GB2547206A

GB2547206A - Contact lens packaging

Info

Publication number: GB2547206A
Application number: GB1602335.0A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Greenwood Anthony; St John Tristram Smith Guy
Original assignee: Greensmith Tech Ltd
Current assignee: Greensmith Tech Ltd
Priority date: 2016-02-09
Filing date: 2016-02-09
Publication date: 2017-08-16
Anticipated expiration: 2036-02-09
Also published as: GB201602335D0; GB2547206B

Abstract

A storage container for contact lenses 11 comprises at least one well 20 having at least one upstanding member (24, figure 3a) for supporting the contour of a contact lens 11. The member (24) is configurable to control a contact surface area between the contact lens and an applicator tool such that the adhesion between the contact lens and the applicator tool is less than the adhesion between the contact lens and a cornea. The member (24) may take the form of a hollow ring or cylinder including a plurality of spaced apart upstanding pillars, thereby forming a central depression area 13 such that the contact lens is left unsupported by the depression area. Also disclosed is a contact lens applicator film including a terminally sterilised film wherein at least a portion of at least one side of the film comprises an adhesive coating.

Description

Contact Lens Packaging

Technical Field:

The present invention relates to a storage container for a contact lens, more particularly a storage container fabricated to support the corneal contact surface of the lens. The present invention also relates to a contact lens applicator, more particularly a terminally sterilised disposable applicator for handling a contact lens.

Introduction:

The present invention relates to contact lens storage containers, and more particularly to disposable storage containers for contact lenses. Many different types of containers have been used for storage of contact lenses. Some of these are relatively durable moulded structure intended for repeated use and include replaceable covers. Others are relatively low cost disposable structures for storage of the lens prior to use by a wearer. As packaging adds to the overall cost of the lens, it should be made as economically as possible but without compromise to the requisite packaging criteria. The traditional blister pack packaging for disposable lenses consists of a polypropylene receptacle for the lens (referred to as a cartridge), sealed by a film. The cartridge is usually an injection moulded plastic which has high stiffness but is capable of limited plastic deflection and includes a preformed well. The cartridge is filled with a suitable storage solution, preferably saline, and receives a single lens into the well. The blister pack is then sealed (or ‘autoclaved’) using steam and pressure to achieve terminal sterilisation as demanded by statutory requirements, other methods of sterilisation exist including irradiation.

The lens within a cartridge must be kept hydrated; the package must therefore be kept sealed and should minimize water vapour transmission through the cartridge and the seal to maximise the shelf life and prevent drying out of the lens.

There exists a variety of contact lens cartridges, including pre-formed blister packs. As exemplified in the prior art, conventional cartridges are designed to support the immersed lens in one of two orientations. Firstly, the convex surface of the lens is supported such that it extends towards the film cover; in the second orientation, the concave (corneal contact) surface of the lens is supported such that it extends towards the film seal. It is not unknown for a contact lens cartridge to offer no direct support to a lens in regards to which surface is extended towards the film cover, however, in these cartridges it is common for the lack of support to result in the inversion or folding of the lens which can easily result in incorrect application and thus use of the lens. Cartridges that support the lens do so through a variety of means. One such means is to fabricate the well, in a cartridge during the injection moulding process, so that its shape supports either the convex or concave surface of the lens as taught in BAUMAN (US Pat. No. 5,474,169). Wherein a concave support structure gives rise to the convex surface of a lens being extended towards the film seal. Problems associated with these designs include the lens becoming attached to the walls of the well through high surface tension forces resulting in the need for excessive manipulation of the lens to remove it from the well which is not hygienic for the wearer through increased handling of the contact lens. MENICON (TW Pat. No. 200930318) discloses a separate restoration member comprising a foam or sponge structure located underneath a contact lens in a packaging such that when the packaging is sealed, the lens and sponge are compressed but on opening the package, the sponge decompresses and causes the lens to be return to a curved shape. In MENICON, the lens is removed by making a pinching action at two distinct points-of-contact on the contact lens. This pinching motion exposes the lens to more manipulation which increases the risk of contamination. The restoration member can comprise a central cavity so as to reduce the contact area of the lens with the sponge and facilitate the motion of air under the rim of the contact lens.

An alternative means for supporting a lens whereby removal only involves a single point-of-contact in a given orientation includes fabricating a support lattice which accommodates the contours of a lens. The support lattice can be inserted into the well of the cartridge and against it a lens may rest as is demonstrated in the ‘dome’ of VULCU (US Pat. No. 20050103649). These lattice structures can, to an extent, prevent the lens from sticking to the support structure however, complete prevention is not possible.

