System and method for modifying characteristics of a contact lens utilizing an ultra-short pulsed laser

• US 20090289382A1
• Filed: 05/22/2008
• Published: 11/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Raydiance, Inc. (Coherent Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Raydiance, Inc. (Coherent Corp.)
• Inventors: Lijana, Donald P., Spooner, Gregory J.R.
• Application Number:
  US12/154,642
• Publication Number:
  US 20090289382A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 264/1.370
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 11/00125 Auxiliary operations, e.g. removing oxygen from the mould, conveying moulds from a storage to the production line in an inert atmosphere
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 11/00461 Adjusting the refractive index, e.g. after implanting
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/04 Contact lenses for the eyes disinfection or sterilisation of contact lenses A61L12/00

Abstract

A system and method for modifying a characteristic of a contact lens is presented. A beam of ultra-short pulses is generated. The beam of ultra-short pulses is delivered to a desired location at the contact lens. A characteristic of the contact lens is modified at the desired location using the beam of ultra-short pulses.

Claims

1. A method for modifying a characteristic of a contact lens comprising:

generating a beam of ultra-short pulses;

delivering the beam of ultra-short pulses to a desired location at the contact lens; and

modifying a characteristic of the contact lens at the desired location using the beam of ultra-short pulses.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein modifying the characteristic comprises ablating a portion of the contact lens at the desired location.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein modifying the characteristic comprises damaging a portion of the contact lens at the desired location to create a damaged portion.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising removing the damaged portion of the contact lens.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the damaged portion is at a surface of the contact lens.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein the damaged portion is internal to the contact lens.

7. The method of claim 3 wherein the damaged portion is joined to a surface of the contact lens by a hole.

8. The method of claim 3 further comprising modifying a curvature of the contact lens using the damaged portion.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising moving the contact lens to a predetermined position relative to the beam of ultra-short pulses such that the beam of ultra-short pulses impinges the desired location.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising creating a feature in the contact lens at the desired location.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the feature is an essentially cylindrical perforation.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the feature is a blind-hole.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the feature comprises an array of essentially identical features.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the feature is configured to increase permeability of the contact lens without direct connection to a surface of the contact lens.

15. A system for modifying a characteristic of a contact lens comprising:

an ultra-short pulsed laser configured to generate a beam of ultra-short pulses to modify a characteristic of a contact lens;

a beam modulator configured to modulate the beam of ultra-short pulses; and

a control unit configured to control the ultra-short pulsed laser and the beam modulator.

16. The system of claim 15 further comprising a positioning stage configured to position the contact lens relative to the beam of ultra-short pulses.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the positioning stage is further configured to position in three spatial dimensions.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein the positioning stage is further configured to hold an array of contact lenses.

19. The system of claim 15 further comprising a beam steerer configured to steer the beam of ultra-short pulses.