TWI477841B - Contact lens - Google Patents

Description

Contact lens Field of invention

The invention relates to contact lenses. In particular, the present invention relates to a contact lens capable of changing the appearance of the eye when the wearer wears. More specifically, but without excluding other means, the contact lens system can make the eyes appear larger and brighter.

Background of the invention

Contact lenses are widely used to correct many different types of visual impairments. These include defects such as myopia and hyperopia (myopia and hypermetropia, astigmatism, respectively), and defects in short-range vision (presbyopia) that are often associated with aging.

Contact lenses can also be used based on cosmetic factors. One level of "cosmetic glasses" includes colored glasses. It is well known to use dyed, colored contact lenses to change the natural color of the iris. A particular eye color is sometimes seen as a particularly attractive and wearable contact lens used to express a subject to mask someone's natural eye color in another color. These glasses can be used to enhance or change the visual color of the wearer's iris. In general, the lenses include a colored iris segment, and the colored contact lenses can include an optical correction, such as a correction for the hyperopia or myopia of the contact lens wearer. Alternatively, the contact lens can be provided with a colored iris segment based solely on cosmetic use.

It is also possible to purchase "beauty" glasses that rely on the colored iris segments of the glasses to create "big" eye effects. These glasses have one thing in common - the glasses are designed to "fit" the average iris. The colored iris segment covers most of the wearer's iris, leaving a small blank that is roughly the same size as the wearer's pupil.

The problem with these "beauty" glasses is that they affect the wearer's peripheral vision and cause "blurred" peripheral vision. The main reason for this phenomenon is that a starburst pattern is printed on the iris segment of the lens near the optical zone. This starburst pattern attempts to provide a more natural appearance of the glasses.

Summary of invention

According to a preferred aspect, a contact lens is provided comprising: (a) a non-opaque pupil region; (b) a generally annular iris region having a region and circumferentially surrounding the pupil region; (c) a print a pattern on the iris region that extends a portion of the region across the iris region to provide a perception of one of the structures of an iris imparted to the iris region; wherein the diameter of the iris region is greater than that of a wearer's iris The diameter thereby provides a lens that allows the wearer to wear the contact lens with its eyes appearing larger.

The color of the printed pattern is preferably the same as the color of the wearer's iris. In particular, if the wearer is an Asian, the color of the printed pattern is preferably black. The net effect can advantageously be that the spectacles appear like an extension of the wearer's iris. This extension creates a "big" eye effect.

The diameter of the pupil region is preferably larger than the diameter of the wearer's pupil. The printed pattern on the glasses can advantageously not obstruct peripheral vision.

The printed pattern is preferably configured to provide a darkened image within an exterior of the iris region.

The printed pattern is preferably composed of a single color. Preferably, the printed pattern is a result of a first pattern and a second pattern of the overlay, wherein the first and second patterns are different colors.

The area of the pupil area is preferably between 20 and 30 square centimeters. The pupil area preferably occupies between 10 and 20% of the total contact lens area, while the printed iris area occupies one of 60 to 75% of the total contact lens area. The printed iris area preferably occupies between 65 and 70% of the total contact lens area.

The printed pattern preferably does not contact the outer periphery of the lens.

The glasses are preferably of a disposable type.

The present invention provides a contact lens that looks natural on the eye, has a good cosmetic appeal, makes the eye appear larger and brighter, but does not have issues associated with blurred peripheral vision. The present invention discusses glasses that do not have a starburst pattern but look natural on the eye. Eliminating starburst patterns helps achieve good peripheral vision.

Simple illustration

In order to fully understand the present invention and to have a practical effect, the preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of non-limiting example.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a schematic view showing a contact lens according to an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a contact lens according to an embodiment of the present invention; and Fig. 3 is a view showing an embodiment according to the present invention. Printing a "basic" pattern on a contact lens; Figure 4 shows a "ring" pattern printed on a contact lens in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and Figure 5 shows an embodiment in accordance with the present invention. A composite pattern ("basic" and "ring" pattern) printed on a contact lens; and Figure 6 shows a contact lens in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention appearing on a wearer's eye.

Detailed description of the preferred embodiment

Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows a contact lens 10 having a pattern 20 printed on the iris region 30, the iris region 30 being a region circumferentially surrounding the non-opaque pupil region 40. In order for the glasses to look natural on the eye, the printed pattern 20 is configured to provide a darkened image within an exterior of the iris region 25. In a preferred embodiment, the printed pattern 20 does not contact the outer perimeter 35 of the lens 10. In general, Asians such as Chinese, Japanese, and Koreans have dark irises. Among these ethnic groups, black is the most common iris color. Accordingly, an embodiment of the present invention provides a contact lens having a black pattern. However, there may be other colors such as brown or gray. The color can be a single color, or a combination of colors. The color can be approximately the same as the color of the wearer's iris.

