The marked contact lens has at least one microlens optical marking element integrally formed on the surface of the contact lens in a peripheral area thereof. The microlens marking elements are of shallow depth, yet focus light to appear as relatively bright (or dark) marking objects. The marking elements may be spherical or cylindrical microlens formations. The dimensions of the microlenses are chosen so as to avoid any irritation when worn by the user. The marking objects identify the lens source, proper orientation or, in the case of soft lenses, inversion.
|
20. A marked lens comprising at least one microlens optical marking element integrally formed on a surface of said lens in a non-image forming area thereof.
1. A marked contact lens comprising at least one microlens optical marking element integrally formed on a surface of said contact lens in a peripheral area thereof.
14. A method of manufacturing a marked contact lens comprising the steps of:
forming at least one microformation in a contact lens manufacturing mold for integrally forming a microlens optical marking element; and molding a lens in said mold to obtain said marked contact lens.
2. The contact lens as claimed in
3. The contact lens as claimed in
4. The contact lens as claimed in
5. The contact lens as claimed in
6. The contact lens as claimed in
7. The contact lens as claimed in
8. The contact lens as claimed in
9. The contact lens as claimed in
10. The contact lens as claimed in
11. The contact lens as claimed in
12. The contact lens as claimed in
13. The contact lens as claimed in
15. The method as claimed in
16. The method as claimed in
17. The method as claimed in
18. The method as claimed in
19. The method as claimed in
21. The contact lens as claimed in
22. The contact lens as claimed in
23. The contact lens as claimed in
24. The contact lens as claimed in
25. The contact lens as claimed in
26. The contact lens as claimed in
27. The contact lens as claimed in
28. The contact lens as claimed in
29. The contact lens as claimed in
30. The contact lens as claimed in
31. The contact lens as claimed in
32. The contact lens as claimed in
33. The contact lens as claimed in
34. The contact lens as claimed in
35. The contact lens as claimed in
36. The contact lens as claimed in
37. The contact lens as claimed in
38. The contact lens as claimed in
39. The contact lens as claimed in
40. The contact lens as claimed in
41. The contact lens as claimed in
42. The contact lens as claimed in
43. The contact lens as claimed in
44. The contact lens as claimed in
45. The contact lens as claimed in
46. The contact lens as claimed in
47. The contact lens as claimed in
48. The contact lens as claimed in
49. The contact lens as claimed in
50. The contact lens as claimed in
51. The contact lens as claimed in
52. The contact lens as claimed in
53. The contact lens as claimed in
54. The contact lens as claimed in
55. The contact lens as claimed in
56. The contact lens as claimed in
57. The contact lens as claimed in
58. The method as claimed in
59. The method as claimed in
60. The method as claimed in
61. The method as claimed in
62. The method as claimed in
63. The method as claimed in
64. The method as claimed in
65. The method as claimed in
66. The method as claimed in
67. The contact lens as claimed in
68. The method as claimed in
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The present invention relates to a marked lens, and more particularly to a marked contact lens and a method of making same.
During the past 10 to 15 years, contact lenses have tended to replace glasses for correcting vision problems. These days, an entire industry exists for contact lens manufacturing and retailing.
One of the problems associated with contact lenses is marking the lens in order to allow the users to wear them properly, in the right position. Some lenses have to be worn in an "upright" orientation while soft lenses must be worn without inverting them, i.e. wearing them inside-out. Generally, identification and orientation marks applies to all kinds of contact lenses.
Various methods of contact lens identification are known in the prior art. One method is printing a visible mark on the periphery of the lens. However, this method is not suited for wet molded soft lenses since the printing must be performed on a dry surface and the lenses are never in a dry state. Furthermore, the dark mark printed on lenses may be too visible, so observers may even see the mark when the lens is worn by a person.
Another method is to engrave or impart a mark on a lens producing an opaque surface. However, this surface is necessarily rough and may be felt by the wearer, thus producing discomfort. The engraved mark may also attract and retain proteinaceous and other types of deposits creating propitious conditions for an infection.
