HK1147128A - Safety and prevention helmet visor having a surface that has been treated to provide eye protection and therapy - Google Patents

Description

Safety helmet visor with treated surface for eye protection and treatment

Technical Field

The invention is useful in the ophthalmic segment market in the field of therapeutic and/or prophylactic optical applications.

The invention relates to a transparent filter device for protecting healthy eyes and/or eyes with intraocular lens (pseudophakic) eyes (eyes subjected to cataract surgery) and/or eyes with macula and retinal degeneration from short wavelength light of the visible spectrum. The eyes can be protected from short wavelengths in the visible spectrum (500 to 380nm) by applying a yellow filter on the transparent or translucent surface of the visor of the safety helmet. For example, the filter may be used as a component in a protective helmet for motorcyclists, sportsmen, or workers (e.g., metal welders or other workers exposed to high light intensities).

Background

Vision is a result of response to visible radiation in the wavelength range of 380-760 nm. In the environment, solar radiation is a major risk factor for vision. The sun emits UV rays and IR radiation, which are primarily absorbed by the atmosphere. When solar radiation passes through the atmosphere and reaches the earth surface, the solar radiation consists of UV-B rays (230-300nm), UV or UV-A rays (300-380nm), visible rays (380-760nm) and IR rays (760-1400 nm). The healthy human eye transmits IR radiation and most of the visible light of the visible spectrum directly to the retina, while the cornea and lens block the most reactive wavelengths of the visible spectrum (UV-B radiation and the blue part of the spectrum) from reaching the retina.

With age, the light transmission properties of the human lens change, and the darkening of the light yellow color of the lens results in an increased ability to filter UV and blue radiation. Thus, for elderly people over 65 years old, ultraviolet light (< 400nm) is no longer transmitted and transmission of blue light (400 and 500nm) is also significantly reduced.

The retina can protect itself from short wavelength light in two ways: through the uneven distribution of its photoreceptors, there are no photoreceptors in the macular recess that are sensitive to blue light; and this may also have a protective effect by the action of the yellow pigment in this region.

These self-contained protection systems of the human eye against short wave rays (i.e. lens and retinal structures) can be seriously affected by certain diseases and/or surgical procedures:

-cataracts, the surgical treatment of which involves the removal of the crystalline lens;

in addition, a pathological ageing process is prevalent, which causes retinal structural degeneration leading to age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

We should also consider that cataracts and AMD can coexist and be present in elderly people over 65 years old. In the elderly population, cataracts are a major cause of vision loss and AMD is a major cause of blindness. In addition, we should think that both diseases are increased, especially due to an increased life expectancy. This makes these diseases and their therapeutic approaches very popular in the research field and optical industry.

Several epidemiological studies have evaluated the interplay between cataract surgery and AMD. Thus, Klein (Klein R, Klein B E, Wong T Y, Tomany S C, Cruiskshanks K J. the association of the target and target supply with the long-term affinity of related university. Arch ohaltol 120: 1551-1558.2002) and Freeman (Freeman E,b, West S K, Tielsch J M, Schein O D. is itself an associationbetween search function and age-related volumetric efficiency JOphthalmol 135 (6): 849-856.2003) toPeople who have undergone cataract surgery are at an increased risk of developing AMD. However, in earlier studies of Wang (Wang J, Mitchell P, trimming R G, Lim R.Cataract and age-related mammogram: the Blue mountain Eye study. opthalmic epidemic 6: 317-326.1999) and McCarty (McCarty C A, Mukesh BN, Fu C L, Mitchell P, Wang J, Taylor H R.Risk genes for age-related mammogram: the Visual impact project. Aropthalmol 119: 1455-1462.2001), this hypothesis was denied, probably because the techniques used in their diagnostic measurements were relatively lagged. Optical coherence tomography, for example, which enables accurate, fast and non-invasive tracking of retinal neurodegenerative processes, has only recently been proposed. These techniques are very important to establish a definite effect of natural pigments absorbing harmful radiation.

Several techniques have been investigated to protect cataract-operated eyes from short wavelength light:

there are several filters on the market containing yellow pigments, but there are no optimal methods and/or devices for applying these filters to the human eye as preventive and/or therapeutic measures to replace and/or improve the natural protection of the eye.

Starting in the mid nineties of the twentieth century, the eye receiving the cataract extraction was implanted with a lens containing yellow pigment to act as a filter. Such procedures require surgical intervention, and entail the risks and difficulties of the procedure itself. Yet a significant portion of the subject population lacks the necessary protection by implanting a transparent lens to replace the natural lens during cataract surgery. In these patients, the yellow-deficient intraocular lens requires a supplemental system that supports yellow pigment, such as the safety helmet visor proposed herein.

Several patents have appeared relating to this state of the art, but they all differ significantly from the object of the present invention:

protective helmets with sun shades (patent EP1498041)

Glasses for helmets and helmets cooperating with these glasses (patent EP1601260)

Day and night vision devices (patent EP1681853) for telescopes and military helmets

Method for increasing the intensity of sunlight by means of a device mounted on a helmet (patent EP1564578)

These devices differ from the present invention primarily in use and effectiveness, as none have been designed as a preventative measure to protect the eye from short wavelength light. Moreover, most of these patents do not relate to the use of a transparent surface filter for a protective helmet visor, but describe other forms (light means, lenses, solutions, etc.)

Disclosure of Invention

It is a general object of the present invention to protect the eyes from damage by absorbing blue and violet light by applying a filter to the transparent or translucent surface of a protective helmet visor. As previously mentioned, this is particularly useful for persons with intraocular lenses to functionally compensate for their loss of protective pigment (which has been removed intraoperatively) and as a preventative measure for subjects suffering from retinal neurodegeneration. These conditions are common among the elderly, but the present invention is equally important for protecting the healthy eye of any subject.

