HK1129294A - Therapeutic and prophylactic ophthalmologic lens for pseudoaphakic eyes and/or eyes undergoing a neurodegenerative process - Google Patents

Description

Therapeutic and prophylactic ophthalmic lens for pseudophakic eyes and/or eyes with neurodegenerative diseases

Technical Field

The present invention relates to the ophthalmic part of the market.

The object of the present invention is an ophthalmic lens for intraocular lens eyes (those subjected to cataract surgery) and/or eyes with macular and retinal degeneration, prepared by applying yellow pigment to conventional ophthalmic lenses, to protect the eye from short wavelengths (<500nm) of the visible spectrum.

Technical Field

The visual perception is a result of the 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 Ultraviolet (UV) radiation and Infrared (IR) radiation, which are primarily absorbed by the atmosphere. When solar radiation passes through the atmosphere to reach the earth surface, the solar radiation consists of ultraviolet-B rays (230-. Both the infrared rays and most of the visible spectrum are freely transmitted through a healthy human eye to the retina, but the cornea and lens prevent most of the reactive wavelengths of the visible spectrum (ultraviolet-B rays and the blue part of the spectrum) from reaching the retina.

With age, the human lens changes its transmission properties, increasing its ability to filter ultraviolet and blue rays by strengthening its yellowish color. Thus, in people older than 65 years, the transmission of ultraviolet light (<400nm) is not transmitted and the transmission of blue light (400-500nm) is significantly reduced.

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

The use of the human eye for protection against the short wavelengths of light of these natural protective systems-lens and retinal structures-can be seriously affected by certain diseases and/or surgical procedures:

cataract, the only surgical treatment of which consists of removing the lens

In addition, pathological aging processes are frequently found which lead to degeneration of the retinal structure, resulting in age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

We also contemplate that both cataracts and age-related macular degeneration may coexist in people older than 65 years of age. In this elderly population of subjects, cataracts are the leading cause of vision loss and age-related macular degeneration is the leading cause of blindness. In addition, due to the increase in our life expectancy, we expect these two diseases to increase, among other factors. This translates into a great interest in the research field and in the optics industry for these diseases and their treatment protocols.

Several epidemiological studies have evaluated the relationship between cataract surgery and age-related macular degeneration. Klein (Klein R, Klein BE, Wong TY, TomanySC, Cruickshanks KJ. the association of the contact and contact surgery with the long-term interaction of the field-correlated molecular approach. Arch opthalmol 120: 1551-1558.2002) and Freeman (Freeman E,b, West SK, Tielsch JM, Schein OD. is THER an associationbetween cataract and age-related macromolecular production. am J Ophthalmol 135 (6): 849-856.2003) confirms a high risk of developing age-related macular degeneration symptoms in people who have undergone cataract surgery. However, this hypothesis was denied in earlier studies of Wang (Wang JJ, Mitchell P, trimming RG, Lim R.Cataract and related clinical laboratory: the Blue Mount Eye study. optical laboratory 6: 317-326.1999) and McCarty (McCarty CA, Mukesh BN, Fu CL, Mitchell P, Wang JJ, Taylor HR.Risk factor for age-related clinical laboratory: the Visual impact project. Arhthalmol 119: 1455-1462.2001), probably because of the lesser new technologies used in their diagnostic assays.

Techniques such as optical coherence tomography, which allow for an accurate, fast and non-invasive investigation of the neurodegenerative processes of the retina, have only recently been introduced. These techniques are essential to confirm the decisive role of natural pigments in absorbing harmful radiation.

Several techniques have also been developed for protecting eyes undergoing cataract surgery from the short wavelengths of light:

there are already several filters on the market containing yellow pigments, but there is no optimal method and/or device to apply these filters to the human eye as a preventive and/or therapeutic means to replace and/or improve the natural protection of the eye.

From the mid 90 s of the 20 th century, eyes with cataract extraction have been implanted with intraocular lenses containing yellow pigments as a filter material. This solution requires surgery and has all the risks and difficulties of surgery. There are also a large number of subjects who have been implanted with a clear lens to replace the natural lens (natural crystalline lens) during cataract surgery, and thus these people lack the necessary protection. In these patients, an intraocular lens lacking yellow pigment would need to be supplemented with a system, such as the ophthalmic lens presented herein, to provide yellow pigment.

Several patents have been developed relating to this state of the art, although they differ significantly from the object of the present invention:

an optical lens with selective transmission (patent No. RE38402), in the form of a spectacle or contact lens, orange, improving vision and reducing eye damage in areas of intense illumination, substantially eliminating ultraviolet rays and blue light from 400 to 500 nm.

-a polarizing lens (US 5400175) blocking blue and ultraviolet rays, consisting of a polarizer horizontally blocking polarized light and a filter material blocking blue and ultraviolet rays.

Specific optical filters for certain activities and optical components using these filters (us patent 6893127) improve the visibility of objects, for example in sports activities.

Also corrective contact lenses with therapeutic action (patent FR2761785), designed to correct myopia and strabismus, by using dyes in certain areas to stimulate or de-stimulate specific areas of the retina.

