HK1139465A - Lighting device with prophylactic and therapeutic filter for healthy eyes, pseudoaphakic eyes and/or eyes suffering neurodegeneration - Google Patents

Description

Lighting device with preventive and therapeutic filter for healthy eyes, pseudoaphakic eyes and/or eyes suffering from neurodegeneration

Technical Field

The present invention is part of the branch of ophthalmology and has in fact optical applications for prophylaxis and therapy.

The aim of the present invention is to develop a device that protects healthy eyes, pseudo-aphakic eyes (subjected to cataract surgery) and/or eyes with macula and retinal degeneration by applying a filter with yellow color on the illumination device, with the aim of protecting them from the short wavelengths of visible light (less than 500 nm).

Background

The perceived vision is the result of a reaction to visible radiation (380-. In the environment, solar radiation is considered to be a major hazard to vision. The sun emits UV and IR radiation, which is substantially all absorbed by the atmosphere. The solar radiation transmitted through the atmosphere to the surface of the earth comprises UV-B rays (230-. The human eye, in a fully healthy condition, is free to transmit IR radiation and most of the visible spectrum to the retina, but the cornea and lens prevent the reactive multi-spectral waves of the visible spectrum (UV-B radiation and the blue part of the visible spectrum) from reaching the retina.

On the other hand, the human lens changes its transmissivity with age, strengthening its yellow color and increasing its ability to filter UV and blue light rays. For this reason, ultraviolet radiation (< 400nm) is not transmitted in people older than 65 years of age, and the transmission of blue light (400- & 500nm) is also significantly reduced.

On the other hand, the retina automatically protects itself from short wavelengths by two methods: photoreceptors sensitive to blue light are not present in macular degeneration (macularideprensis) by the uneven distribution of photoreceptors; and protection can also be performed by the presence of yellow pigment (yellow pigment) on the same area.

The human eye's resistance to these natural protections of very short wavelengths (those of the lens and retina) can find itself severely affected by certain pathologies and/or surgical operations:

cataracts, which can only be treated surgically and require extraction of the crystalline lens.

The phenomenon of pathological ageing processes occurs frequently and causes the degeneration of the retinal structure that produces age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

In the past, we had to focus on these two pathologies in the same population (elderly over 65 years of age): cataract and AMD. Cataracts are the leading cause of AMD leading to loss of vision and blindness in this same segment. In addition, we must consider in particular the possible increase of these two pathologies due to the increase of the mean life span, and these therefore provoke a strong interest of the researchers and their strong interest in the application of the optical industry.

Thus, as explained in scientific literature, some epidemiological studies have been evaluated by the relationship between cataract surgery and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The work on Klein (Klein R, Klein BE, Wong TY, Tomany SC, Cruickshanks KJ. the association of the target and target surgery with the long-term involvement of the field-correlated pathological, Archhthalmol 120: 1551-1558.2002) and Freeman (Freeman E, Munoz B, West SK, Tielsch JM, Schein OD. the presence of the target and related pathological expression in J Ophthalmol 135 (6): 849-856.2003) established that there is a higher risk of developing symptoms of AMD in patients who have undergone cataract surgery. However, investigations prior to Wang (Wang JJ, Mitchell P, Cumming RG, Lim R.Cataract and age related clinical pathway: the Blue mountain Eye study. Ophthalmic environmental 6: 317-326.1999) and McCarty (McCarty CA, MukeBN, Fu CL, Mitchell P, Wang JJ, Taylor HR. Risk factors for age-related clinical pathway: the visual impact project. Arch Ophthalmol 119: 1455-1462.2001) overrule this hypothesis, which may be due to the technology applied to the diagnostic measurements being at a lower level of development. Only recently, the implementation of techniques such as optical coherence tomography strictly allows to perform directly and non-invasively following the evolution of the neurodegenerative retinal processes. This is an important fact to recognize the decisive influence of natural pigments to absorb harmful radiation.

On the other hand, several techniques have been developed to protect the eye undergoing cataract surgery from short wavelengths:

there are several filters on the market, which, although they have a yellow colour, there is still no optimal method and apparatus for applying these filters to the human eye as preventive and therapeutic measures to replace and/or improve natural protection.

Since the middle of the 90 s, intraocular lenses with yellow filters were implanted on eyes undergoing cataract surgery. This alternative involves a surgical procedure with all the obvious risks and difficulties. There are also many patients undergoing cataract surgery in which a clear intraocular lens has been implanted to replace the lens that does not require yellow protection. In these cases, it is necessary to supplement an artificial crystal without yellow pigment with the interposition of a yellow support system.

In addition, several patents have been developed relating to this technology, which are significantly different compared to the present invention.

-an absorption filter for a color display device (patent number US5121030), with improved visibility in conditions of high illumination intensity levels by the application of a dye (tint).

Color enhancement filters and protocols (instructions) for improving vision in the human eye (patent number US6158865), which contains filters for improving vision in various lighting environments including extreme ambient lighting and low level lighting, and incorporates a ring adapter for the filters.

Dedicated optical filters for certain activities and optical assemblies employing these filters (patent number US6893127), which improve the visualization of objects, for example in motion.

