear film. The contact lens according to any one of aspects 1 to 30.

[0572] Aspect 32. When the contact lens is worn on a patient's eye, the optical portion is characterized by a first metastable configuration and a second metastable configuration. An optical tear film is formed between the optical rear surface and the front surface of the cornea. The transition between the first metastable configuration and the second metastable configuration is regulated by the fluid coupling and fluid separation between the optical tear film and the tear meniscus. The contact lens according to any one of aspects 1 to 30.

[0573] Aspect 33. When the contact lens is worn on a patient's eye, the optical portion is characterized by a first metastable configuration and a second metastable configuration. The contact lens includes one or more lens holes that connect the peripheral rear surface to the peripheral front surface. By fluidly coupling the one or more lens holes to the tear meniscus, a change occurs in the light intensity of the optical portion. The contact lens according to any one of aspects 1 to 30.

[0574] Aspect 34. When the contact lens is worn on a patient's eye, the optical portion is characterized by a first metastable configuration and a second metastable configuration, the contact lens comprising one or more lens holes connecting the peripheral rear surface to the peripheral front surface, wherein a change in the light intensity of the optical portion occurs by fluid separation of the one or more lens holes from the tear meniscus. The contact lens according to any one of Aspects 1 to 30.

[0575] Aspect 35. The contact lens according to any one of Aspects 1 to 34, comprising at least one groove in the peripheral rear surface, the at least one groove extending from the peripheral rear surface to the optical portion, and at least one lens hole connecting the at least one groove to the peripheral front surface.

[0576] Aspect 36. The contact lens according to any one of Aspects 1 to 35, wherein when the contact lens is worn on a patient's eye, an optical tear fluid is formed between the rear surface of the optical portion and the front surface of the cornea.

[0577] Aspect 37. The contact lens according to any one of Aspects 1 to 35, wherein when the contact lens is worn on a patient's eye, a gap is formed between the rear surface of the optical portion and the front surface of the cornea, and the height of the gap is at most 1 μm to 200 μm.

[0578] Aspect 38. The optical portion is concentrated on the central axis of the contact lens. The contact lens according to any one of Aspects 1 to 37.

[0579] Aspect 39. The optical portion is not concentrated on the central axis of the contact lens. The contact lens according to any one of Aspects 1 to 37.

[0580] Aspect 40. The optical portion is concentrated on an axis at an angle of less than 45 degrees from the central axis of the contact lens. The contact lens according to any one of Aspects 1 to 37.

[0581] Aspect 41. The contact lens according to any one of Aspects 1 to 40, wherein the optical portion has a maximum thickness within the range of 30 μm to 600 μm.

[0582] Aspect 42. The contact lens according to any one of Aspects 1 to 41, wherein the optical portion has a maximum stiffness within the range of 2E3 MPa×μm 3 to 3E9 MPa×μm 3

[0583] Aspect 43. The contact lens according to any one of Aspects 1 to 42, wherein the optical portion, the peripheral portion, or both are configured to carry tears in and out of the optical tear fluid formed between the optical rear surface and the front surface of the cornea when the contact lens is worn on a patient's eye, and is provided with at least one mechanism.

[0584] Aspect 44. The contact lens according to Aspect 43, wherein the transport of tears in and out of the optical tear fluid is associated with a transition between a first metastable configuration and a second metastable configuration of the optical portion.

[0585] Aspect 45. The contact lens according to Aspect 43, wherein the at least one mechanism includes a rear groove, a front groove, a lens hole, a tear reservoir, a protrusion, a depression, a valve, a lens hole with a valve, an optical portion of a certain geometric shape, a peripheral portion of a certain geometric shape, or any combination thereof.

[0586] Aspect 46. The contact lens according to any one of Aspects 43 to 4...

Claims

1. A contact lens comprising: an optical portion having an optical posterior surface base curvature and an optical center; a peripheral portion having a peripheral posterior base curvature; a transition portion connecting the optical portion and the peripheral portion; a valve having a hole that forms a tear flow path and a groove that communicates with the hole and is tapered toward the rear surface of the optical portion, When the contact lens is worn on a patient's eye, the contact lens is characterized by a first metastable configuration having a first gap height based on the thickness of a tear film formed between the posterior surface of the optical portion and the anterior surface of the cornea of ​​the eye, and a second metastable configuration having a second gap height different from the first gap height, wherein in response to interaction of the valve of the contact lens with an eye movement consisting of a change in the gaze position of the eye, the tear film is fluidly coupled to a tear source via the valve, causing the tear film to flow between the optical portion and the peripheral portion, changing the thickness of the tear film and changing the refractive power of the optical portion, thereby causing a transition between the first metastable configuration and the second metastable configuration.

2. A contact lens as described in claim 1, wherein the valve is a capillary valve having a structure in which the dimensions of the hole and the groove are designed to generate capillary force due to the surface tension of the tear fluid, and the tear fluid spontaneously flows into or out of the posterior surface of the optical portion through the hole and the groove.

3. The valve, disposed between the anterior and posterior surfaces of the contact lens; an opening on the front surface of the contact lens and communicating with the groove; forming a tear flow path; The tear flow path is tapered from the front surface side of the contact lens to the rear surface side of the optical portion, 2. The contact lens according to claim 1, which is a fishmouth valve, whereby the tear fluid is guided to the rear surface of the optical portion through the hole and the groove by capillary force.

4. A contact lens described in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the thickness of the tear film changes with changes in the gaze position of the eyeball.

Images