Corneal reshaping apparatus and method
The present invention includes systems and methods for improving vision by reshaping the cornea of an eye. The systems and methods include two or more contact lenses configured to be at least temporarily worn on the cornea at the same time, and to exert force on the cornea to change its shape. After the shape of the cornea has been appropriately changed, a contact lens with the appropriate configuration may be worn as needed to maintain the new shape of the cornea.
1. A system to reshape the cornea of an eye, comprising:
a first contact lens; and
a second contact lens, wherein:
said first contact lens and said second contact lens are configured to reshape the cornea while being worn simultaneously on the eye,
said second contact lens is configured to be worn independently on the eye, and
said first contact lens is more rigid than said second contact lens.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein said first contact lens is a rigid contact lens.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein said second contact lens is a soft contact lens.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein said first contact lens is configured to exert varying degrees of pressure on different areas of the cornea when worn.
5. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a third contact lens configured to be worn simultaneously with said first contact lens and said second contact lens.
6. The system of claim 5 , wherein said third contact lens is one of a soft contact lens and a rigid contact lens.
7. The system of claim 5 , wherein said first contact lens is configured to be worn between said second contact lens and said third contact lens.
8. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
at least two additional contact lenses, wherein each contact lens is configured to be worn simultaneously with each other, said first contact lens, and said second contact lens.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein said second contact lens is configured to at least partially contact the cornea and said first contact lens is configured to at least partially piggyback said second contact lens.
10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a third contact lens configured to be worn on the eye after the cornea has been at least partially reshaped by said first contact lens and said second contact lens to at least increase an amount of time the cornea remains reshaped.
11. The system of claim 10 , wherein said third contact lens is one of a soft contact lens and a rigid contact lens.
12. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of said first contact lens and said second contact lens is configured to yield a corrective power.
13. A method to at least temporarily improve vision comprising the step of:
reshaping at least a portion of a cornea of an eye to form a new shape utilizing at least a first contact lens, and a second contact lens configured to be worn independently on an eye:
wherein said first contact lens and said second contact lens are configured to reshape the cornea while being worn simultaneously; and
wherein said first contact lens is more rigid than said second contact lens.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the reshaping step comprises the step of:
placing said first contact lens and said second contact lens on at least said portion of the cornea.
15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising the step of:
exerting force on said portion of the cornea utilizing a third contact lens configured to at least temporarily maintain said new shape of said portion of the cornea.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein said exerting force step comprises the step of:
placing said third contact lens on at least said portion of the cornea.