There is therefore a need for a contact lens storage container that facilitates an increased ease of lens removal such that problems traditionally associated with high levels of surface tension are avoided whilst providing a container that supports the lens in-situ so as to make application require less manipulation of the lens and thereby, reducing problems associated hygiene.

To prevent contamination of the contact lens, they are stored in a sterile solution in a sealed container. In traditional use, a user breaks the seal by peeling-back the film cover to expose the immersed lens. Users can opt to remove the sterile solution within the well before application, with for example an absorbent material or a drainage font, or begin application with the lens being immersed. The point of application is the moment contamination risk is highest. Users that apply the contact lens to their eye through manual manipulation using their fingers are encouraged to adopt recommended hygienic procedures by the contact lens practitioner which involves thoroughly washing and drying their hands before making contact with the lens surfaces. Incomplete or inadequate washing results in microbial and mechanical debris coming into contact with the lens thus increasing the risk of eye infections as well as scratching to the cornea through mechanical corneal abrasions. Despite adequate care being taken to ensure that the appropriate hygienic procedures are adhered to when applying contact lens, there still exists the problems of discomfort and corneal scarring from infection through contact lens usage, particularly regular usage, through infection resulting in increased irritation for the wearer. Common problems associated with contact lens usage include but are not limited to corneal injury caused by a dirty, dusty or damaged lens, or discomfort by the lens being inside out. More serious problems include corneal infection, affecting the clear tissue at the front of the eye that can cause irritation, pain, redness, watery eyes or discharge. In particular ophthalmologists identify Keratitis, a sight threatening corneal infection, as being introduced by the manual manipulation of lenses. Furthermore, manual manipulation increases the risk of dropping, inverting or even folding-over of the lens thus leading to more manipulation and therefore further increasing the risk of contamination.

In an attempt to mitigate the risk of infection through manual manipulation, manufacturers have developed mechanical tools such as that found in VULCU. These tools grip the contact lens with suction thus reducing the possibility of contamination through inadequate hand washing. Problems associated with these tools include: loss of dexterity in comparison to the human hand, contamination through inadequate cleaning of the tool and time for successful application. These tools are also only free from manual manipulation if the lens within a container is situated with the required orientation within the storage container to match the suction head on the tool.

There is therefore a need for a contact lens applicator and method for use that solves the issues detailed above in regards to minimising contamination risk commonly present during manual manipulation or manipulation using a mechanical tool whilst being quick and simple in terms of use.

Summary of the Invention:

The present invention is concerned with the reduction of contamination risk when handling a contact lens. The present applicant has mitigated the above problems by providing a storage container for contact lenses comprising: at least one well comprising at least one upstanding member for supporting the contour of a contact lens, and characterised in that: the member is configurable to control a contact surface area between the contact lens and an applicator tool such that the adhesion between the contact lens and the applicator tool is less than the adhesion between the contact lens and a cornea.

By controlling the contact surface area between the contact lens and an applicator tool reduces the extent of contaminant exposure from the applicator tool to the contact lens. For example, where the applicator tool is an index finger, the increased contact surface area between contact lens and the index finger may result in a greater level of contaminant from the index finger passing onto the contact lens surface. In existing systems, whereby the contact area between the applicator tools such as the index finger and the contact lens is not controlled, the adhesion (e.g. surface tension forces) between the surface of the contact lens and the applicator tool can result in the contact lens inverting from its preferred orientation for insertion onto the eye, thus requiring additional manual handling in particular to the corneal contacting surface. Increased manual handling not only results in increased contamination risk but it also increases the potential for lens damage such as creases as a result of folding losing the visual effectiveness of the contact lens.

Preferably, the perimeter of the member defines an area such that the contact lens is left unsupported by the area. By defining an area such that the contact lens is left unsupported by the area, the deformation of the contact lens when depressed by the applicator is controlled, e.g. index finger, ensuring an adequate adhesion (e.g. as a result of the surface tension from the storage contact lens fluid) between the index finger and the surface of the contact lens for picking up the contact lens whilst at the same time mitigating the potential for contact lens inversion.

To further mitigate the risk of contamination between the contact lens and the applicator tool, e.g. index finger, the present invention provides a contact lens applicator film comprising: a terminally sterilised film wherein at least a portion of at least one side of the film comprises an adhesive coating.

