Molded Ophthalmic Contact Lens with Integral Ring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ophthalmic lenses are costly to manufacture in high volumes and can cause side effects such as blurry vision and light hypersensitivity due to pupil dilation, and there is a risk of instrument contamination and cross-infection in the ophthalmic industry.
Innovation Solution
Molded ophthalmic lenses with an integral ring and aspheric shape, made from optically transparent materials like polymethylmethacrylate, that can be injection or compression molded for single-use applications, allowing for mass production and reduced contamination risk.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If ophthalmic lenses are machined and polished, then optical quality is improved, but manufacturing cost increases and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical machining and polishing system with an injection molding system. The lens is formed directly through injection molding into the final optical shape, eliminating the need for subsequent mechanical machining and polishing operations. This substitution enables high-volume production while maintaining optical quality through precise mold design and material selection.
2Reliability
If ophthalmic lenses are made for single-use, then contamination risk is reduced, but manufacturing cost per unit increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a disposable single-use lens system where each lens is designed for one-time use and then discarded. The injection molding process enables mass production of these disposable lenses at low cost, making the per-unit expense acceptable despite the lack of reuse. This approach eliminates the need for sterilization protocols and ensures complete contamination prevention.
3Illumination intensity
If pupil dilation is performed for examination, then visibility of interior eye structures is improved, but patient comfort deteriorates due to side effects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a lens design that provides adequate illumination and viewing capability without requiring complete or excessive pupil dilation. The aspheric lens geometry and optical design allow for effective fundus examination with partial dilation, thereby reducing the severity of side effects such as blurry vision and light hypersensitivity while still achieving sufficient visibility of interior eye structures.
Data Source
AI summary
Molded ophthalmic lenses with improved optical qualities can be manufactured at high volumes at low costs to provide single-use lenses. These ophthalmic lenses are contact lenses for examination or treatment of the interior of an eye, are formed of a moldable material, and have a ring portion integral with an optical and eye contacting portions. The ring portion extends from the main body and the ratio of the height of the ring portion to thickness of the lens is about 0.1 to 0.2. These features reduce production costs and improve the optical quality of the lens including allowing any debris, bubbles and the like that tend to adhere to the surface of the mold during the molding process to collect away from the optical centerline of the lens so as to improve the optical quality of the molded ophthalmic lens and minimizing shrinkage during the molding process.