Extended therapeutic effect ocular implant treatments

Abstract

Methods for treating ocular conditions by inserting an implant comprising an active agent into an ocular site of a patient thereby obtaining an amelioration of a symptom of the ocular condition (i.e. a therapeutic effect) for an extended period of time during which a therapeutic amount or a detectable amount of the active agent is not present at the ocular site.

1 . (canceled) 
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising the step of maintaining the improvement in the ocular condition for an extended period of time during which a therapeutic amount of the active agent is not present at the ocular site. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the releasing step occurs over a first period of time X, and said second period of time occurs over a period of time between 0.5× and 100×, and wherein during said second period of time an improvement in the ocular condition is maintained, although a therapeutic amount of the active agent is not present at the ocular site. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the active agent is an anti-inflammatory agent. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the carrier is a bioerodible polymer. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the implant has a weight between about 1 μg and about 100 mg. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the implant has no dimension less than about 0.1 mm and no dimension greater than about 20 mm. 
   
   
       8 .- 11 . (canceled) 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the improvement in the ocular condition occurs at a time when a detectable amount of the active agent is not present at the ocular site. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the ocular site is the vitreous. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the active agent is dexamethasone. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the first period of time is between about 30 days and about 40 days. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the first period of time is about 35 days. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the second period of time is between about 30 days and about 180 days. 
   
   
       18 .- 29 . (canceled) 
   
   
       30 . A method for treating an ocular condition, the method comprising the steps of:
 (a) inserting an implant into the vitreous cavity of a patient with an ocular condition, the implant comprising (i) a steroid, and (ii) a carrier associated with the steroid;   (b) releasing substantially all of the steroid from the implant, and;   (c) obtaining an improvement in the ocular condition with no occurrence of an ocular cataract in the patient.