By providing an intermediate sterilised barrier between the applicator tool and the surface of the contact lens, contaminants are prevented from passing from the applicator onto the eye. The film is deformable so that it conforms to the application tool, whether that be an index finger or another mechanical device. To pick up the film onto the applicator tool, at least a portion of at least one side of the film comprises an adhesive coating such that the film adheres to the tool when contact is made. To prevent adhesive residue being present on the surface of the contact lens which would obscure vision, the side opposite the adhesive coating is free of adhesive. The present invention relies on surface tension as a result of the fluid used for storage of the contact lens for adhesion between the surface of the contact lens and the applicator tool. However, in extreme sporting or windy environments, it is sometimes beneficial to ensure that the lens does not fall from the applicator tool. To permit a stronger adhesion between the surface of the contact lens and the film, both opposing sides of the film comprises an adhesive coating; the adhesive coating on one side of the applicator film is used to pick up the film and the adhesive coating on the opposing side is used to pick up the contact lens. Furthermore, the adhesive coating between the surface of the contact lens and the film may be water soluble, preferably soluble in eye fluid, to prevent any adhesive residue obscuring the user’s vision.

To permit easy removal of the film from the applicator tool for disposal, the adhesive coating in contact with the applicator tool does not extend across the entire surface area of the film but rather occupies a smaller area primarily used to pick up the film. Preferably, the side of the film in contact with the applicator tool comprises an inner portion and an outer portion, whereby the inner portion comprises the adhesive coating and the outer portion, which is free from the adhesive coating, comprises a tab for removing the film from the applicator tool, e.g. index finger.

To ensure sterility of the film, the present invention provides a contact lens applicator container for housing the contact lens applicator. As the film is very thin, it is prone to curling when stored in the container and thus, in order to maintain the orientation and structural integrity of the film (e.g. flatness) within the container such that the side of the film comprising the adhesive coating for contact with the applicator is presented to the user when the container is opened, and to prevent curling of the film, the base of the container comprises a pressure sensitive adhesive. The adhesive properties of the adhesive coating on the film are chosen such that the bond strength between the applicator tool and the film is stronger that the bond strength between the pressure sensitive adhesive coating on the base of the container and the film. This permits the film to be easily removed from the container whilst ensuring that there is no adhesive residue from the base being transferred to the film.

To provide an all in one solution for minimising cross contamination from the applicator tool to the eye through manually handling the contact lens, the present invention provides a kit. The kit comprises the contact lens applicator film as described above and a contact lens housed in a contact lens container as described above. The kit can optionally provide a contact lens applicator container as described above, preferably the kit is formed as a single body. The all in one solution not only provides a container that controls the contact surface area between the contact lens and the applicator tool so as to minimise or reduce the level of cross contamination from the applicator tool to the contact lens as well as providing ease of removal of the contact lens from the container but the addition of the contact lens applicator that acts as a sterile barrier between the applicator tool and the contact lens removes any possibility of cross contamination from the applicator tool passing onto the contact lens. Moreover, the contact lens applicator maintains the applicator tool in a hygienic or sterile condition. Whilst adopting appropriate hygenic procedures when applying contact lens to the eye, the present invention removes the need to adopt rigorous hygiene procedures needed to ensure safe use of contact lens that is free from the risk of eye infections as recommended by the contact lens practitioner.

Brief Description of the Drawings:

Further preferred features and aspects of the present invention will be apparent from the claims and the following illustrative description made with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure lisa cross-sectional view of a contact lens storage container according to an example of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a top view of the contact lens storage container shown in Fig. 1.

Figure 3 (a to c) shows the steps in picking up a contact lens from the contact lens storage container according to an example of the present invention.

Figure 4 is a view of a contact lens applicator film housed in a container according to an example of the present invention.

Figure 5 shows a cross-sectional view and an expanded sectional view of a contact lens applicator film housed in the container as shown in Fig. 4.

Figure 6 is a top view of a contact lens applicator film according to an example of the present invention.

Figure 7 is a schematic view of a contact lens applicator storage container housing a contact lens applicator film according to another example of the present invention.

Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of a contact lens applicator film stack assembly according to an example of the present invention.

Figure 9 (a to d) shows the steps in picking up a contact lens applicator film from the contact lens applicator film container shown in Fig. 5.

Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view of a kit comprising a contact lens applicator film and contact lens storage container according to an example of the present invention.

Figure 11 (a to d) shows the steps in picking up a contact lens from the kit shown in Fig. 10.

Figure 12 shows the steps in applying a contact lens stored in the kit of shown in Fig. 10 and Fig. 11.

