Method for determining amount of medication in an implantable device

• US 5,178,635 A
• Filed: 05/04/1992
• Issued: 01/12/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Allergan, Inc. (Canada) (Abbvie Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Allergan, Inc. (Canada) (Abbvie Incorporated)
• Inventors: Gwon, Arlene E., Meadows, David
• Primary Examiner(s): SHAY, RANDY CITRIN
• Application Number:
  US07/878,034
• Time in Patent Office: 253 Days
• Field of Search: 623/4, 604/890.1, 604/891.1, 604/892.2, 604/893, 604/894, 424/7.1, 424/9, 424/422, 424/423, 424/424, 424/427, 514/912, 356/317, 356/318, 356/417, 250/302, 250/458.1, 250/459.1, 250/461.1
• US Class Current: 623/4.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/0017 implantable in, or in contact with, the eye, e.g. ocular inserts
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/0051 Ocular inserts, ocular implants
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 31/002 Devices for releasing a drug at a continuous and controlled rate for a prolonged period of time artificial gland structures or devices A61F2/022; intra-uterine contraceptive devices A61F6/14; tampons for introducing into the vagina A61F13/20, A61L15/00; suppositories or bougies for intra-vaginal or intra-uterine application A61K9/02; physical forms of medicinal preparations for sustained or differential drug release A61K9/20, A61K9/50

Abstract

A system for providing controlled release of an active agent in an eye includes a device with a shape thereof for enabling placement of the device under a conjunctiva of an eye and additionally preventing migration of the device in the eye after placement of the device under the conjunctiva. The device may be formed of a material permeable to the passage of an agent disposed in said device. In addition, a tracer may be incorporated in the device to enable visual indication of the amount of active agent in said device when said device is disposed under the conjunctiva. To selectively treat specific areas of the eye, an impermeable layer may be provided for preventing diffusion of the active agent from a selected area of the device.

Claims

1. A method for determining an amount of medication in a device, said method comprising the steps of:

disposing a device having means for visibly indicating the amount of medication therein beneath a tissue layer of a subject; and

visually observing the indicated amount of medication in the device through the tissue layer.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the step of disposing the device beneath a tissue layer comprises placing of the device under a conjunctiva of an eye.

3. The method according to claim 2 wherein the step of visually observing an indicated amount of medication comprises illuminating the device through the tissue layer in order to visually observe the indicated amount of medication.

4. The method according to claim 3 wherein the step of visually observing an indicated amount of medication comprises illuminating the device through the tissue layer with ultraviolet light in order to observe the indicated amount of medication.