Contact Lens Ionic Complexes for Sustained Comfort Release
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Solution Overview
Problem
Contact lenses often cause discomfort due to insufficient wetting, leading to dryness and eye irritation, particularly towards the end of the day, and existing methods for adding comfort agents result in either trapped or burst release, rather than controlled release.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating anionic comfort agents with cationic monomers or polymers in contact lenses, utilizing interchain non-covalent interactions to achieve a sustained release of comfort agents, enhancing wearer comfort over time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If comfort agents are added to contact lenses using conventional methods, then comfort improvement is achieved, but the release is either trapped (insufficient release) or burst (uncontrolled release)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the contact lens material by incorporating cationic monomers or polymers that can form ionic complexes with anionic comfort agents. This parameter change enables controlled release kinetics, transforming the release profile from trapped or burst to sustained release over the wearing period.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite material system where cationic polymer chains are integrated into the contact lens matrix, forming ionic complexes with anionic comfort agents. This composite structure provides both the mechanical properties of the lens material and the controlled release functionality through ionic interactions.
2Duration of action of moving object
If anionic comfort agents are associated with cationic monomers or polymers, then sustained release is achieved, but the lens material complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the comfort agent delivery function with the lens material structure itself by incorporating cationic monomers or polymers into the lens matrix. This combining eliminates the need for separate delivery mechanisms and extends comfort duration through sustained release from the integrated ionic complexes.
3Ease of operation
If conventional comfort agents are used, then initial comfort is provided, but dryness and irritation return towards the end of the day
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves continuous comfort delivery through sustained release of anionic comfort agents from ionic complexes with cationic polymers. The release occurs continuously throughout the wearing period, preventing the return of dryness and irritation that occurs with conventional agents that provide only initial comfort.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The sustained release of anionic comfort agents improves lens comfort by providing extended relief from dryness and irritation, ensuring a more comfortable wearing experience.
Implementation Method 1
Incorporating anionic comfort agents with cationic monomers or polymers in contact lenses, utilizing interchain non-covalent interactions to achieve a sustained release of comfort agents
Implementation Method 2
the aqueous packaging solution has an osmolality of at least about 200 mOsm/kg
Data Source
AI summary
A packaging system for the storage of a contact lens comprising a sealed container containing an unused contact lens including one or more anionic comfort agents associated with a cationic monomer or a cationic polymer immersed in an aqueous packaging solution, wherein the aqueous packaging solution has an osmolality of at least about 200 mOsm/kg, a pH of about 6 to about 9 and is sterilized.