Detailed Description:

For the purpose of description in a specific embodiment of the present invention, a storage container 10 is configured for use with a contact lens 11 as seen in Fig. 1. The contact lens 11 housed in a cartridge storage container 10 can be fabricated of any suitable material known in the art; the two general categories of lens are soft or rigid gas permeable lenses, the use of each category is dependent on mix of user choice and lens function. It should be appreciated that the storage container 10 may house at least one or more contact lenses 11.

The storage container 10 can be fabricated individually or as part of blister pack packaging (not shown) comprising a plurality of cartridges 10. The storage container 10 is fabricated of a material with a high stiffness whilst being capable of limited plastic deflection and watertight; typically this can be a plastic. The storage container 10 can be manufactured with any suitable means, the most usual being injection moulding although thermo forming and compression moulding may be used. Optionally the storage container is formed as a single body.

The storage container 10 comprises at least one well 20 configured as a receptacle for the contact lens 11; the at least one well 20 and respective contact lenses 11 exist in a 1:1 ratio, i.e. there is only one lens 11 per well 20. The well 20 is formed with a base wall 21 preferably configured as a substantially disc-shaped reception area and a side wall 23 preferably configured as an upwardly sloping peripheral wall. It should be understood that the well 20 can have any three-dimensional configuration that is suitable for housing a contact lens 11. In an example of the present invention the side wall 23 is angled such that, together with the base wall 21, the well 20 forms a generally concave depression as seen in Fig. 2. The well 20 is filled with a suitable storage solution 15 to keep the stored contact lens 11 from drying out, commonly and preferably saline.

Within the well 20 is fabricated an upstanding member 24; the member 24 can be formed separately and then mounted to the well 20 or it may be integral to the well and produced during the injection moulding process. The member 24 extends outwardly or upwardly from the interior side of the base wall 21 so as to provide a support to a contour of the concave corneal contact surface of the contact lens 11. The member 24 is configured to control a contact surface area 12 between the contact lens 11 and an applicator tool (not shown) e.g. a user’s finger or mechanical device. The perimeter of the member 24 defines a depression area 13 such that the contact lens is left unsupported by the depression area 13 as shown in Fig. 3a. To fulfil this requirement, the member 24 is preferably configured to be substantially cylindrical or ring-shaped as shown in Fig. 2. The contact surface area 12 between the contact lens and applicator tool (e.g. the index finger) is dictated by the area defined by the perimeter of the member 24. When the convex surface of the contact lens 11 is depressed by a user the lens is advantageously encouraged to deform such that surface area of the lens 11 in contact with the user increases until the area defined by the perimeter of the member prevents any further increase in the contact surface area 12 between the applicator tool and the contact lens as shown in Fig 3b and Fig. 3c. As the contact surface area increases, the surface tension increases between the applicator tool and the contact lens 11. Thus the area defined by the perimeter of the member controls the contact surface area 12 between the applicator tool and the contact lens which ultimately controls the degree of surface tension between the applicator tool and the contact lens. In the particular example of the present invention shown in Fig. 3, the member is positioned in the well 20 such that the depression area 13 is directly aligned with the apex of the contact lens 11. It should be understood that the depression area 13 can be aligned with any portion of the contact lens 11. The depression area 13 optionally has an area in the range 5 mm2 to 180 mm2, preferably 30mm2.

The contact lens 11 deforms to the shape of the contact point of the applicator tool as shown in Fig. 3c. The result of the increase in surface tension is that it becomes easier to remove the contact lens 11 from the well 20 whilst also decreasing the chance of dropping the contact lens 11 when offering and subsequent application of the contact lens to the eye. Uniquely, by supporting only one contour of the concave corneal contact surface of the contact lens 11, the entire contact lens 11 does not undergo deformation under the pressure of the applicator tool; deformation is limited to the area of the contact lens directly above the depression area 13 and is arrested to the location of the contour on the contact lens 11. The advantage of this is that the surface tension between the contact lens 11 and the applicator tool is optimised such that it is great enough that the contact lens 11 can easily overcome the adhesion of lens 11 to well 20 whilst the tension is not so great as to impede the subsequent application to the eye. A further advantage of this optimisation is that during application of the contact lens 11, only one contact point on the surface of the lens is required; additionally, the contact point on the surface of the lens is on the surface not in contact with the cornea; moreover, the area of the contact point is controlled and minimised and thus so is the risk of contamination.

The member 24 can be configured in a number of designs including a solid structure (not shown), a hollow structure, a solid structure with one or more ventilation apertures (not shown). Alternatively, the member comprises a plurality of spaced apart upstanding pillars so as to provide ventilation channels 25 between the pillars. Ventilation apertures or channels 25 are provided such that air may enter through the channels 25 during removal of the contact lens 11 to prevent the lens from sticking to the well 20 or member 24. The channels 25 also prevent the storage solution 15 from being trapped within the member 24’s enclosure.