Another method of marking contact lenses is to mark them using a laser. However, this method cannot be employed for wet molded soft contact lenses. It is also time-consuming and expensive.
It is therefore a broad object of the present invention to provide a method of marking transparent and semi-transparent thin surfaces by providing optical means by way of varying the form of such surfaces on small areas.
It is a more specific object of the present invention to provide a method of marking contact lenses using a number of optical elements.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a marked contact lens with markings appearing to be bright or dark (depending on the focal length of the optical element and the distance at which the lens is held by the viewer) when viewing a light source through the lens.
According to the invention, it is an object of the present invention to provide an identification, orientation or inversion marking method for contact lenses using at least one optical element.
In a broad aspect of the present invention, the identification method using optical elements is not restricted to lenses. Even if the invention is applicable to all kinds of lenses, including dry or wet lenses as well as soft or rigid lenses, the present method may also be used for marking any other kind of transparent or semi-transparent material that needs to be marked.
For clarity, this text uses the term "surface orientation" to designate the orientation of a lens with its concave surface toward the wearer's eye, as it should be worn. The main object of the present invention is to provide an easy information to the lens user concerning the right surface orientation of the lens, before the lens is applied on the eye's surface.
Inversion identification is applicable to soft lenses, where the concave side is frequently inverted outwardly into a convex shape in which state the lens is not suitable to be worn. However, such a state of the lens is not clearly visible to the observer and oftentimes people may incorrectly wear their lenses.
According to the invention, instead of marking contact lenses as in the prior art by adding a color on them such as by printing or engraving a mark on them, the present invention uses microstructure surface variations, such as dot or cylindrical microlenses, having the form of concave or convex semi-spheres or semi-cylinders (the cross-section may also be elliptical or aspheric), which are applied on the surface of the contact lens in order to provide identification and orientation marks for allowing the user to wear the lenses in the adequate position. The surface variations are small and their surface is smooth and highly polished therefore these microlenses do not attract and do not retain proteinaceous and other deposits. Furthermore, these microlenses are not felt by the wearer's eyelid. The dimensions of the microlenses are chosen so as to avoid any irritation when worn by the user. However, when removed and held up toward a light source, they permit to the user to clearly see them, thus providing information on the right position they have to be worn in.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, such optical elements are used to form letters or other distinctive signs at specific locations on the contact lens surface and these letters or signs provide position information to the user.
In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the optical elements may be located on a single side of the lenses or on both sides of the lenses. In the latter case, the optical elements may be even smaller in depth or height if they are applied in conjunction to one another, one on each face of the lens, thus superposing the optical effect seen by the human eye when looking to the lens toward a light source.
According to the invention, there is provided a marked contact lens comprising at least one microlens optical marking element integrally formed on a surface of the contact lens in a peripheral area thereof.
The invention also provides a method of manufacturing a marked contact lens comprising the steps of: forming at least one microformation in a contact lens manufacturing mold for integrally forming a microlens optical marking element; and molding a lens in the mold to obtain the marked contact lens.
The invention further provides a marked lens comprising at least one microlens optical marking element integrally formed on a surface of the lens in a non-image forming area thereof.
The invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIGS. 1a to 1f illustrate prior art techniques of marking contact lenses, specifically, FIG. 1a is a front view of a sphero-cylindrical contact lens having orientation marks indicating the prism ballast on the lens for holding the lens in a particular position; FIG. 1b is a front view of a contact lens having printed or engraved marks; FIGS. 1c, 1d, 1e and 1f are a plan and a side view of a non-inverted and an inverted contact lens respectively having AL/JA inversion marks;
FIG. 2 respectively illustrates the prior art principal of a semi-cylindrical lens which forms a straight line image when a person looks through it at a light source;
FIGS. 3a and 3b illustrate microlens optical elements which are used in the preferred embodiment to mark the contact lens, specifically, FIG. 3a shows a number of semi-spherical optical elements used for creating the two letters AL on the lens surface, while FIG. 3b shows semi-cylindrical elements used to form the same two letters on the lens surface; and
FIG. 4 is a FIGS. 4a and 4b are partial sectional view views of the contact lens according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention wherein dual optical elements are used to create an optical mark on both lens surfaces. surfaces, specifically, FIG. 4a shows a concave depression, while FIG. 4b shows a convex protrusion.