Optical filters and devices, heat ray absorbing filters, optical fibers and spectacles with such optical filters (patent No. WO9927397), which are made of synthetic resin capable of preventing infrared rays.

A method of designing a color filter that improves or modifies the color vision of the human eye and a filtering method for designing colors by this method (patent number US 2004075810).

Systems and methods of applying correction factors related to environmental conditions (patent number US2006195278), based on colorimeters (color meters) calculated by software and/or hardware to compensate the environmental factors.

Protection schemes for eye treatment (patent No. WO2005025575), in particular made of a viscous-elastic liquid or fluid containing substances that filter the illumination radiation at least partially from specific frequencies.

-fitted eye protection and correction devices containing filters for preventing electromagnetic radiation and/or correcting visual deformities such as myopia and loss of colour vision (patent number DE 10259261).

Optical vision devices comprising means for partially reducing the illumination intensity (patent number US2002113941), such as surgical microscopes comprising a spectral filter suitable for reducing, but not eliminating, the intensity of the light emitted by a light source in a specific area of the object, which may be the human eye.

An illumination intensity detection and control system for eyepieces and projection micro-lamps (patent No. US6299310, based on patent No. US4715704), on the one hand allowing to work with a high level of illumination on the eye to be examined, and on the other hand preventing damage to the eye.

A diffusion sheet (diffusion plate) associated with the microscopic lamp (patent No. DE8808871), controlling the illumination emitted by the lamp.

LED systems (light emitting diodes) for visual inspection (patent No. IT1147092), which may comprise filters.

Solid photometer-devices for detecting visual and optical neurological deficits (patent No. JP5130976), comprising the use of achromatic intensity filters.

These patents differ substantially in their purpose and effectiveness from the present invention, since none of them has the purpose of protecting against short wavelengths the healthy human eye in the process of neurodegeneration or patients undergoing cataract surgery. Also, most of these patents do not relate to the application of filters on ordinary lamps, instead they are materialized on other types of formats (special devices for lighting, lenses, solutions).

Disclosure of Invention

The object of the present invention is to functionally compensate the extraction of the pigment protector in case of a pseudo-amorphous body (extraction during surgery) and to enhance the preventive effect of blue and ultraviolet rays by using a filter applied to the lighting device in case of a healthy eye or an eye in a degenerative process. As mentioned above, these two conditions frequently occur simultaneously in the same population, i.e. the elderly population.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention comprises an illumination device for protecting the eyes in pathology or health from the effects of absorbing harmful light rays leading to neurodegeneration, obtained by applying a yellow filter having a short wavelength between 350 and 500nm on a general illumination device.

Thus, the device incorporates a combination of three elements:

common lighting devices, such as incandescent, fluorescent or halogen lamps.

A fixture or support that applies the filter to the lighting device lamp.

Applications with yellow filters (filter with yellow phasing), commercially available and compatible with lighting devices to absorb short wavelengths between 350 and 500nm over all emission areas of the lighting device.

Detailed Description

There are a variety of ways to apply the present invention based on the type of lighting device. In addition, the method of application of the invention is illustrated by the following examples, which are not limited in scope by the presence of alternative means for manufacturing the device and combinations of such means.

Example of production of the present invention:

-a filter for the yellow is prepared from filters available on the market, for example shaped as a screen or a dye (tint) and compatible with lighting devices.

Support materials are prepared from commercially available materials in order to apply the filter to the lamp according to the manufacturer's guidelines, or for example, according to patents EO1830250 (filter support joint for lighting devices) or ES1046793 (filter support structure applied to lamps).

The yellow filter is mounted on the support material in such a way that it covers the entire light emission area of the luminaire.

In summary, the combination of the illumination device and the yellow filter allows the patient with intra-ocular transparent lenses to correct the fact that the eyes are not protected after surgery due to cataract surgery and in this way the eyes in the process of neurodegeneration improve and increase their own protection and, for healthy eyes, prevent the process of neurodegeneration from occurring. In this way, the problems associated with alternative techniques that exist on the market and require surgical intervention of the intraocular lens are avoided.

Claims (6)

1. Therapeutic and prophylactic device for the protection of pseudoaphakic eyes, characterized in that it is obtained as a result of the application of a filter with yellow colour, absorbing short wavelengths between 350 and 500nm, on one or more lighting means.

2. A treatment and prevention device for protecting a pseudo-amorphous eye according to claim 1, corresponding to a filter with yellow color suitable for use on a lighting device.

3. The therapeutic and prophylactic device for protecting a pseudo-amorphous eye according to one of claims 1 and 2, comprising a general lighting device.

4. Therapeutic and prophylactic device for a healthy eye or an eye undergoing a neurodegenerative retinal process, characterized in that it is obtained as a result of the application of a filter absorbing short wavelengths between 350 and 500nm, with a yellow colour, on one or more lighting means.

5. A treatment and prevention device for a healthy eye or an eye undergoing a neurodegenerative retinal procedure according to claim 4, which treatment and prevention device corresponds to a filter with a yellow colour suitable for use on an illumination device.

6. A treatment and prevention device for a healthy eye or an eye undergoing a neurodegenerative retinal procedure according to one of claims 4 and 5, the treatment and prevention device comprising a general illumination device.