Contact lenses and methods for reducing conjunctival pressure in contact lens wearers
View Patent ↗Contact lenses, such as silicone hydrogel contact lenses, which are effective in reducing conjunctival pressure, and conjunctival epithelial flap formation or occurrence of a lens wearer's eye, and methods of reducing conjunctival pressure by a contact lens and/or formation of conjunctival epithelial flap formation are described. The present contact lenses reduce the interaction and/or pressure of the contact lens, or portion thereof, with or on the conjunctiva of a lens wearer's eye.
1. A contact lens, comprising:
a lens body comprising a design wherein a conjunctival pressure is reduced and the lens body is effective in reducing conjunctival epithelial flap occurrence.
2. The lens of claim 1 , wherein the lens body comprises a silicone hydrogel material.
3. The lens of claim 1 which is a spheric or aspheric contact lens.
4. The lens of claim 1 which is a rotationally stabilized contact lens.
5. The lens of claim 1 which is a toric contact lens.
6. The lens of claim 1 , wherein the lens body comprises a substantially uniform horizontal thickness.
7. The lens of claim 1 , wherein the lens body comprises a peripheral edge region comprising a rounded edge surface.
8. The lens of claim 1 , wherein the lens body has a sagittal depth effective in reducing the conjunctival pressure.
9. The lens of claim 1 , wherein the lens body comprises a posterior surface having a bicurve surface.
10. The lens of claim 1 , wherein the lens body comprises a peripheral edge having a contact area effective in reducing the conjunctival pressure.
11. The lens of claim 10 , wherein the lens body comprises channels located near the lens edge.
12. The lens of claim 1 , wherein the lens body comprises channels located near the lens edge.
13. A contact lens, comprising:
a lens body comprising a design wherein a conjunctival pressure is reduced and the lens body comprises a peripheral edge region having a greater flexibility than a more central region of the lens body.
14. The lens of claim 13 , wherein the lens body comprises a silicone hydrogel material.
15. The lens of claim 13 , wherein the lens body is effective in reducing conjunctival epithelial flap occurrence.
16. The lens of claim 13 which is a spheric or aspheric contact lens.
17. The lens of claim 13 which is a rotationally stabilized contact lens.
18. The lens of claim 13 which is a toric contact lens.
19. The lens of claim 13 , wherein the lens body comprises a substantially uniform horizontal thickness.
20. The lens of claim 13 , wherein the lens body comprises a peripheral edge region comprising a rounded edge surface.
21. The lens of claim 13 , wherein the lens body has a reduced sagittal depth effective in reducing the conjunctival pressure.
22. The lens of claim 13 , wherein the lens body comprises a posterior surface having a bicurve surface.
23. The lens of claim 13 , wherein the lens body comprises a peripheral edge having a contact area effective in reducing the conjunctival pressure.
24. A contact lens, comprising:
a lens body comprising a design wherein a conjunctival pressure is reduced and the lens body is a spherical silicone hydrogel lens body comprising a peripheral edge with a rounded posterior edge surface, a modulus no greater than 1.5 MPa, and a sagittal depth less than 3.65 mm.
25. A contact lens, comprising:
a lens body comprising a design wherein a conjunctival pressure is reduced and the lens body is a spherical silicone hydrogel lens body comprising a non-rounded peripheral edge, an oxygen permeability greater than 120 barrers, a modulus greater than 1.1 MPa, and a sagittal depth less than 3.5 mm.
26. A contact lens, comprising:
a lens body comprising a design wherein a conjunctival pressure is reduced and the lens body is a spherical silicone hydrogel lens body comprising a non-rounded peripheral edge, an oxygen permeability from about 70 barrers to about 120 barrers, a modulus from about 0.4 MPa to about 1.1 MPa, and a sagittal depth less than 3.8 mm.
27. A contact lens, comprising:
a lens body comprising a design wherein a conjunctival pressure is reduced and the lens body is a spherical silicone hydrogel lens body comprising a non-rounded peripheral edge, an oxygen permeability less than 70 barrers, a modulus no greater than 1.5 MPa, and a sagittal depth less than 3.7 mm.
28. A contact lens, comprising:
a lens body comprising a design wherein a conjunctival pressure is reduced and the lens body is a spherical silicone hydrogel lens body comprising a bicurved posterior surface, a peripheral edge, and a half chord diameter less than 1.5 mm measured from the peripheral edge.
29. A contact lens, comprising:
a lens body comprising a design wherein a conjunctival pressure is reduced and the lens body is an aspherical silicone hydrogel lens body comprising a peripheral edge with a rounded peripheral edge surface, and a sagittal depth less than 3.65 mm.
30. A method of producing a contact lens, comprising designing the lens to have a reduced conjunctival pressure and to be effective in reducing conjunctival epithelial flap occurrence.