Hybrid contact lens system and method

Abstract

A hybrid contact lens comprises a central zone comprising a substantially rigid, gas permeable material having a DK of at least 30, a relatively soft peripheral zone and an intermediate zone comprising a film or coating that is created around the central zone, and then cured. The film facilitates chemical bonding between the central zone and the peripheral zone, and also provides a protective barrier to prevent modification of the physical characteristics of the central zone. The film may be created by soaking the central zone in a chemical solution for a predetermined amount of soaking time.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention generally relates to hybrid contact lenses, and more particularly to hybrid hard-soft contact lenses including a gas permeable central zone having a DK value of at least 30, an intermediate zone comprising a film or coating, and a relatively soft peripheral zone. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Vision correction is on the verge of a revolution. New technologies to measure the aberrations or distortions in the optics of the eye will soon be available to the public. These new wavefront measurement techniques such as Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensing or Talbot Interferometry can precisely measure the eye's aberrations so that vision may be corrected up to 20 / 10. Wavefront sensing is the method for rapidly, and very accurately, assessing the aberrations in an individual's eye to create a customized prescription for correction. [0003] However, once the eye's aberrations have been measured, either by conventional methods or by wavefron...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0013] Preferably, the step of treating the substantially rigid portion to form a coating comprises soaking the substantially rigid portion in a chemical solution containing methacrylate / acrylate monomers including methyl methacrylate, ethyl methacrylate, butyl methacrylate or hexylmethacrylate for a predetermined amount of time. A catalyst such as a UV activator may also be employed to promote the creation of the coating. Advantageously, the coating: (1) slows the penetration of chemical solution into substantially rigid portion; (2) facilitates chemical bonding between the substantially rigid center portion and the substantially flexible outer portion; and (3) prevents changing of the physical characteristics of the substantially rigid center portion.

[0023] Another aspect of the present invention involves a hybrid contact lens having a central zone, a first intermediate zone, a second intermediate zone and a peripheral zone. The first intermediate zone is a film that is created around the central zone and cured, whereas the second intermediate zone is a film that is created around the first intermediate zone and cured. Advantageously, the first and second intermediate zones facilitate chemical bonding between the central zone and the peripheral zone, and also prevent modification of the physical characteristics of the central zone. The central zone preferably comprises a substantially rigid, gas permeable material having a DK of at least 30.

Problems solved by technology

However, this is not the case with contact lenses.

Popular soft contact lenses cannot achieve the same result as spectacles or laser refractive surgery because of dimensional variations in fabrication.

Hard contact lenses, which may provide the platform to achieve the results of spectacles, are not as comfortable as soft contacts and lack the necessary positional stability on the eye.

One drawback associate with such hybrid hard-soft contact lenses concerns a lack of a smooth transition between the soft and hard portions.

Another drawback involves a lack of bonding strength between the soft and hard portions.

However, high and hyper DK materials (e.g., materials having a DK value of at least 30) that exhibit the requisite oxygen permeability are notoriously difficult materials to bond with the soft peripheral materials found in most hybrid contact lenses.

Astigmatism is a defect of the eye in which rays of light entering the eye fail to meet in a correct focal point after passing through the optical system, thereby resulting in a blurred and imperfect image.

Hybrid hard / soft contact lenses are also difficult to manufacture since the hard and soft materials are not easily bonded to produce a lens with acceptable boundaries.

Further, the known techniques for making hybrid lenses are not adaptable to the manufacture of a molded lens.

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