Encapsulated Rigid Insert Astigmatism Contact Lens
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current contact lenses for astigmatism correction, whether rigid gas permeable or soft, face challenges in comfort and effectiveness, especially for severe astigmatism patients, as they either cause discomfort and are expensive or reduce effectiveness due to natural conformation to the eye shape.
Innovation Solution
An Ophthalmic Lens with a Rigid Insert that encapsulates a biocompatible material, featuring zones with varying materials and three-dimensional topography to mirror astigmatic characteristics, and a Stabilizing Feature for proper orientation, which can include mass and visual cues for easy placement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If rigid gas permeable contact lenses are used for astigmatism correction, then vision correction effectiveness is improved, but patient comfort deteriorates and cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The contact lens is segmented into two distinct parts: a rigid insert that provides the astigmatism correction functionality and a soft encapsulating lens that provides comfort. The rigid insert contains zones with different refractive powers to correct astigmatism, while the soft hydrogel material encapsulating it provides patient comfort through natural conformation to the eye shape.
Solution Approach 2:
The rigid insert is nested within the soft contact lens encapsulating material. The rigid insert is placed inside the mold cavity, and the soft hydrogel material is formed around it, creating a nested structure where the rigid corrective element is contained within the soft comfortable matrix.
2Ease of operation
If soft contact lenses are used for astigmatism correction, then patient comfort is improved, but vision correction effectiveness deteriorates due to natural conformation to eye shape
Solution Approach 1:
The contact lens is segmented into two distinct parts: a rigid insert that provides the astigmatism correction functionality and a soft encapsulating lens that provides comfort. The rigid insert contains zones with different refractive powers to correct astigmatism, while the soft hydrogel material encapsulating it provides patient comfort through natural conformation to the eye shape.
Solution Approach 2:
The contact lens uses composite materials combining rigid and soft properties. The rigid insert is made from rigid gas permeable material or other rigid materials, while the encapsulating lens is made from soft hydrogel material, creating a composite structure that exhibits both rigid corrective properties and soft comfortable properties.
3Reliability
If a rigid insert is encapsulated in biocompatible material, then vision correction for astigmatism is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The manufacturing process merges multiple functions into a single encapsulation step. The rigid insert with its multiple zones for astigmatism correction is placed in the mold cavity, and the biocompatible material is formed around it in one process, encapsulating the insert and creating the final lens structure simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The biocompatible encapsulating material serves multiple functions: it provides structural support for the rigid insert, ensures patient comfort through softness, allows proper oxygen permeability to the eye, and maintains the geometric configuration of the rigid insert. The single encapsulation process achieves all these functions simultaneously.
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 encapsulated Rigid Insert provides effective vision correction for astigmatism with improved comfort and reduced blurriness, addressing the limitations of existing solutions by maintaining the shape of the eye while correcting astigmatic vision.
Implementation Method 1
the biocompatible material may comprise a polymerized Reactive Monomer Mixture, including, for example, a hydrogel
Implementation Method 2
The three-dimensional topography may mirror the astigmatic characteristic of the eye
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention, as described above and as further defined by the claims below, provides methods for forming an Ophthalmic Lens that encapsulates a Rigid Insert, wherein the Rigid Insert may be tailored to correct specific astigmatic characteristics of an eye and apparatus for implementing such methods, as well as Ophthalmic Lenses formed with the Rigid Inserts.