Elastomeric Ocular Occluder for Glaucoma Drug Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current glaucoma treatments via topical eye drops face challenges such as poor penetration through the cornea, external side effects, and patient compliance issues due to difficulty in administration, necessitating a more effective delivery method for ophthalmic agents.
Innovation Solution
An elastomeric material is used to occlude venous blood flow in the episcleral vein, allowing for the direct administration of ophthalmic agents into the eye, which can include outflow increasing agents like ethacrynic acid, either alone or with viscoelastic agents like Healon, to enhance aqueous humor outflow and reduce intraocular pressure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If topical eye drops are used for glaucoma treatment, then the administration is non-invasive and easy to perform, but the medicaments have poor penetration through the cornea and cause external side effects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses an elastomeric occlusive material as an intermediary device placed over the eye to prevent tear drainage and enhance medicament retention. This intermediary mechanism allows topical drops to remain on the ocular surface longer, improving penetration through the cornea while maintaining the non-invasive nature of topical administration.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical parameters of the ocular surface environment by creating an occlusive barrier that alters tear film dynamics. This parameter change (increased residence time of medicament on the eye) enhances corneal penetration without requiring invasive procedures or changing the medicament formulation.
2Ease of operation
If topical eye drops are used for glaucoma treatment, then the administration is simple, but patients experience external irritation and redness as side effects
Solution Approach 1:
The elastomeric occlusive material serves as a mediator that controls the interaction between the medicament and the ocular surface. By regulating tear drainage and medicament distribution, it reduces excessive medicament contact with sensitive areas, thereby minimizing external irritation and redness while maintaining ease of administration.
3Productivity
If topical eye drops are used for glaucoma treatment, then the treatment can be administered frequently, but patients have difficulty complying due to administration difficulty
Solution Approach 1:
The occlusive material is designed to be self-retaining on the ocular surface, requiring minimal intervention for placement and removal. This self-service characteristic simplifies the administration process, making it easier for patients to comply with frequent dosing schedules while maintaining the ability to administer treatment multiple times daily.
4Reliability
If an elastomeric occlusive material is placed on the eye to enhance medicament delivery, then drug penetration and retention are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention employs a thin, flexible elastomeric occlusive material that can be easily conformed to the ocular surface. This thin-film approach provides effective medicament retention and enhanced penetration without introducing complex structural elements, maintaining simplicity while improving delivery effectiveness.
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
This method provides sustained and effective delivery of ophthalmic agents to the trabecular meshwork, potentially replacing topical administration, with reduced side effects and improved patient compliance, as demonstrated by significant reductions in intraocular pressure in animal models.
Implementation Method 1
an elastomeric material... wherein when the elastomeric material is placed upon the eye, the inner diameter portion is stretched to fit around the equator of the eye and, upon contraction, the venous blood flow within the episcleral vein of the eye is occluded
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides an elastomeric material for the delivery of an ophthalmic agent to the eye of a subject and methods of using such material.