Conformable therapeutic shield for vision and pain

• US 10,663,761 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2017
• Issued: 05/26/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Journey1, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Journey1, Inc.
• Inventors: De Juan, Jr., Eugene, Reich, Cary J., Alster, Yair, MacFarlane, K. Angela, Rimer, Doug, Sutton, Douglas, Carson, Dean, Barragan, Enrique, Clarke, Matt, Tuan, Ashley, Levy, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Hasan, Mohammed A
• Application Number:
  US15/695,889
• Publication Number:
  US 20180011341A1
• Time in Patent Office: 994 Days
• Field of Search: 351207
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/124 specially adapted for the eyes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/145 Corneal inlays, onlays, or lenses for refractive correction
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/147 Implants to be inserted in the stroma for refractive correction, e.g. ring-like implants
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2009/00853 Laser thermal keratoplasty or radial keratotomy
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2009/00893 Keratoconus
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0029 differing in bending or flexure capacity
• 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: A61F 9/0017 implantable in, or in contact with, the eye, e.g. ocular inserts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/008 using laser
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00802 for photoablation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00804 Refractive treatments
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/013 Instruments for compensation of ocular refraction A61F9/008 takes precedence; Instruments for use in cornea removal, for reshaping or performing incisions in the cornea
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/0136 Mechanical markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/04 Eye-masks ; Devices to be worn on the face, not intended for looking through; Eye-pads for sunbathing eye-bandages A61F13/12; protective face-masks A41D13/11; protectors for shampooing A45D
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2430/16 for reconstruction of eye parts, e.g. intraocular lens, cornea
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/18 obtained otherwise than by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 83/04 Polysiloxanes
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 2202/06 Special ophthalmologic or optometric aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/047 Contact lens fitting; Contact lenses for orthokeratology; Contact lenses for specially shaped corneae
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/048 Means for stabilising the orientation of lenses in the eye
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/049 : Contact lenses having special fitting or structural features achieved by special materials or material structures

Abstract

A conformable covering comprises an outer portion with rigidity to resist movement on the cornea and an inner portion to contact the cornea and provide an environment for epithelial regeneration. The inner portion of the covering can be configured in many ways so as to conform at least partially to an ablated stromal surface so as to correct vision. The conformable inner portion may have at least some rigidity so as to smooth the epithelium such that the epithelium regenerates rapidly and is guided with the covering so as to form a smooth layer for vision. The inner portion may comprise an amount of rigidity within a range from about 1×10−4 Pa*m3 to about 5×10−4 Pa*m3 so as to deflect and conform at least partially to the ablated cornea and smooth an inner portion of the ablation with an amount of pressure when deflected.

Claims

1. A covering to treat an eye of a patient, wherein,

the eye comprises a cornea, an ablated stroma, and an epithelium, wherein the epithelium comprises an inner portion comprising irregularities characterized by an irregularity profile and an outer portion;

the covering comprises a conformable inner portion comprising an upper surface profile;

the covering comprises an outer portion configured to adhere to the outer portion of the epithelium; and

the upper surface profile corresponds to a profile of the ablated stroma and is configured to smooth the irregularities when the outer portion of the covering adheres to the outer portion of the epithelium,

wherein the irregularities comprise high spatial frequencies and the conformable inner portion is configured to smooth the high spatial frequencies, and

wherein the high spatial frequencies correspond to frequencies greater than 0.17 cycles/mm.

2. The covering of claim 1, wherein,

the irregularity profile comprises spatial frequencies;

the upper surface profile comprises spatial frequencies; and

the upper surface profile spatial frequencies are lower than the spatial frequencies of the irregularity profile.

3. The covering of claim 1, wherein the conformable inner portion comprises a stretchable material configured to stretch across the irregularities of the epithelium and to smooth the irregularities transferred from the irregularity profile in contact with the lower surface to the upper surface profile when the outer portion of the covering is adhered to the outer portion of the epithelium.

4. The covering of claim 1, wherein the conformable inner portion comprises a stretchable material having a thickness profile configured to smooth the irregularities of the epithelium when the covering is positioned on the cornea.

5. The covering of claim 1, wherein the inner portion comprises a compressible material to conform to the irregularities of the epithelium with a lower surface and smooth irregularities transferred from the irregularity profile in contact with the lower surface to the upper surface profile when the outer portion is adhered to the epithelium.

6. The covering of claim 1, wherein the covering comprises a material having a modulus within a range from 4 MPa to 20 MPa.

7. The covering of claim 1, wherein the covering comprises a material selected from a silicone hydrogel, silicone, and a combination thereof.

8. The covering of claim 1, wherein the inner portion of the covering comprises an optical power that is from 1D to 2.5D less than the optical power of the ablated stroma.

9. A covering to treat an eye of a patient, wherein,

the eye comprises a cornea, an ablated stroma, and an epithelium, wherein the epithelium comprises an inner portion comprising irregularities characterized by an irregularity profile and an outer portion;

the covering comprises a conformable inner portion comprising an upper surface profile;

the covering comprises an outer portion configured to adhere to the outer portion of the epithelium; and

the upper surface profile corresponds to a profile of the ablated stroma and is configured to smooth the irregularities when the outer portion of the covering adheres to the outer portion of the epithelium,

wherein the inner portion of the covering comprises an optical power that is from 1D to 2.5D less than the optical power of the ablated stroma.

10. The covering of claim 9, wherein,

the irregularity profile comprises spatial frequencies;

the upper surface profile comprises spatial frequencies; and

the upper surface profile spatial frequencies are lower than the spatial frequencies of the irregularity profile.

11. The covering of claim 9, wherein the conformable inner portion comprises a stretchable material configured to stretch across the irregularities of the epithelium and to smooth the irregularities transferred from the irregularity profile in contact with the lower surface to the upper surface profile when the outer portion of the covering is adhered to the outer portion of the epithelium.

12. The covering of claim 9, wherein the conformable inner portion comprises a stretchable material having a thickness profile configured to smooth the irregularities of the epithelium when the covering is positioned on the cornea.

13. The covering of claim 9, wherein the inner portion comprises a compressible material to conform to the irregularities of the epithelium with a lower surface and smooth irregularities transferred from the irregularity profile in contact with the lower surface to the upper surface profile when the outer portion is adhered to the epithelium.

14. The covering of claim 9, wherein the covering comprises a material having a modulus within a range from 4 MPa to 20 MPa.

15. The covering of claim 9, wherein the covering comprises a material selected from a silicone hydrogel, silicone, and a combination thereof.

16. The covering of claim 9, wherein the irregularities comprise high spatial frequencies and the conformable inner portion is configured to smooth the high spatial frequencies.