Temperature-Responsive Polymer for Reversible Ocular Tension Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current treatments for ocular hypotension lack effective ocular tension increasing agents, and existing methods like injecting resin beads into the aqueous humor are irreversible, making it difficult to control ocular tension once it increases.
Innovation Solution
A pharmaceutical composition containing a temperature-responsive polymer, specifically an oxazoline polymer, is administered to the eyeball, which can increase ocular tension by aggregating at body temperature and be reversed by cooling, allowing for controlled ocular tension management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stress or pressure
If resin beads are injected into aqueous humor to block the outlet, then ocular tension increases, but the blockage is irreversible and cannot be removed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a temperature-responsive polymer that dynamically changes its physical state based on temperature. At body temperature, the polymer aggregates to block aqueous humor drainage and increase ocular tension. When cooled, the polymer dissolves and the blockage is removed, allowing reversible control of ocular tension without permanent structural modification.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes temperature as a controllable parameter to switch the polymer between aggregated and dissolved states. By changing the temperature parameter, the system can reversibly alter the polymer's ability to block drainage, enabling flexible adjustment of ocular tension levels without permanent commitment to a blocked state.
2Reliability
If ocular tension is increased to treat ocular hypotension, then vision disorders are prevented, but excessive increase cannot be controlled
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where temperature control provides real-time adjustment capability. By monitoring ocular tension and adjusting temperature accordingly, the system can maintain ocular tension within a safe range, preventing both insufficient treatment and excessive increase that could cause harm.
3Reliability
If conventional treatments are used to increase ocular tension, then ocular hypotension is treated, but the treatments are irreversible and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical or surgical interventions (such as resin bead injection requiring precise positioning and permanent blockage) with a chemical solution based on temperature-responsive polymer. This substitution simplifies the treatment procedure while maintaining effectiveness, as the polymer can be administered in a solution form and controlled through temperature changes rather than complex mechanical placement.
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 temperature-responsive polymer effectively increases ocular tension by blocking aqueous humor drainage and can be reversed by cooling, providing a reversible and controlled method to treat ocular hypotension.
Implementation Method 1
The temperature responsive polymer aggregates at the temperature of intraocular circulating fluid present in the ocular tissue of a subject
Implementation Method 2
The temperature responsive polymer may be linearized (more specifically, solubilized) as the temperature of the intraocular circulating fluid is decreased
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure provides an ocular tension increasing agent containing a temperature responsive polymer. Ocular tension can be increased by administering an ocular tension increasing agent according to the present invention to a predetermined region of an eye and ocular tension can be controlled, if necessary, by temperature.