Eye-medicating haptic
First Claim
1. As an article of manufacture adapted for self-adherent removable mounting to the cornea of an eye, an eye-medicating haptic comprising an annular body of flexible sheet material having a central opening sized to span a fully dilated pupil, said body being (1) substantially fenestrated throughout the annular area thereof and (2) of such compliant action as to deform in continuous smooth conformance to the surface curvature of the cornea and to adhere thereto solely through contact with natural moisture of the surface of the cornea, the material of said haptic being characterized by a plurality of medicament pockets, whereby said body is adapted to carry medication releasable on contact with such moisture.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention contemplates eye-medicating haptic constructions which are fenestrated and provide the vehicle for eye medication. The haptic structure is initially flat but axially flexible as to be self-adapting to the surface of the cornea and to be self-retaining of its position, via moisture at the surface of the cornea. Medication carried by the haptic is made available to the surface of the cornea by mild pumping action of haptic structure on corneal fluid, the medication being drawn from storage in the haptic, by the wash of liquid involved in the pump action.
48 Citations
23 Claims
- 1. As an article of manufacture adapted for self-adherent removable mounting to the cornea of an eye, an eye-medicating haptic comprising an annular body of flexible sheet material having a central opening sized to span a fully dilated pupil, said body being (1) substantially fenestrated throughout the annular area thereof and (2) of such compliant action as to deform in continuous smooth conformance to the surface curvature of the cornea and to adhere thereto solely through contact with natural moisture of the surface of the cornea, the material of said haptic being characterized by a plurality of medicament pockets, whereby said body is adapted to carry medication releasable on contact with such moisture.
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11. As an article of manufacture adapted for self-adherent removable mounting to the cornea of an eye, an eye-medicating haptic comprising an annular body of flexible sheet material having a central opening sized to span a fully dilated pupil, said body being (1) substantially fenestrated throughout the annular area thereof and (2) of such compliant action as to deform in continuous smooth conformance to the surface curvature of the cornea and to adhere thereto solely through contact with natural moisture of the surface of the cornea, said body carrying medication releasable on contact with such moisture, and said body comprising a continuous narrow strip of radial undulations as a function of circumferential progression around the central opening.
- 17. As an article of manufacture adapted for self-adherent removable mounting to the cornea of an eye, an eye-medicating haptic comprising an annular body of sheet material having a central opening sized to span a fully dilated pupil, said body being (1) substantially fenestrated throughout the annular area thereof and (2) of such compliant action as to deform in continuous smooth conformance to the surface curvature of the cornea and to adhere thereto solely through contact with natural moisture of the surface of the cornea, said sheet material comprising at least two thin laminated sheets, one of which is foraminous, whereby the foraminated side defines pockets to releasably retain medication.
- 21. As an article of manufacture adapted for self-adherent removable mounting to the cornea of an eye, an eye-medicating generally circular patch of transparent flexible sheet material said patch being substantially fenestrated throughout an outer annular area thereof, said outer annular area being radially outside a central circular area substantially conforming to the diameter of a fully dilated pupil, and said patch being of such compliant action as to deform in continuous smooth contact with the surface curvature of the cornea and to adhere thereto solely through contact with natural moisture of the surface of the cornea said material being characterized by a distributed plurality of medicament pockets, whereby said patch is adapted to carry medication releasable on contact with such moisture.
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23. As an article of manufacture adapted for self-adherent removable mounting to the cornea of an eye, an eye-medicating haptic comprising an annular body of flexible sheet material having a central opening sized to span a fully dilated pupil, said body being (1) substantially fenestrated throughout the annular area thereof and (2) of such compliant action as to deform in continuous smooth conformance to the surface curvature of the cornea and to adhere thereto solely through contact with natural moisture of the surface of the cornea, said body carrying medication releasable on contact with such moisture.
Specification