Without the channels 25, a vacuum suction effect can be created during the depression of the contact lens 11 during removal, resulting in the contact lens 11 being made harder to remove thus increasing the amount of manipulation of the lens required. Furthermore, the well 20 may comprise one or more raised ridges 29 and/or one or more depressions (not shown) so as to raise or elevate the contact lens from the base wall 21 of the well. The one or more raised ridges 29 and/or one or more depressions are fixed to the interior side of the base wall 21 and create a path for fluid flow under and at the rim of the contact lens so as to prevent against the vacuum suction effect being formed.. Optionally the one or more raised ridges 29 are wedge shaped.

The side wall 23 of the well 20 can preferably be configured with a spout 26, the spout 26 permits pouring of fluid from the well 20, in particular the storage solution 15.

The storage container 10 is fabricated with a flange 30, the flange 30 is configured to sealingly engage with a closure or cover 31 which is typically a metallic foil or foil/plastic laminate as commonly known in the art such that the storage container 10 and importantly the well 20 is made fluid-tight. The flange 30 is therefore preferably situated around the periphery of the well 20 or the storage container 10; the flange can either be a solid protrusion or an adhesive. For disposable contact lens storage containers, the cover 31 is typically metallic foil and the seal is applied during autoclaving to conform to statutory requirements, other methods of sterilisation exist including irradiation.. For permanent contact lens storage containers, the cover 31 is a removable and replaceable structure that engages with the flange 30 of the storage container 10; by for example, a snap fit or interlocking thread in the cover and the storage container.

An additional advantage associated with this storage container for contact lenses is that the lens is held in the correct orientation for insertion into the eye without further manipulation. The reduction of manipulation results in lowered risk of contamination.

According to a second independent aspect of the present invention, the applicant has provided at least one terminally sterilised disposable applicator film 45 housed within a contact lens applicator container 50 for a contact lens 11 as seen in Fig. 4. The applicator container 50 is optionally a pouch (not shown) comprising a metallic foil or foil/plastic laminate. Alternatively, according to an example of the present invention, the applicator container 50 can be fabricated individually or as part of blister pack packaging (not shown) comprising a plurality of applicator containers 50. The applicator container 50 is fabricated of a material with a high stiffness whilst being capable of limited plastic deflection and water-tight; typically this can be a plastic. The applicator container 50 can be manufactured with any suitable means known in the art, the most typical being injection moulding.

The applicator container 50 comprises at least one recess 60 configured as a receptacle for the applicator film 45. In an example of the present invention, recesses 60 and applicator films 45 exist in a 1:1 ratio, i.e. there is one applicator film 45 in each recess 60 as shown in Fig. 4. It should however be appreciated that if the recess 60 is sufficiently large it is possible for a plurality of applicator films 45 to be housed in one recess 60 as shown in Fig. 7. The recess 60 is formed of a base wall 61 and a side wall 62. It should be understood that the recess 60 can have any three-dimensional configuration that is suitable for housing the disposable applicator film 45. The recess 60 is preferably larger than the disposable applicator film 45 however it is also more preferable that the recess 60 is not substantially larger than the disposable applicator film 45 such that applicator containers 50 can be efficiently packed together.

The applicator container 50 is fabricated with a flange 70, the flange 70 is configured to sealingly engage with a closure or cover 71 which is typically a metallic foil or foil/plastic laminate such that the applicator container 50 and importantly the recess 60 is made fluid-tight as shown in Fig. 5 and Fig. 7. The flange 70 is therefore preferably situated around the periphery of the recess 60 or the applicator container 50. For disposable applicator films 45, the cover 71 is typically metallic foil and the seal is applied during autoclaving to conform to statutory requirements. For the example of a multi-use applicator container 50 as shown in

Fig.9, the cover 71 is a removeable lid suitable for sealing the applicator films 45 into the container for storage. The seal can be any seal to prevent the ingress of fluids, solids or any matter that may contaminate the applicator films for example a rubberised seal.

