Red-Light Blocking Ophthalmic Devices for Stable Myopia Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ophthalmic devices, particularly contact lenses, fail to effectively prevent or slow myopia progression due to the leaching of red-light blocking dyes during sterilization or prolonged storage, leading to ineffective spectral filtering.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating red-light blocking compounds that block 5% to 25% of red-light transmission at wavelengths from 550 nm to 800 nm into the polymerization product of a monomeric mixture for ophthalmic devices, followed by swelling and deswelling processes to entrap the compounds within the device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If red-light blocking dyes are incorporated into contact lenses, then myopia progression can be slowed, but the dyes leach out during sterilization or storage causing loss of spectral filtering capability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates red-light blocking compounds directly into the polymerization product during manufacturing, before sterilization or storage. This preliminary incorporation ensures the compounds are integrated into the lens structure from the outset, preventing subsequent leaching and maintaining spectral filtering capability throughout the lens lifecycle.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials by combining red-light blocking compounds with the contact lens polymer matrix. This composite structure allows the blocking compounds to be entrapped within the lens material, preventing leaching while maintaining the desired optical filtering properties. The composite material approach ensures both structural integrity and functional performance.
2Reliability
If red-light blocking compounds are added to contact lenses, then myopia prevention is achieved, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the red-light blocking function with the base lens material by incorporating compounds into the polymerization product. This combining approach integrates multiple functions (structural support and spectral filtering) into a single manufacturing step, avoiding separate coating or doping processes that would increase complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the polymerization parameters to accommodate red-light blocking compounds during lens fabrication. By adjusting manufacturing parameters such as monomer composition, curing conditions, or incorporation methods, the patent achieves effective myopia prevention while maintaining a streamlined manufacturing process that doesn't require fundamentally new equipment or procedures.
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 method ensures sustained red-light blocking capability, effectively slowing, inhibiting, or preventing myopia progression by maintaining the spectral filtering properties of the ophthalmic devices over time.
Implementation Method 1
one or more red-light blocking compounds blocking greater than about 5% to about 25% of red-light transmission through the ophthalmic device at a wavelength of from about 550 nanometers (nm) to about 800 nm
Implementation Method 2
entrapped in a polymerization product of a monomeric mixture comprising one or more ophthalmic device-forming monomers
Data Source
AI summary
A method for preparing an ophthalmic device for slowing, inhibiting or preventing myopia progression involves (a) soaking an ophthalmic device in one or more first solvent solutions to swell the ophthalmic device; (b) soaking the swelled ophthalmic device in one or more second solvents solutions comprising one or more red-light blocking compounds blocking greater than about 5% to about 25% of red-light transmission through the ophthalmic device at a wavelength of from about 550 nanometers (nm) to about 800 nm to de-swell the swelled ophthalmic device and entrap the one or more red-light blocking compounds in the de-swelled ophthalmic device; and (c) sterilizing the de-swelled ophthalmic device.