Contact lenses for refractive correction

Abstract

Ophthalmic lenses for correcting refractive error of an eye are disclosed. Ophthalmic lenses include a deformable inner portion and a deformable peripheral portion. When disposed over the optical region of an eye, the inner portion is configured so that engagement of the posterior surface against the eye deforms the posterior surface so that the posterior surface has a shape diverging form the refractive shape of the epithelium when viewing with the eye through the ophthalmic lens. The rigidity of the inner portion is greater than the rigidity of the peripheral portion and the ophthalmic lenses are configured to allow movement relative to the eye upon blinking of the eye and to be substantially centered on the optical region of the cornea following the blinking of the eye. Methods of correcting refractive errors of an eye such as astigmatism or spherical aberration using the ophthalmic lenses are also disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An ophthalmic lens for correcting a refractive error of an eye, the eye having a cornea with a refractive shape extending across an optical region of the cornea, the ophthalmic lens comprising:
 an inner optic portion configured to be disposed over the optical region of the cornea and deformable when the eye blinks;   a posterior surface extending along the inner optic portion and configured so that engagement of the ophthalmic lens against the eye provides one or more lenticular volumes between the posterior surface of the inner optic portion and the cornea;   an anterior surface extending along the inner optic portion; and   a peripheral portion of the ophthalmic lens disposed radially outward of the inner optic portion; and   a reinforcement ring embedded within the inner optic portion, wherein the reinforcement ring is configured to minimize flexure of the inner optic portion during blinking of the eye.   
     
     
         2 . The ophthalmic lens of  claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement ring is radially symmetric. 
     
     
         3 . The ophthalmic lens of  claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement ring is configured to facilitate centering of the ophthalmic lens on the optical region of the cornea. 
     
     
         4 . The ophthalmic lens of  claim 1 , wherein the inner optic portion comprises a material having a modulus from about 10 MPa to about 150 MPa and the peripheral portion comprises a material having a modulus from about 0.01 MPa to about 10 MPa. 
     
     
         5 . The ophthalmic lens of  claim 1 , wherein the inner optic portion and the peripheral portion comprise a material selected from silicone, silicone hydrogel, a hydrogel, or a combination of any of the foregoing. 
     
     
         6 . The ophthalmic lens of  claim 1 , wherein the anterior surface of the inner optic portion is characterized by a substantially spherical profile. 
     
     
         7 . The ophthalmic lens of  claim 1 , wherein the inner optic portion and the peripheral portion comprise a material characterized by a water content less than about 5%. 
     
     
         8 . The ophthalmic lens of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the refractive error of the eye includes a cylindrical error; and   the inner optic portion is characterized by a substantially spherical posterior surface so that correction of the cylindrical error by the lens is effected by the divergence of the shape of the inner optic portion from the refractive shape of the cornea.   
     
     
         9 . The ophthalmic lens of  claim 1 , wherein the inner optic portion and the peripheral portion are configured to allow movement relative to the eye. 
     
     
         10 . The ophthalmic lens of  claim 1 , wherein the inner optic portion and the peripheral portion are configured to provide a tear fluid flow between the anterior surface of the ophthalmic lens and the cornea. 
     
     
         11 . The ophthalmic lens of  claim 1 , wherein,
 the refractive error of the eye comprises astigmatism; and   the anterior surface of the inner optic portion and the posterior surface of the inner optic portion are radially symmetric.   
     
     
         12 . The ophthalmic lens of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of fenestrations through a thickness of the ophthalmic lens, wherein the plurality of fenestrations is disposed within the inner optic portion, the peripheral portion, or both the inner optic portion and the peripheral portion. 
     
     
         13 . The ophthalmic lens of  claim 1 , wherein the inner optic portion is configured to correct vision and the peripheral portion is configured to enhance comfort. 
     
     
         14 . The ophthalmic lens of  claim 1 , wherein the posterior surface of the inner optic portion comprises a thickness of a low modulus material. 
     
     
         15 . The ophthalmic lens of  claim 1 , wherein the ophthalmic lens is characterized by a sagittal height (SAG) from 3 mm to 5 mm. 
     
     
         16 . The ophthalmic lens of  claim 1 , wherein an anterior surface of the inner optic portion of the lens is characterized by a spherical profile without a cylindrical component. 
     
     
         17 . The ophthalmic lens of  claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement ring is disposed within the inner optic portion and at a location that is not coincident with the optical region of the cornea. 
     
     
         18 . The ophthalmic lens of  claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement ring is formed from a material having a higher modulus than a modulus of a material forming the inner optic portion. 
     
     
         19 . The ophthalmic lens of  claim 1 , wherein the ophthalmic lens is configured to center on the optical region of the cornea following blinking of the eye. 
     
     
         20 . A method for correcting a refractive error of an eye, the eye having a cornea, comprising:
 providing the ophthalmic lens of  claim 1 ; and   positioning the ophthalmic lens of  claim 1  against the cornea to correct the refractive error.