The disposable applicator film 45 provides a flexible barrier beween the applicator tool such as an index finger and the contact lens and is configured as a thin film 46 as shown in Fig. 6. The film 46 is preferably sized such that when applied it covers only area of the applicator tool in contact with the contact lens 11. The film 46 comprises an adhesive coating 47 on at least a portion of one side 46a of the film (illustrated in the enlarged portion of Fig. 5). Equally both opposing sides of the film comprises an adhesive coating. The film is sufficiently flexible to conform to the shape of the depression area of the application tool, e.g, the curvature of the surface of the index finger. Typical materials of the fim include but are not limited to silicone. Preferably, the adhesive is environmentally friendly and should not pose a health risk if ever the adhesive comes into contact with the eye. Typically the adhesive is an acrylic based adhesive, preferably a water based acrylic adhesive. Commercially available films with an adhesive coating on the market include but are not limited to: ClearFilm IV, IV3000, Tegaderm and Opsite. Such applicator films has sufficient flexibility to not impede the dexterity or the touch-sensitivity of the applicator tool.

Optionally the film 45 is disk shaped as shown in Fig. 6 and has a diameter of 5mm to 20mm, preferably the diameter of the film 45 is 15mm . Furthermore, the film can also be water-soluble.

In an example of the present invention, the at least one side 46a of the film 45 comprises an inner portion and an outer portion, wherein the inner portion comprises the adhesive coating 47 and the outer portion is free from the adhesive coating. Additionally the outer portion can comprise a tab for handling the film without contact with the adhesive coating 47. The film 45 is installed into the well 60 such that the at least one side 46a with adhesive coating 47 is orientated such that the adhesive coating 47 is exposed or presented to the user when the cover 71 is removed i.e. it faces away from and is not in contact with the base wall 61 of the recess 60. The film 45 and/or applicator container can be coloured, opaque or transparent so as to aid in the film45 being easily identifiable by the user.

Alternatively, the adhesion to the applicator tool is attained by only electro-static forces between the film 46 and the applicator tool when contact is made such that no adhesive coating 47 is required.

The recess 60 is fabricated such that it has sufficient depth so as to prevent the film’s 45 adhesive coating 47 from contacting the under surface of the cover 71. The film 45 is mounted to the recess 60 such that it does not become detached from the recess 60’s base wall 61 This is a result of the electro-static attraction between the base wall (61) of the recess and the film 45. This attraction is suitable for short-term storage of the applicator film in the container 50. However, to prevent the film 45 from moving around within the recess 60 during long-term storage and transport of the applicator film 45, it is beneficial to optionally provide means for securing the film 45 to the base wall 61 of the recess 60. These means are inclusive of but are not exclusively limited to use of a mechanical retainer, for example, a clip, or an intermediate layer 48 on the base wall 61 of the recess 60. In an example of the present invention, the base wall 61 of the recess can comprise a pressure sensitive adhesive, such that whilst the film 45 is mounted on the base wall 61 it adheres but when the film 45 is removed from the base wall 61, the adhesion is easily overcome.

In an example of the second independent aspect of the present invention shown in Fig. 5a, the intermediate layer 48 is mounted to the base wall 61 of the recess 60. In one example of the present invention there is one intermediate layer 48 per film 45 present in the recess 60. It should be understood however, if more than one film 45 were included in each recess 60 then one intermediate layer 48 can service a plurality of films. The intermediate layer 48 comprises a first adhesive 49a on one side 48a of the intermediate layer in contact with the base wall 61 of the recess 60 and a second adhesive 49b on the opposite side 48b. In the particular example of the present invention, the first adhesive 49a is stronger than the second 49b such that on removal of the film 45 from the recess 60, the intermediate layer 48 is not removed from the container 50 in the same motion. Preferably, according to an example of the present invention, the second adhesive 49b is a low-tack pressure sensitive adhesive.

To accommodate the intermediate layer in the container 50 without jeopardising the volume in the container and thus, to ensure that the adhesive layer on the applicator film does not touch or come into contact with the underside of the cover 71, the recess 60 further comprises a depression 64. The depression 64 is shaped to accommodate the intermediate layer 48 such that the second adhesive is flush with respect to the upper surface of the base wall 61a as shown in Fig. 5b. Preferably, the depression 64 has a surface area less than the surface area of the film 45, thus removing the possibility of adherence of the applicator tool to the base wall 61 of the recess 60 and further facilitating detachment of the film 45 from the recess 60.

The nature of a low-tack, pressure-sensitive second adhesive 49b permits the film 45 to be bonded in the recess 60 with sufficient force to retain it whilst allowing it to be lifted when being removed, leaving no adhesive residue adhered to the film 45 that could be transferred to the contact lens 11.