The present invention is prepared by applying a yellow filter that absorbs short wavelength light of 500 to 380nm to a transparent or translucent surface of a protective helmet visor. For example, several possible uses are in helmets for motorcyclists, sportsmen, metal welders or other workers, etc.

The invention comprises three components:

-a visor for a protective helmet having one or more transparent or translucent surfaces;

-a frame or system for applying a filter on one or more transparent or translucent surfaces of the mask;

-a filter containing one of the commercially available yellow pigment dyes, said filter being adapted to be applied to the surface material of the mask and to absorb short wavelength light from 500 to 380nm over the entire light transmitting area of the surface.

The following operations may be used to prepare the invention:

yellow filters are prepared using materials which are commercially available, such as screens (screen) or dyes. The filter should be compatible with the surface to which it is to be applied;

-preparing a support material or device using those commercially available to apply the filter to the transparent or translucent surface of the mask according to the manufacturer's instructions;

-applying or mounting a yellow filter to one or more mask surfaces, thereby covering the entire light transmitting area;

-subsequent fitting of the visor with the protective helmet according to the manufacturer's instructions

In summary, the use of one or more transparent or translucent surfaces of a protective helmet visor in combination with a yellow filter will protect the eyes of several groups of people from the harmful effects of short wavelength light: healthy eyes of any subject, eyes of cataract patients implanted with transparent intraocular lenses (by providing them with a supplement to unprotected intraocular lenses), and eyes with retinal neurodegeneration (by improving their natural protection). This system avoids the problems associated with alternative means available on the market (e.g. filters without support systems, intraocular lenses).

Preferred embodiments and examples of the invention

There are many ways of making the present invention, depending on the surface material to which the filter is to be applied. The following examples illustrate how the invention may be constructed, but this is not in a limiting manner and many other ways or combinations may be used.

Examples

103mg of a conventional yellow dye, such as 4-phenylazophenol (4-phenylazophenol), or yellow vehicle 7(SY7), dissolved in 10.01g of a monomer solution containing 66% PEA, 30.5% PEMA and 3.3% BDDA, giving a final SY7 concentration of 0.103 wt%.

Subsequently 52.3mg of bis 4-tert-butylcyclohexyl peroxydicarbonate (bi4-tert-butylcyclohexylperoxide dicarbonate) were added as a polymerization catalyst.

Using a syringe to introduce the solution into a mould formed by two overlapping glass plates connected by a metal clip and a 1mm teflon ring. The solution was extended into 2.5mm flakes.

Polymerization takes place when the mold is introduced into the 65 ℃ oven for 17 hours. The oven temperature was then increased to 100 ℃ and continued for another 3 hours.

Once the polymerization is complete, the sheet is removed from the mould and, after appropriate measurements, the filter is cut to the desired dimensions.

Claims (15)

1. A device for protecting healthy eyes from short wavelength light prepared by applying a yellow filter that absorbs light at wavelengths of 500 to 380nm to one or more transparent or translucent surfaces of a protective helmet visor.

2. A device for protecting a healthy eye from short wavelength light according to claim 1 comprising a filter containing a yellow pigment dye suitable for use on a transparent or translucent surface.

3. A device for protecting healthy eyes from short wavelength light according to claims 1 and 2, comprising one or more transparent or translucent surfaces of a protective helmet visor.

4. Device for protecting healthy eyes against short-wavelength light according to claims 1, 2 and 3, characterized in that a yellow filter absorbing light of 500 to 380nm wavelength is applied to a protective helmet visor for different purposes, such as motorcycling, outdoor sports such as water sports or skiing, in which the subject is exposed to particularly intense light, and high-risk occupations, particularly metal welding.

5. The apparatus of claims 1, 2, 3 and 4, wherein the light filtering and the transparency.

6. An intraocular lens eye treatment and prevention device, characterized in that a yellow filter absorbing light in the wavelength range of 500 to 380nm is applied to one or more transparent or translucent surfaces of a protective helmet visor.

7. The intraocular lens eye treatment and prevention device of claim 6 comprising a filter containing a yellow pigment dye suitable for use on a transparent or translucent surface.

8. The intraocular lens eye treatment and prevention device of claims 6 and 7 comprising one or more transparent or translucent surfaces of a protective helmet visor.

9. Intraocular lens eye treatment and prevention device according to claims 6, 7 and 8, characterized in that the application of a yellow filter absorbing light of 500 to 380nm wavelength to a protective helmet visor can be used for different purposes, such as motorcycling, outdoor sports such as water sports or skiing, where the subject is exposed to particularly intense light, and high-risk occupations, particularly metal welding.

10. The apparatus of claims 6, 7, 8 and 9, wherein the light filtering and the transparency.

11. A device for the treatment and prevention of retinal neurodegenerative eyes, characterized in that a yellow filter absorbing light of 500 to 380nm wavelength is applied to one or more transparent or translucent surfaces of a protective helmet visor.

12. The device for the treatment and prevention of a retinal neurodegenerative eye as claimed in claim 11, comprising a filter containing a yellow pigment dye suitable for use on a transparent or translucent surface.

13. The device for the treatment and prevention of retinal neurodegenerative eyes as in claims 11 and 12, comprising one or more transparent or translucent surfaces of a protective helmet visor.

14. Device for the treatment and prevention of retinal neurodegenerative eyes according to claims 11, 12 and 13, characterized in that the application of a yellow filter absorbing light of 500 to 380nm wavelength to the protective helmet visor can be used for different purposes, such as motorcycling, outdoor sports such as water sports or skiing, in which the subject is exposed to particularly intense light, and high-risk occupations, particularly metal welding.

15. The apparatus of claims 11, 12, 13 and 14, wherein the light filtering and the transparency.