Therapeutic device for pain management and vision

• US 10,555,804 B2
• Filed: 03/09/2018
• Issued: 02/11/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Journey1, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Journey1, Inc.
• Inventors: De Juan, Jr., Eugene, Reich, Cary J., Boyd, Stephen, Alster, Yair, Sierra, David, Gifford, Hanson S., Alejandro, Jose D., Lindstrom, Richard L., MacFarlane, K. Angela, Sutton, Douglas, Scholl, John Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Willse, David H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shipmon, Tiffany P
• Application Number:
  US15/917,071
• Publication Number:
  US 20180193133A1
• Time in Patent Office: 704 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/14 Eye parts, e.g. lenses, corneal implants; Implanting instruments specially adapted therefor; Artificial eyes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/142 Cornea, e.g. artificial corneae, keratoprostheses or corneal implants for repair of defective corneal tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0067 Means for introducing or releasing pharmaceutical products into the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00 Methods or devices for treatment of the eyes; Devices for putting-in contact lenses; Devices to correct squinting; Apparatus to guide the blind; Protective devices for the eyes, carried on the body or in the hand caps with means for protecting the eyes A42B1/018; visors for helmets A42B3/22; retractors A61B17/02; manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; appliances to aid invalids to move about A61H3/00; exercisers for the eyes A61H5/00; eye baths A61H35/02; sunglasses or goggles having the same features as spectacles G02C
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 27/02 Ophthalmic agents
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 29/00 Non-central analgesic, antipyretic or antiinflammatory agents, e.g. antirheumatic agents; Non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs [NSAID]
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 31/00 Antiinfectives, i.e. antibiotics, antiseptics, chemotherapeutics
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/047 Contact lens fitting; Contact lenses for orthokeratology; Contact lenses for specially shaped corneae

Abstract

A therapeutic lens for the treatment of an epithelial defect comprises a layer of therapeutic material disposed over the stroma and/or Bowman'"'"'s membrane to inhibit water flow from the tear liquid to the stroma and/or Bowman'"'"'s membrane, such that corneal deturgescence can be restored to decrease corneal swelling and light scattering. The layer may cover and protect nerve fibers to decrease pain. The layer may comprise an index of refraction to inhibit light scatter from an anterior surface of the stroma and/or Bowman'"'"'s membrane. The lens may comprise a curved anterior surface that provides functional vision for the patient when the epithelium regenerates. The layer of therapeutic material can be positioned on the eye in many ways, for example with a spray that is cured to adhere the layer to the exposed surface of the stroma and/or Bowman'"'"'s membrane.

Claims

1. A covering to treat a cornea of an eye of a patient, said cornea comprising an epithelium, and said covering comprising:

an inner portion comprising an inner rigidity, an inner thickness, and an inner durometer; and

an outer portion comprising an outer rigidity,

wherein said inner rigidity is greater than said outer rigidity,

wherein said inner durometer is within a range of Shore 20A to Shore 70A, and

wherein said covering, when applied to said cornea, is configured to adhere to said cornea to reduce swelling of said cornea.

2. The covering of claim 1, wherein said covering is configured to be applied to said cornea when a speculum is positioned against an eyelid of said eye.

3. The covering of claim 2, wherein said cornea comprises a dried portion, wherein a portion of said covering is configured to adhere to said dried portion of said cornea, and wherein said portion of said covering comprises a less than physiological amount of hydration.

4. The covering of claim 1, wherein said cornea comprises an ablation profile and wherein said covering is configured to conform to said ablation profile when adhered to said cornea.

5. The covering of claim 1, wherein said covering comprises a laser-ablateable material.

6. The covering of claim 1, wherein said covering is configured to form a seal between said cornea and at least a portion of said covering to decrease water flow into said cornea.

7. The covering of claim 1, further comprising an outer periphery configured to allow said epithelium to grow over at least a portion of said outer periphery.

8. The covering of claim 7, wherein said epithelium is disposed under said outer periphery when said epithelium grows over said at least portion of said outer periphery.

9. The covering of claim 1, wherein said covering is configured to be placed on said cornea over an epithelial defect of said epithelium.

10. The covering of claim 9, wherein said covering is configured to be removed from said cornea when said epithelial defect is healed.

11. The covering of claim 10, wherein said covering is configured to separate from said cornea and from said epithelium when said covering is removed from said cornea.

12. The covering of claim 11, wherein said covering is configured to loosen from said epithelium when water is provided to said eye.

13. The covering of claim 1, wherein said covering comprises a hydrophobic lower surface configured to inhibit sliding of said covering on said cornea.

14. The covering of claim 6, wherein said covering comprises a substantially water impermeable material configured to deturgesce or inhibit swelling of said cornea when said seal is formed.

15. The covering of claim 6, wherein said cornea comprises an epithelial defect and wherein said covering comprises a lower surface or a lower material configured to suck down against a stroma of said cornea and to adhere to said stroma when said seal is formed.

16. The covering of claim 15, wherein said lower surface or said lower material is configured to adhere substantially less to said epithelium than to said stroma.

17. The covering of claim 1, wherein said covering comprises a substantially oxygen permeable material.

18. The covering of claim 17, wherein said lower surface or said lower material comprises a radius of curvature corresponding to a radius of curvature of said cornea.

19. The covering of claim 1, wherein said covering comprises an optical power within a range from about −

5 Diopters (D) to about +5 D.

20. The covering of claim 1, wherein said covering comprises an optical power within a range from about −

1 D to about +1 D.

21. The covering of claim 6, wherein said cornea comprises an epithelial defect and an ablated stroma, said ablated stroma having been subjected to photorefractive PRK, and wherein said covering is configured to form said seal over an unablated region of said epithelium.

22. The covering of claim 21, wherein said covering comprises a surface or a material configured to inhibit water flow through said covering and to deturgesce said cornea when said seal is formed.

23. The covering of claim 22, wherein said inner portion comprises a hydrophilic surface configured to adhere said covering to said ablated stroma when said seal is formed and to release said covering from said epithelium when said epithelium regenerates and covers said epithelial defect.

24. The covering of claim 1, wherein said inner thickness is within a range from 5 micrometers (μ

m) to 200 μ

m.

25. The covering of claim 1, wherein the covering comprises a therapeutic lens.