Ophthalmic device formed by additive fabrication and method thereof

• US 8,940,219 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2008
• Issued: 01/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Additive Ophthalmic Optics, LLC
• Original Assignee: David Martz, Norbert Politi, Ronald D. Spoor
• Inventors: Spoor, Ronald, Rastogi, Sanjay M., Henning, Charles P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Leonard, Michael L
• Application Number:
  US12/341,067
• Publication Number:
  US 20090326651A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,227 Days
• Field of Search: 264/496, 264/407, 264/497, 430/269, 427/410, 427/126, 623/5.11, 623/6.11
• US Class Current: 264/407
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/16 Intraocular lenses
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2240/001 Designing or manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 11/00038 Production of contact lenses
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 11/0073 Optical laminates
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 10/00 Processes of additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 2202/16 Laminated or compound lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/022 Ophthalmic lenses having special refractive features achieved by special materials or material structures G02C7/049 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/04 Contact lenses for the eyes disinfection or sterilisation of contact lenses A61L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/049 Contact lenses having special fitting or structural features achieved by special materials or material structures

Abstract

An ophthalmic device is formed by additive fabrication, the optical device having an optical surface with a surface roughness on the order of less than 10 microns. A method is provided for making an ophthalmic device including an optical surface having a surface roughness of less than 10 microns by depositing on a stage in a first relative position a first lamina of particulates having a size less than 10 microns and in select configurations less than two microns and certain configurations less than one micron, and, synergistically stimulating the first lamina of particulates to form a first solidified layer.

Claims

1. A method of making an ophthalmic device including an optical surface the method comprising:

a) depositing on a stage in a first relative position a first lamina formed of a plurality of ophthalmic device forming droplets having a size less than approximately ten microns, and the plurality of droplets selected to form a portion of the optical surface of the ophthalmic device in response to synergistic stimulation; and

,

b) synergistically stimulating the first lamina of droplets to form a first solidified layer, a portion of the first lamina forming a portion of the optical surface.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of depositing includes disposing a sacrificial material within the first lamina.

3. The method of making an ophthalmic device of claim 1 further comprising:

a) depositing a second lamina of droplets having a size less than approximately ten microns on the first lamina in a second relative position, the second lamina of droplets selected to form a portion of the ophthalmic device in response to synergistic stimulation; and

b) synergistically stimulating the second lamina of droplets to form a second solidified layer.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the ophthalmic device forming droplets in the depositing step include a monomeric liquid from a dispensing head.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of synergistically stimulating the first lamina of droplets includes curing the first lamina with UV radiation.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of depositing the first lamina includes depositing droplets having a size less than approximately ten microns in the first relative position, and wherein the step of depositing the second lamina includes depositing droplets having a size less than approximately ten microns in the second relative position.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of depositing the first lamina includes moving the stage relative to the dispensing head at a predetermined submicron distance to achieve the first relative position.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of depositing the second lamina includes moving the stage relative to the dispensing head at a predetermined submicron distance to achieve the second relative position.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of depositing the first lamina includes moving the dispensing head relative to the stage at a predetermined submicron distance to achieve the first relative position.

14. The method of claim 3, wherein a portion of the first lamina and a portion of the second lamina have the same composition.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the ophthalmic device is suitable for placement in or on an eye.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein a sacrificial material in the first lamina supports a portion of the second lamina.

10. A method of forming an ophthalmic device suitable for placement in or on an eye, the method comprising depositing by additive fabrication a plurality of bonded laminae, each lamina formed of a plurality droplets selected to form a portion of the ophthalmic device suitable for placement in or on an eye, in response to synergistic stimulation, at least a portion of one lamina defining a portion of an optical surface of the ophthalmic device.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising forming the bonded laminae to have a thickness of less than approximately 2 microns.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein a sacrificial material in a first lamina supports a portion of a second lamina.

12. A method of making an ophthalmic device including an optical surface, the method comprising;

a) depositing on a stage in a first relative position a first lamina formed of a plurality of droplets containing polymerizable hydrophilic, siloxy-containing monomonomeric liquid, the droplets having a size less than approximately ten microns, and the plurality of droplets selected to form a portion of the ophthalmic device in response to synergistic stimulation; and

,

b) synergistically stimulating the first lamina of droplets to form a first solidified layer, the in solidified layer forming a portion of the ophthalmic device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first lamina has a thickness less than approximately ten microns.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

a) depositing a second lamina of droplets on the first solidified layer, the second lamina of droplets selected to form a portion of the ophthalmic device in response to synergistic stimulation; and

,

b) synergistically stimulating the second lamina of to form a second solidified layer, the second solidified layer bonded to the first solidified layer.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the ophthalmic device is suitable for placement in or on an eye.