"Non-opaque" is used to describe a portion of the spectacles that are not printed, are not colored, or are colored with a translucent colorant and are preferably transparent.

Figure 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the contact lens when worn on a wearer's eye. The printed pattern 20 of the glasses 10 is located behind the wearer's iris 50. In other words, the diameter of the iris region 30 is larger than the diameter of the wearer's iris 50. This printed pattern 20 is superimposed at 60 on the wearer's iris 50. This helps to define the wearer's iris 50 by causing the wearer's eyes to appear larger by extending the wearer's iris 50 as an extension of the wearer's iris 50.

Another feature of the invention is the area of the optical zone (pupil area 40) that remains unprinted. Referring to Figure 2, the diameter of the pupil region 40 is also greater than the diameter of the wearer's pupil 70. The large unprinted pupil area 40 not only prevents the printed pattern 20 on the lens 10 from obstructing the wearer's peripheral vision, but also causes the wearer's eyes to appear larger when coupled with the black printed pattern. Brighter.

The area of the non-opaque pupil region 40 is between 20 and 30 square centimeters. This pupil area 40 occupies an area between 10 and 20% of the area of the total contact lens 10. The printed pattern 20 occupies an area between 60 and 75% of the area of the total contact lens 10. The printed pattern 20 preferably occupies between 65 and 75% of the area of the total contact lens 10. It is assumed that the average diameter of the wearer's iris is between 12 and 13 mm (for convenience, this diameter includes the wearer's pupil), the area of the printed pattern 20 outside the wearer's iris - that is, the eye The scleral region (overlap 60) is located between 3 and 30% of the area of the printed pattern 20.

Figures 3 and 4 show the layup to obtain the pattern of the pattern shown in Figure 5 ("Basic" and "Ring" patterns). "Pattern" is used to describe a mixture of points and lines that are randomly or unevenly separated to mimic the natural appearance and appearance of the human iris. These points and lines can be seen from Figures 3, 4 and 5. The overlay pattern also helps to achieve a darkened image of an exterior of the iris region 25.

The ink used to obtain the black pattern is based on poly-2-(hydroxyethyl methacrylate), that is, a hydrophilic polymer. The ink contains typical components, that is, colorants, resins, solvents, additives, and crosslinking agents. The colorant can be a pigment or a dye. The resin is usually based on hydrophilic 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate. While 2-(hydroxyethyl methacrylate) forms the primary component of the resin of the ink system, other comonomers can be used. Examples include methacrylic acid (to increase the water absorption capacity of a resin-based ink system), 2-ethoxyethyl methacrylate or methyl methacrylate (to provide mechanical strength to the resulting ink film). The water absorption capacity of the mechanical strength of the final ink film can be conveniently controlled by modifying the monomer composition. This ability is very important for coating systems that design substrate glasses with varying water content. Disposable glasses are well known for their high water content compared to conventional glasses. By modifying the monomer composition, those skilled in the art will be able to design an ink system suitable for substrates having varying water contents. A suitable polymerization initiator such as 2,2'-azobisisobutyronitrile, peroxyphenylhydrazine or tert-butyl peroxide can be used. A chain transfer agent well known in the art can be utilized to control the molecular weight of the resin or i.e., the bound polymer. Suitable chain transfer agents include 1-dodecanethiol and 2-ethylthiol. Any suitable solvent that can bring the resin material into solution can be used. A typical solvent will be cyclohexanone, cyclopentanone, ethyl lactate or methyl ethyl ketone. A combination of solvents can be used. A preferred solvent system is one in combination with one of ethyl lactate and cyclopentanone. Additives that help spread and prevent pigment flocculation can be used. The ink will also have to include a cross-linking agent that will help to obtain a networked route. The cross-linking reaction will ensure that the pigment particles are trapped in the resulting network and also that the ink layer is securely anchored to the substrate lens material. A typical crosslinker will be based on a difunctional isocyanate. The two reactive groups of each isocyanate molecule ensure the formation of a networked network. Suitable isocyanate compounds will include hexamethylene diisocyanate and 2,4-diisocyanate toluene. Isocyanates are highly reactive compounds. It is possible to temporarily make the isocyanate inactive by a terminal capping reaction. The passive isocyanate can then be activated during the curing/crosslinking reaction after the printing step of printing the ink onto the lens substrate.

