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 . A method for treating an ocular condition, the method comprising the steps of:
 (a) inserting an implant into an ocular site of a patient with an ocular condition, the implant comprising (i) an active agent, and (ii) a carrier associated with the active agent;   (b) releasing substantially all of the active agent from the implant during a first period of time, and;   (c) obtaining an improvement in the ocular condition during a second period of time when a therapeutic amount of the active agent is not present at the ocular site wherein the improvement of the ocular condition is determined by observing an improved visual contrast sensitivity.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , 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 1 , wherein the active agent is an anti-inflammatory agent. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the carrier is a bioerodible polymer. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the implant has a weight between about 1 μg and about 100 mg. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , 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 1 , 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 1 , wherein the ocular site is the vitreous. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , 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 .- 30 . (canceled)