In an example of the present invention, one or more disposable applicator films are provided in a stack assembly 75 as shown in Fig. 8. The stack assembly 75 further comprises at least one or more strips of release material 76 spaced between adjacent one or more disposable applicator films 45 such that the films 45 do not stick together so as to prevent adhesive residue being deposited on the surface of each film that is incontact with the contact lens during handling. In a further example of the present invention, one or more applicator films are arranged on a single strip of release material 76, the strip of release material 76 is folded such that adjacent applicators 45 on the strip 76 overlay one another. The stack assembly can be inserted into the contact lens applicator container as shown in Fig. 7.

To lift the film 45 from the container 50, a user only has to press the contact portion of an applicator tool onto the at least one side 46a of the film 45 having the adhesive coating 47 as shown in Fig. 9. In the particular embodiment of the present invention shown in Fig. 9, an index finger is used as the applicator tool and the pad of the index finger is the contact portion. The adhesive characteristic of the film is such that for removal from the applicator tool, a user can simply peel it off without a dedicated solvent solution being required. The film 45 is then discarded. The disposable film applicator 45 provides a means for a user to do away from contacting the surface of a contact lens 11 whilst not impinging on the dexterity of the applicator tool. This results in a user being able to handle a contact lens 11 under many conditions as sterility is provided by the applicator film even though the user is not required to perform a thorough washing of their applicator tool, for example, they are not required to perform a thorough washing of their hands before application or removal of the lens 11.

To combine the benefits of the storage container 10 of the present invention and the applicator film 45 of the present invention, it should be appreciated that the contact lens storage container 10 of the present invention need not be supplied separately to the applicator container 50, they can be provided in combination as shown in Fig. 10 as a kit. In this example, the contact lens 11 and the disposable applicator film 45 are housed in their respective well 20 and recess 60 that are located on a single body combined container 80. The container 80 is of the same type and construction as those described above. At least one flange (not shown) is configured to sealingly engage with at least one closure or cover (81) which is typically a metallic foil or foil/plastic laminate such that the container 80 and importantly the well 20 and recess 60 are made fluid-tight to prevent contamination. The at least one flange is therefore preferably situated around the periphery of the well 20 and recess 60 of the container 80. The at least one cover 81 is typically metallic foil and the seal is applied during autoclaving to conform to statutory requirements. It should be understood that both the well 20 and the recess 60 can be covered by the same cover or by separate covers.

Four steps are used, as shown in the flow diagram Fig. 12 and illustrated in Fig. 11, to apply a contact lens 11 to the cornea of a user’s eye, as housed in the contact lens and applicator fdm combined cartridge 80. A user presses the contact portion of the applicator tool to the film 45 until the film adheres to the tool as shown in Fig. 11a and 1 lb (Step 93). In the particular embodiment shown in Fig. 11, the user presses down on the applicator film using their index finger.

Step 94 is optional and involves draining the storage solution 15 from the contact lens well 20;

The user then presses the film 45 to the convex surface of the contact lens 11 to permit slight deformation of the contact lens and cause the contact lens to adhere to the film as a result of the surface tension due to the solution 15 residue left on the contact lens 11 as shown in Fig. 11c (step 95).

The contact lens 11 is brought into contact with the cornea and inserted into the eye, the applicator film is removed from the applicator tool and discarded (step 96).

Changes and modifications, addtions and deletions or material or adhesive type may be made to the different examples given above without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

Claims

Claims:

1. A storage container for contact lenses comprising: at least one well 20 comprising at least one upstanding member 24 for supporting the contour of a contact lens, and characterised in that: the member 24 is configurable to control a contact surface area between the contact lens and an applicator tool such that the adhesion between the contact lens and the applicator tool is less than the adhesion between the contact lens and a cornea.

2. The storage container of claim 1, wherein the perimeter of the member defines a depression area such that the contact lens is left unsupported by the depression area.

3. The storage container of claim 2, wherein the depression area has a range between 5 mm2 to 180mm2 preferably 30mm2.

4. The storage container of any of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one member comprises at least one ventilation aperture.

5. The storage container of any of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one member is hollow.

6. The storage container of any of the preceding claims, wherein the least one member comprises a plurality of spaced apart upstanding pillars.

7. The storage container according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one member is a hollow ring.

8. The storage container according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one member is substantially cylindrical.

9. The storage container according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the well comprises an upwardly extending sloping peripheral wall.

10. The storage container according to claim 9, wherein the well comprises a substantially disc shaped reception area.

11. The storage container according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the well comprises a spout for pouring fluid from the well.

12. The storage container according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the well further comprises one or more raised ridges and/or one or more depressions for creating a path for fluid flow at the rim of the contact lens.

13. The storage container according to claim 12, wherein the ridges are wedge shaped.

14. The storage container according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the storage container is a single body.