The pigment paste required for the manufacture of the ink can be obtained by grinding together the components (except the crosslinking agent). Grinding can be achieved in any equipment that initiates particle size reduction, such as a bead mill. A typical procedure will involve mixing the resin, colorant, additives, and solvent, and then grinding the resulting mixture in a grinding apparatus. The mixture will have to be passed through a grinding apparatus such as a bead mill several times to initiate a reduction in the size of the particles required in the pigment. The ideal final particle size will be less than 3 microns.

The ink is prepared by adding a stoichiometric amount of a crosslinking agent to the pigment paste and then further adding a solvent to obtain a printing viscosity. The crosslinking agent in the present invention is based on a bifunctional isocyanate.

The colored pattern is deposited on the front surface of the spectacles using offset pad printing. The patterns depicted in Figures 3 and 4 are first etched in what is called "clich The stainless steel plate. The two patterns can also be combined on a single stainless steel plate and subsequently etched. The circular depression is usually 12 to 18 microns deep. In a typical printing operation, the depression will first be filled with an ink, and redundant The ink is scraped off with a scraping blade. Then the silicone rubber pad will help the ink transfer from the depression to the surface of the lens to draw the pattern from the stainless steel plate (clich). ) Transfer to the surface of the glasses. Although the present invention describes pad printing methods, those skilled in the art will appreciate that any similar printing method can be used. The ink is then subjected to a curing/crosslinking reaction at a reduced pressure and a high temperature. This step will also be carried out efficiently under an inert atmosphere. It is generally a temperature in the order of 100 to 135 °C. If a capping isocyanate is used as a crosslinking agent, this will be the stage in which the compound is "uncoated" to react with the reactive groups on the resin. If the substrate lens is based on a polymer containing 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, the isocyanate will also react with the hydroxyl groups on the surface of the lens. In fact this will be the preferred approach as it will result in an ink film that exhibits good adhesion properties. The cured glasses are then subjected to a hydration step. The resulting hydrated spectacles are then sterilized in a manner typical of medical devices.

The contact lens can be made of any suitable material or procedure known in the art and can be of a disposable type. For example, contact lenses can be made using a suitable hydrophilic polymer. The material of the glasses can also be based on oxygenated hydrogel materials. Those skilled in the art can design resins to accommodate different substrates by changing the monomer composition in the resin formulation.

Although the preferred embodiment of the invention has been described above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art

10. . . Contact lens

20. . . Printed pattern

25,30. . . Iris area

35. . . Outer periphery

40. . . Non-opaque pupil area

50. . . Iris

60. . . Overlapping area

70. . . Wearer's pupil

1 is a schematic view showing a contact lens according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a contact lens according to an embodiment of the present invention; and FIG. 3 is a view showing printing according to an embodiment of the present invention. a "basic" pattern on a contact lens; Figure 4 shows a "ring" pattern printed on a contact lens in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and Figure 5 shows an embodiment printed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. A composite pattern on a contact lens ("basic" and "ring" pattern); and Figure 6 shows a contact lens in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention appearing on a wearer's eye.

10. . . Contact lens

20. . . Printed pattern

25,30. . . Iris area

35. . . Outer periphery

40. . . Non-opaque pupil area

Claims (11)

A contact lens comprising: (a) a non-opaque pupil region; (b) an annular iris region having a region circumferentially surrounding the pupil region; (c) a printed in the iris region a pattern that does not contact the outer periphery of the lens, the pattern extending across a portion of the region of the iris region to impart at least the structure of the iris region to an iris of the eye; (d) the iris region The diameter of the wearer is larger than the diameter of the wearer's iris, thereby providing a lens that enables the wearer to present the wearer's eyes when wearing the contact lens; wherein the printed pattern is configured as A darkened image may be provided in an outer region of the iris region, the pattern being a result of overlapping a basic pattern and a circular pattern; wherein the printed iris region occupies an area of 60 to a total area of the contact lens 75%; and wherein the diameter of the pupil region is greater than the diameter of the wearer's pupil. The contact lens of claim 1, wherein the printed pattern is composed of a single color. The contact lens of claim 2, wherein the printed pattern has the same color as the wearer's iris, such that the iris region of the lens appears to extend the applicator's iris. The contact lens of claim 2, wherein the printed pattern The color is black. The contact lens of claim 3, wherein the printed pattern has a black color. The contact lens of claim 1, wherein the region of the iris region outside the wearer's iris is between 3 and 30% of the iris region. The contact lens of claim 1, wherein the pupil area has an area of 20 to 30 square centimeters. The contact lens of claim 1, wherein the pupil area occupies 10 to 20% of the total area of the contact lens. The contact lens of claim 1, wherein the area occupied by the printed iris area is 65 to 70% of the total area of the contact lens. The contact lens of claim 1, wherein the printed pattern is non-uniform. The contact lens of claim 1, wherein the lens is disposable.