Multicomponent Gas-Permeable Contact Lens for Oxygenation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional optical devices worn on the eye, such as contact lenses and spectacles, often struggle to incorporate multiple optical components while ensuring adequate oxygenation of the corneal tissue, as they may not be compatible with gas-permeable materials that facilitate necessary oxygen transmission.
Innovation Solution
The development of multicomponent optical devices featuring a first posterior component, a posterior support component, and an anterior component, with gas-permeable materials and a configured space for gas exchange, allowing for modular incorporation of optical features and sufficient oxygenation through 3D printing and additive processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple optical components are incorporated into a wearable lens, then the functionality and versatility of the device are improved, but the lens thickness increases beyond what can be accommodated while providing adequate oxygen supply to corneal tissue
Solution Approach 1:
The wearable optical device is divided into multiple separate components including a first component with a first optical element, a second component with a second optical element, and a third component with a third optical element. Each component can be independently designed and manufactured, allowing for modular assembly that reduces overall thickness while maintaining multiple optical functionalities.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple optical components are nested within each other in a layered configuration, where the first component, second component, and third component are positioned at different depths along the optical axis. This nesting arrangement allows multiple optical elements to coexist in a compact space, providing diverse functionality without proportionally increasing overall device thickness.
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional optical materials are used in wearable lenses, then manufacturing is simplified, but adequate oxygen transmission to corneal tissue cannot be ensured
Solution Approach 1:
The optical components are constructed using composite material structures that combine materials with different properties. The first component, second component, and third component each utilize composite materials that balance optical clarity, gas permeability, and manufacturability. This allows conventional manufacturing techniques to be applied while achieving the required oxygen transmission levels for corneal health.
Solution Approach 2:
At least one of the optical components incorporates porous material structures that enhance gas permeability while maintaining optical properties. The porous architecture allows oxygen to diffuse through the lens material more effectively, ensuring adequate oxygen supply to corneal tissue without compromising the ease of manufacture through established porous material fabrication techniques.
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
These devices enable the integration of various optical components while ensuring adequate oxygenation of the corneal tissue, facilitating gas exchange between the device and the atmosphere, and supporting the application of optical features like language translation and object recognition capabilities.
Implementation Method 1
The first posterior component and the anterior skirt can comprise a gas-permeable optical material
Implementation Method 2
The configuration of the space, the gas-permeable optical materials, and other features of the multicomponent optical device can facilitate gas exchange through the device that is sufficient, for example, to permit oxygenation of the corneal tissue of an eye
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates generally to multicomponent optical devices having a space within the device. In various embodiments, an optical device comprises a first posterior component having an anterior surface, a posterior support component, and an anterior component having a posterior surface. An optical device can also comprise an anterior skirt. The first posterior component and the anterior skirt can comprise gas-permeable optical materials. An optical device also comprises a primary space between the posterior surface and the anterior surface, with the primary space configured to permit diffusion of a gas from a perimeter of the primary space through the space and across the anterior surface of the first posterior component. A method of forming a multicomponent optical device having a space is also provided. Multicomponent optical devices comprise contact lenses and/or spectacles, alone or in combination, that provide for the ability to translate languages by visual and/or audio means and/or may be able to recognize locations, objects, shapes and the like and provide an audio or visual description of the object to a user of the multicomponent optical device.