In the preferred embodiment, optical elements are used to mark lenses. These marks are used to provide lens position information to the lens user, so lenses may be worn in the right position. FIG. 1 shows printed and engraved marks used in the prior art in order to provide position information to the lens wearer.
According to the present invention, semi-spherical or semi-cylindrical optical elements are provided on the surface of the contact lens for providing lens position information to the lens user. An important characteristic of such marks is that they are not felt or seen by the wearer while the lenses are worn. They are, however, clearly visible when the lens is examined visually, especially when held toward a light source. As an example, a semi-cylindrical optical element 20 is shown in FIG. 2; the cylindrical element 20 is seen as a straight line 22 when a user 24 looks through it at a light source 26.
The optical marks on the contact lenses are composed by a plurality of microlens optical elements which are imparted on the surface of the contact lens. Each of these optical elements 20 acts as either a spherical lens 21 or a cylindrical lens 20 (or a combination of them) applied on the contact lens 10.
FIG. 3 illustrates some optical marks 28 having the form of two letters AL and which are composed of spherical elements 21 (FIG. 3a) and cylindrical elements 20' (FIG. 3b). In the case of a spherical element 21, the mark would appear to the viewer as a bright or dark point (depending on the focal length of the optical element and the distance at which the lens is held by the viewer) on the contact lens when the lens is held in front of a light source. In the case of a cylindrical element, the mark appears as a bright or dark line, as shown in FIG. 2.
In the preferred embodiment, the mark "AL" composed of cylindrical elements is provided on a contact lens. When a user examines such a contact lens 10, as the one shown in FIG. 4, in the right way, i.e. the concave surface 30 of the lens toward the eye, the user sees the letters "AL" and he knows this is the right orientation the lens is supposed to have. If the lens has its inside part 30 facing outwardly (i.e. it is inverted and its outer surface 32 is now toward the eye) then the user sees the letters "JA", as better shown in FIGS. 1d and 1f, and knows that this is the wrong orientation of the lens, so he may invert it before applying it onto the eye.
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the size of the optical marks are of the order of 2 mm in length and are located at the periphery of the contact lens. Other sizes of marks as well as other locations may be suitable as well, as long as they do not interfere with the wearer's vision and are not visible to others when worn by the wearer. The saggittal depth or the height of the optical elements 20 and 21 is preferably not more than 1.5 microns so the lens wearer cannot feel them. The following table shows approximate dimensions of the optical elements in the preferred embodiments. These dimensions are provided as an example only and are not limited to the values provided.
| TABLE |
| Saggital Height/Depth of Sphero-Cylindrical Elements |
| Dioptric Pow- Width of Sphero-Cylindrical Elements |
| er of Element W = 0.20 mm W = 0.30 mm W = 0.40 mm |
| +/- 5.00 D H/D = 0.00061 H/D = 0.00138 H/D = 0.00245 |
| mm mm mm |
| +/- 10.00 D H/D = 0.00067 H/D = 0.00151 H/D = 0.00268 |
| mm mm mm |
| +/- 15.00 D H/D = 0.00073 H/D = 0.00164 H/D = 0.00292 |
| mm mm mm |
In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the depth or height of optical elements 20 and 21 are substantially reduced even further if the elements are applied in conjunction with one another, one on each side of the contact lens, as shown in FIG. 4. Concave or convex elements of smaller depth or height may be used for generating an optical mark having the same visibility as a mark of greater height or depth applied on a single side of a lens.