Polarized contact lenses with clear edge regions and polarizing elements (us patent 6874888) which cover the pupillary region and thereby protect the eyes from the potentially harmful light of solar rays and other sources.

Safety contact lenses (patent US2005024583) which absorb or reflect certain wavelengths by covering or treating, including one or more identifiable regions to ensure that the selected lens is desirable.

Tinted contact lenses for cataracts (patent JP11253480), designed to solve the problem of sunglasses, consist of a pupil acting as a sunglass in the tinted contact lens and an aperture with a structure matching the iris colour.

Contact lenses designed to treat blue or blue vision diseases (patent JP1204668), which reduce the effects of such diseases by introducing yellow or orange compounds capable of absorbing wavelengths of 320-450 nm. Blue vision is a perceptual deficit that results in distorted color vision. All objects appear blue to the patient. Such lenses attempt to ameliorate this perceptual impact, but in no way attempt to protect retinal neurons from short wavelength radiation less than 550 nm.

These patents differ from the present invention primarily in their purpose and utility, as none are designed to protect the eye undergoing cataract surgery or suffering from neurodegeneration from the short wavelengths of light.

Disclosure of Invention

The object of the invention is to functionally compensate for the removed protective pigment (along with the natural lens during surgery) in the case of iol subjects and to enhance the preventive effect on blue and violet light absorption in the case of neurodegenerative processes using ophthalmic lenses as support. As mentioned, it is very common for both of these pathologies to coexist in the elderly population.

The present invention consists of a therapeutic ophthalmic lens for treating an eye suffering from a neurodegenerative process and/or an intraocular lens eye, prepared by applying a yellow pigment to an ophthalmic lens which acts as an 350/500nm short wavelength light absorbing filter material.

Thus, a therapeutic ophthalmic lens for an intraocular lens eye consists of three elements:

conventional ophthalmic lenses for use by the human eye

-a frame for fitting an ophthalmic lens

Yellow pigments, among those commercially available, compatible with lenses absorbing short wavelengths of 350 to 500nm, are applied to all lenses, resulting in yellow ophthalmic lenses. Such a lens may be of a specific size suitable for each individual and may be fitted to any kind of spectacle frame.

How to prepare the invention

There are several methods to prepare colored ophthalmic lenses, as described in patents such as US20030164481 and US 6793339. The preparation is illustrated by the following examples, but is not limited to this method, and there are many alternatives and combinations to prepare such lenses.

Preparation of examples of the invention:

10.3mg of a conventional yellow dye, 4-phenylazophenol solvent yellow 7(solventyellow 7) (SY7) was dissolved in 10.01g of a monomer solution containing 66% Phenethylamine (PEA), 30.5% Phenethylmalonamide (PEMA) and 3.3% N-Benzyldidodecylamine (BDDA) to give a SY7 concentration of 0.103 wt%.

Secondly, 52.3mg of bis 4-tert-butylcyclohexyl peroxydicarbonate were added as polymerization catalyst.

The solution was introduced into a mould made of two glass plates, one connected to the other by means of metal clips and a teflon ring of 1mm, using a syringe. The solution was coated into 1mm thick sheets.

Polymerization occurred when the model was placed in an oven at 65 ℃ for 17 hours. The oven temperature was then increased to 100 ℃ and left for 3 hours.

Once polymerized, the sheet is removed from the mould, checked for its absorption properties and then given its final shape.

In summary, by combining ophthalmic lenses with yellow dyes, both of which can now be applied to the human eye, patients who have undergone cataract extraction and implanted clear intraocular lenses can compensate for the lack of protection of the eye after surgery by simply using ophthalmic lenses, and patients with retinal neurodegeneration can improve their natural protection. The use of such lenses would avoid the problems associated with the use of commercially available solutions (filter materials are not incorporated into lenses and intraocular lenses).

Claims (6)

1. A therapeutic and prophylactic ophthalmic lens for an intraocular lens eye is created by combining a yellow pigmented filter material that absorbs short wavelengths of 350/500nm with an ophthalmic lens.

2. The therapeutic and prophylactic ophthalmic lens for an intraocular lens eye according to claim 1, comprising a filter material suitable for incorporation into the lens, or a yellow pigment.

3. Therapeutic and prophylactic ophthalmic lens for intraocular lenses according to claims 1 and 2, comprising ophthalmic lenses characteristically suitable for use by the human eye.

4. Therapeutic and prophylactic ophthalmic lenses for use in eyes with retinal neurodegeneration are prepared by applying a yellow pigment, which absorbs short wavelengths of 350/500nm, to ophthalmic lenses.

5. The therapeutic and prophylactic ophthalmic lens for an eye afflicted with retinal neurodegeneration of claim 4 comprising a yellow pigment filter suitable for application to a lens.

6. Therapeutic and prophylactic ophthalmic lens for eyes suffering from retinal neurodegeneration according to claims 4 and 5, comprising ophthalmic lenses characteristically suitable for use by the human eye.