Lens precursor with features for the fabrication of an ophthalmic lens

Abstract

This invention provides for the fabrication of ophthalmic lenses via the utilization of DMD shows and/or DMD files. More specifically, the use of the DMD shows and/or DMD files to generate lens precursor designs comprising described features to form part of a substructure for the fluid reactive media portion of the lens precursor and wherein the lens precursor can generate particular ophthalmic lens designs in a free-form manner using methods described herein.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A lens precursor form comprising:
 a concave, optical quality first surface;   an opposing second surface having a substantially convex overall shape;   wherein the first and second surfaces are joined at a lens edge that defines the outer perimeter of the lens precursor form; and   a lens edge feature that is present on the second surface and along or substantially adjacent to at least part of the lens edge, said lens edge feature forming a projection extending outwardly beyond said substantially convex overall shape of said second surface;   wherein the lens edge feature configured so as to be capable of containing within the permitter of the lens precursor form a fluent lens reactive media present on the second surface of the lens precursor form.   
     
     
         2 . The lens precursor form of  claim 1  in which the lens edge feature decreases in thickness from a maximum with increasing distance from the lens edge, thereby forming an inwardly-facing lens edge feature. 
     
     
         3 . The lens precursor form of  claim 2  in which the maximum thickness of the lens edge feature is spaced from the lens edge. 
     
     
         4 . The lens precursor form of  claim 3  in which the decrease in thickness is continuous. 
     
     
         5 . The lens precursor form of  claim 4  wherein the inwardly-facing lens edge feature is concave in a plane containing the axis of the lens. 
     
     
         6 . The lens precursor of  claim 5  in which the lens edge feature is continuous around the lens precursor form. 
     
     
         7 . The lens precursor of  claim 5  in which the lens edge feature is present in discrete, non-continuous zones. 
     
     
         8 . The lens precursor of  claim 1  in which the height of the lens edge feature is between 0.001 mm and 1 mm. 
     
     
         9 . The lens precursor of  claim 8  in which the lens edge feature is higher in some discrete parts of the lens edge to control fluent lens reactive media and provide a lens with a thicker edge in those portions. 
     
     
         10 . The lens precursor of  claim 9  in which the radial extent of the lens edge feature is from 0.001 mm to 2 mm. 
     
     
         11 . A lens precursor form comprising:
 a concave, optical quality first surface;   an opposing second surface having a substantially convex overall shape;   
       wherein the first and second surfaces are joined at a lens edge that defines the outer perimeter of the lens precursor form;
 a centrally located optic zone; 
 an outer edge region surrounding said centrally located optic zone and extending from said optical zone to said lens edge, and 
 a moat feature that is present within the outer edge region of the lens precursor form; 
 wherein the moat feature is defined by a substantially discontinuous reduction in height of the second surface of the lens precursor form as compared to substantially adjacent regions of the second surface to thereby form a depression in the substantially convex overall shape of the second surface. 
 
     
     
         12 . The lens precursor form of  claim 11  in which the moat feature is defined by a region of the lens precursor form of a thickness between zero and 0.2 mm. 
     
     
         13 . A lens precursor form comprising:
 a concave, optical quality first surface;   an opposing second surface having a substantially convex overall shape;   
       wherein the first and second surfaces are joined at a lens edge that defines an outer perimeter of the lens precursor form;
 a centrally located optic zone; 
 a plurality of lens features present on the second surface and outside of the optic zone, wherein said plurality of lens edge features each form a projection extending outwardly and beyond said substantially convex overall shape of said second surface, and each have a height pre-determined height selected to control the flow of a fluent reactive mixture across said second surface of said lens precursor form and/or the shape to which the fluent reactive mixture settles after a given period of time. 
 
     
     
         14 . The lens precursor form of  claim 13  wherein the plurality of lens edge features are configured to control the desired height, depth, angular width, length, shape, and/or angle, of minimal energy surfaces of the fluent reactive mixture to produce desired lens precursor geometries. 
     
     
         15 . The lens precursor form of  claim 14  wherein at least one of said lens edge features comprises a section made up of two parts, a lower shelf, and a higher shelf that abuts a relatively higher thickness region of a stabilization zone feature.