All optical elements disclosed in the present application have a smooth surface and have no abrupt sides so the surface transition from the optical element to the contact lens is smooth and does not comprise any edges irritating to the user's eyelid. This feature is an improvement over the prior art because it does not retain impurities, it is not felt by the wearer, and it is not visible for an observer when worn on the eye, while remaining clearly visible when removed and examined visually by the user.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the method of imparting the optical elements 20 and 21 onto the contact lens 10 for creating optical marks 28 is to incorporate the mark 28 into the optical molds used to mold the contact lenses so that no other step is added to the lens manufacturing process. The molds may be micro-machined or precision etched to achieve the precise desired shape of the microlens optical marking elements.
Gabrielian, Grant, Marie, Robert
| Patent | Priority | Assignee | Title |
| 10555805, | Feb 24 2006 | RVO 2 0, INC | Anterior corneal shapes and methods of providing the shapes |
| 10583041, | Mar 12 2015 | RVO 2 0, INC | Methods of correcting vision |
| 10835371, | Feb 24 2006 | RVO 2 0, INC, D B A OPTICS MEDICAL | Small diameter corneal inlay methods |
| 6893461, | Sep 12 2000 | REVISION OPTICS, INC | System for packaging and handling an implant and method of use |
| 7776086, | Apr 30 2004 | REVISION OPTICS, INC | Aspherical corneal implant |
| 8057541, | Feb 24 2006 | REVISION OPTICS, INC | Method of using small diameter intracorneal inlays to treat visual impairment |
| 8113654, | Jan 08 2010 | Contact lens with visual indicator | |
| 8162953, | Mar 28 2007 | REVISION OPTICS, INC | Insertion system for corneal implants |
| 8357196, | Nov 18 2009 | JOHNSON & JOHNSON SURGICAL VISION, INC | Mark for intraocular lenses |
| 8469948, | Aug 23 2010 | REVISION OPTICS, INC | Methods and devices for forming corneal channels |
| 8540727, | Mar 28 2007 | ReVision Optics, Inc. | Insertion system for corneal implants |
| 8636357, | Jul 31 2009 | Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc | Custom contact lenses with fiducial markings |
| 8668735, | Sep 12 2000 | REVISION OPTICS, INC | Corneal implant storage and delivery devices |
| 8900296, | Apr 20 2007 | RVO 2 0, INC, D B A OPTICS MEDICAL | Corneal inlay design and methods of correcting vision |
| 9005280, | Sep 12 2000 | ReVision Optics, Inc. | System for packaging and handling an implant and method of use |
| 9140907, | Feb 16 2012 | Vision Discoveries, LLC | Contact lens |
| 9224057, | Oct 26 2012 | IDEMIA FRANCE | Biometric identification |
| 9271828, | Mar 28 2007 | REVISION OPTICS, INC | Corneal implant retaining devices and methods of use |
| 9345569, | Oct 21 2011 | REVISION OPTICS, INC | Corneal implant storage and delivery devices |
| 9539143, | Mar 12 2015 | REVISION OPTICS, INC | Methods of correcting vision |
| 9549848, | Mar 28 2007 | REVISION OPTICS, INC | Corneal implant inserters and methods of use |
| 9877823, | Sep 16 2011 | ReVision Optics, Inc. | Corneal implant retaining devices and methods of use |
| 9889000, | Sep 12 2000 | ReVision Optics, Inc. | Corneal implant applicators |
| 9987124, | Oct 21 2011 | ReVision Optics, Inc. | Corneal implant storage and delivery devices |
| Patent | Priority | Assignee | Title |
| 2034308, | |||
| 2354772, | |||
| 2803884, | |||
| 3971910, | Aug 20 1971 | Apparatus for perforating contact lenses | |