15. The storage container according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the storage container is disposable.

16. A contact lens applicator film comprising: a terminally sterilised film wherein at least a portion of at least one side of the film comprises an adhesive coating.

17. The contact lens applicator film of claim 16, wherein the film is composed of silicone.

18. The contact lens applicator film of any of the claims 16 or 17, wherein the adhesive coating comprises acrylic.

19. The contact lens applicator film of any of the claims 16 to 18, wherein the film is disk-shaped.

20. The contact lens applicator film of any of the claims 16 to 19, wherein the film has a diameter in the range of 5mm to 20mm, preferably 15mm.

21. The contact lens applicator film of any of the claims 16 to 20, wherein the film is water-soluble.

22. The contact lens applicator of any of the claims 16 to 21, wherein the at least one side comprises an inner portion and an outer portion, wherein the inner portion comprises the adhesive coating.

23. The contact lens applicator film of any of the claims 16 to 22, wherein the outer portion comprises a tab for handling the film.

24. The contact lens applicator film of any of the claims 16 to 23, wherein the film is transparent.

25. The contact lens applicator film of any of the claims 16 to 24, wherein the contact lens applicator is disposable.

26. An assembly of contact lens applicator films, each of the contact lens applicator films comprising the contact lens applicator as defined in any of the claims 16 to 25.

27. The assembly of claim 26, wherein the assembly is a stack of contact lens applicators.

28. The assembly of claim 27, wherein each of the contact lens applicator films are releasably attached to an adjacent contact lens applicator film.

29. The assembly of claim 26 or 27, comprising a release layer between adjacent contact lens applicator films in the stack.

30. The assembly of claim 26, wherein each of the contact lens applicator films are adhered onto a strip of release material.

31. The assembly of claim 30, wherein the strip of release material is folded such that adjacent contact lens applicator films on the strip overlay one another in the assembly.

32. A contact lens applicator container for housing a contact lens applicator as defined in any of the claims 16 to 31.

33. The contact lens applicator container of claim 32, wherein the contact lens applicator container is a pouch.

34. The contact lens applicator container of claim 32, wherein the contact lens applicator container comprises a recess having a base wall.

35. The contact lens applicator container of claim 34, wherein the base comprises a pressure sensitive adhesive.

36. The contact lens applicator container of claim 35, wherein the base is coated with the pressure sensitive adhesive.

37. The contact lens applicator container of claim 35, wherein the base comprises an intermediate layer comprises a first adhesive on one side of the intermediate layer in contact with the base of the recess and a second adhesive on the opposite side, wherein the first adhesive is stronger than the second adhesive.

38. The contact lens applicator container of claim 36, wherein the recess further comprises a depression such that the second adhesive is flush with respect to the surface of the base wall.

39. The contact lens applicator container of claims 37 or 38, wherein the second adhesive is a pressure sensitive adhesive.

40. The contact lens applicator container of any of the claims 37 to 39, wherein the depression has a surface area less than the surface area of the contact lens applicator film.

41. The contact lens applicator container of any of the claims 32 to 40, wherein the contact lens applicator container is configured to house the assembly of contact lens applicator films as defined in any of the claims 26 to 31.

42. The contact lens applicator container of any of the claims 32 to 36 or 41 wherein the container further comprises a contact lens applicator film, wherein the contact lens applicator film is orientated such that the adhesive coating is exposed.

43. The contact lens applicator container of any of the claims 37 to 42, wherein the container comprises a contact lens applicator film, wherein the contact lens applicator film is orientated in contact with the second adhesive such that the adhesive coating is exposed.

44. The contact lens applicator container of any of the claims 32 to 43, wherein the container is sealed to prevent contamination of the contact lens applicator.

45. The contact lens applicator container of any of the claims 32 to 44, wherein the contact lens applicator container is disposable.

46. The contact lens applicator container of the claims 32 to 44 wherein the contact lens applicator container is re-useable.

46. A kit comprising a contact lens storage container as defined in any of the claims 1 to 15 and a contact lens applicator as defined in any of the claims 16 to 25 or an assembly of contact lens applicator film as defined in any of the claims 26 to 31.

47. The kit of claim 45 comprising a contact lens applicator container as defined in any of the claims 32 to 46.

48. The kit of claim 47, wherein the contact lens storage container and the contact lens applicator container are formed as a single body.

49. The kit of any of the claims 45 to 48, further comprises a contact lens housed within the contact lens storage container.

50. A method of handling a contact lens, comprising the steps of adhering the contact lens to a contact lens applicator film as defined in any of the claims 16 to 25.