| 4039827, | Aug 26 1976 | AMERICAN OPTICAL CORPORATION, A CORP OF | Method for marking intraocular lenses |
| 4193671, | Nov 20 1978 | PILKINGTON VISIONCARE, INC , A CORP OF DE | Identifying means for polymeric contact lenses |
| 4194814, | Nov 10 1977 | MILTON ROY COMPANY, A CORP OF PA; BAUSCH & LOMB INCORPORATED, A CORP OF N Y | Transparent opthalmic lens having engraved surface indicia |
| 4219721, | Aug 23 1978 | Revlon Consumer Products Corporation | Marking of lenses |
| 4238524, | Mar 06 1978 | SOLA INTERNATIONAL INC | Process for identification marking clear plastic articles |
| 4268133, | Jul 14 1978 | Bausch & Lomb Incorporated | Preferential orientation of contact lenses |
| 4303701, | Dec 31 1979 | BMC INDUSTRIES, INC | Method of marking plastic lenses |
| 4406189, | May 25 1977 | Method of making lenses with a lenticular cut | |
| 4441795, | Mar 24 1980 | VISION-EASE LENS, INC | Molded multifocal lens and mold assembly |
| 4447474, | Aug 30 1982 | Sunsoft Corporation | Method of selectively tinting soft contact lenses |
| 4457761, | Feb 16 1983 | PILKINGTON VISIONCARE, INC , A CORP OF DE | Method and apparatus for marking contact lenses |
| 4525044, | May 05 1983 | BAUSCH & LOMB INCORPORATED, A NY CORP | Soft contact lens with surface identification and method of using same |
| 4543882, | Jul 16 1984 | NEATSIMPLE LIMITED BROADWALK HOUSE | Contact lens marking fixture |
| 4563565, | Mar 02 1983 | Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company; MINNESOTA MINING AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY A CORP OF DE | Method for forming a peripheral edge on contact lenses |
| 4616910, | Mar 01 1983 | KLEIN, MARK S | Visual indicator on soft contact lenses |
| 4619504, | Sep 10 1982 | Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung | Ophthalmic lens with a marking and method of producing the marking |
| 4642439, | Jan 03 1985 | DOW CORNING CORPORATION, A CORP OF MI | Method and apparatus for edge contouring lenses |
| 4652721, | Jan 03 1985 | Dow Corning Corporation | Method and apparatus for edge contouring lenses |
| 4744647, | Dec 04 1984 | XMR, INC ; LENS PLUS CO | Semi-opaque corneal contact lens or intraoccular lens and method of formation |
| 4889421, | Sep 30 1988 | Allergan | Contact lens with cosmetic pattern |
| 4892595, | Apr 30 1986 | Method of forming high quality mold pin insert | |
| 4912298, | Sep 18 1987 | Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung | Method for producing a marking on a spectacle lens |
| 4921205, | May 17 1988 | PARAGON VISION SCIENCES, INC , | Lens mold assembly |
| 4976533, | Jun 07 1988 | Novartis AG | Method for measuring the rotation of an assymetric contact lens and lenses for practicing the method |
| 5062701, | Jun 07 1988 | Novartis AG | Asymmetric contact lens |
| 5068514, | Oct 25 1988 | Bausch & Lomb Incorporated | Laser polishing of lens surface |
| 5147585, | Oct 30 1987 | ESSILOR INTERNATIONAL COMPAGNIE GENERALE D OPTIQUE | Method for forming plastic optical quality spectacle lenses |
| 5170192, | Nov 29 1990 | PARAGON VISION SCIENCES, INC , | Oxygen permeable bifocal contact lenses and their manufacture |
| 5219497, | Oct 30 1987 | ESSILOR INTERNATIONAL COMPAGNIE GENERALE D OPTIQUE | Method for manufacturing lenses using thin coatings |
| 5244470, | Jan 28 1992 | Menicon Co., Ltd.; Tomei Sangyo Kabushiki Kaisha | Method for marking a water-absorptive contact lens: dyeing dry lens with a mark using reduced vat dye and then making the dye insoluble |
| 5256853, | Jul 31 1991 | Bausch & Lomb Incorporated | Method for shaping contact lens surfaces |
| 5294379, | Sep 18 1992 | Johnson & Johnson Vision Products, Inc. | Laser assisted demolding of ophthalmic lenses |
| 5307740, | May 08 1992 | MENICON CO , LTD | Marking apparatus for contact lens |
| 5326956, | Jul 29 1991 | Bausch & Lomb Incorporated | Laser profiling of lens edge |
| 5378412, | Dec 02 1992 | Bausch & Lomb Incorporated | Method of edging a contact lens or lens blank |
| 5417557, | Sep 18 1992 | Johnson & Johnson Vision Products, Inc. | Laser assisted demolding of ophthalmic lenses |
| 5467149, | Jun 15 1993 | Bausch & Lomb Incorporated | Highly visible markings for contact lenses |
| 5494474, | Mar 27 1991 | DAC INTERNATIONAL, INC | Lens blocking and constant center thickness system |
| 5521352, | Sep 23 1993 | Preco Laser Systems, LLC | Laser cutting apparatus |
| 5580498, | Mar 13 1992 | Menicon Co., Ltd. | Method of producing contact lens with identifying mark permeating into lens |
| 5598233, | Aug 18 1994 | Harold A., Gell | Soft contact lens with contamination indicator |
| 5641437, | Sep 29 1995 | JOHNSON & JOHNSON VISION PRODUCTS, INC | Marking of mold inserts to produce marked contact lenses |
| DE2542714A1, | |||
| DE3316730A1, | |||
| DE3542726A1, | |||
| EP30577B1, | |||
| EP31633B1, | |||
| EP307874A2, | |||
| EP384632B1, | |||
| EP601857A1, | |||
| EP765732A2, | |||
| GB1367846, | |||
| GB1547525, | |||
| GB1568160, | |||
| GB1583492, | |||
| GB2006114, | |||
| GB2026715, | |||
| GB2055694, | |||
| JP6413520, | |||
| JP7186290, | |||
| JP75512, | |||
| WO8403569, | |||
| WO8907281, | |||
| WO9412909, | |||
| WO9429071, |
| Executed on | Assignor | Assignee | Conveyance | Frame | Reel | Doc |
| Jan 31 2000 | Canadian Contact Lens Laboratories Ltd. | (assignment on the face of the patent) | / | |||
| Jan 31 2000 | Segment Technologies Inc. | (assignment on the face of the patent) | / | |||
| Mar 06 2002 | CANADIAN CONTACT LENS LABORATORIES LTD | JOHNSON & JOHNOSON VISION CARE, INC | ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS | 012906 | /0313 | |
| Mar 06 2002 | SEGMENT TECHNOLOGIES INC | JOHNSON & JOHNOSON VISION CARE, INC | ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS | 012906 | /0313 |
| Date | Maintenance Fee Events |
| Feb 10 2003 | M1551: Payment of Maintenance Fee, 4th Year, Large Entity. |
| Mar 05 2003 | STOL: Pat Hldr no Longer Claims Small Ent Stat |
| Feb 28 2007 | REM: Maintenance Fee Reminder Mailed. |
| Mar 27 2007 | M1552: Payment of Maintenance Fee, 8th Year, Large Entity. |
| Mar 27 2007 | M1555: 7.5 yr surcharge - late pmt w/in 6 mo, Large Entity. |
| Mar 14 2011 | REM: Maintenance Fee Reminder Mailed. |
| Aug 08 2011 | M1553: Payment of Maintenance Fee, 12th Year, Large Entity. |
| Aug 08 2011 | M1556: 11.5 yr surcharge- late pmt w/in 6 mo, Large Entity. |
| Date | Maintenance Schedule |
| Feb 27 2004 | 4 years fee payment window open |
| Aug 27 2004 | 6 months grace period start (w surcharge) |
| Feb 27 2005 | patent expiry (for year 4) |
| Feb 27 2007 | 2 years to revive unintentionally abandoned end. (for year 4) |
| Feb 27 2008 | 8 years fee payment window open |
| Aug 27 2008 | 6 months grace period start (w surcharge) |
| Feb 27 2009 | patent expiry (for year 8) |
| Feb 27 2011 | 2 years to revive unintentionally abandoned end. (for year 8) |
| Feb 27 2012 | 12 years fee payment window open |
| Aug 27 2012 | 6 months grace period start (w surcharge) |
| Feb 27 2013 | patent expiry (for year 12) |
| Feb 27 2015 | 2 years to revive unintentionally abandoned end. (for year 12) |