Project: Monthly replacement multifocal progressive contact lens on moulded silicone hydrogel based on the C2 speciality contact lens
The MonthlyC2 project addresses the issue of presbyopia. Presbyopia is the loss of the eye’s power to enable clear near vision, and it occurs from the age of 45._x000D__x000D_Some 180 million presbyopes currently live in the EU-27 and there will be 220 million by 2030. Wearing eyeglasses is the most common solution for presbyopia; so do about 90% of presbyopes in Europe [B A Holden et al, Arch Ophthalmol. 2008;126(12):1731-9], [www.eurostats.eu]. However, this solution comes with a number of limitations: increased risk of missed-step accidents, loosing and/or forgetting spectacles, having poor peripheral vision, the constant awareness of the frame, being sensitive to fogging, rain and snow, and being dangerous in sporting activities [www.contactlenses.org], [JC Davies et al, Safety Sc 38, 2001, 211-26]._x000D__x000D_Wearing contact lenses addresses most of the issues related to eyeglasses. However, the current technologies still present a number of inconveniences that hamper their popularity, including mechanical comfort for gas permeable (GP) rigid lenses and optical comfort for multifocal lenses._x000D__x000D_Multifocal contact lenses are based on the principle of simultaneous vision, enabling both near and far vision focus at the same time, thus relying on the brain to filter the images; this technique offers a good optical compromise and an uncompromised mechanical comfort for most presbyopics. The multifocal contact lenses can be monovision (the dominant eye is fitted for far vision and the other eye for near vision, albeit this technique is quickly losing adepts) or progressive, where different prescriptive powers blend across the lens (like a progressive eyeglass)._x000D__x000D_Precilens already have successfully developed and commercialized a design for lathe-machined, speciality, multifocal progressive contact lenses. A large contact lens manufacturer, with a fine expertise in adapting existing lathe-machined designs into mould-manufactured contact lenses, joins the project; the company has also recently developed a new soft silicone hydrogel material. ImagineO develop state-of-the-art adaptive optics mirrors that can dramatically improve and speed up the design transfer process. Our objective is thus to transfer the existing lathe-machining design onto mould-manufacturing, enabling the creation of monthly-replacement multifocal progressive contact lenses on soft silicone hydrogel._x000D__x000D_Transferring the lathe-machined lens design onto a mould-manufacturing lens using a new material is not a straightforward task. It will involve an in-depth parametric analysis, lens modelling and optical simulations, before the creation and validation of the different moulds. A crucial step will be, indeed, finding the best combination between the new adapted design, the new soft silicone hydrogel properties and the emerging moulding process._x000D__x000D_By providing the option of competitive monthly-replacement multifocal progressive contact lenses, the MonthlyC2 project will provide the presbyopic population with an extremely appealing option to the existing, less performing, multifocal progressive contact lenses._x000D_
| Acronym | MonthlyC2 (Reference Number: 5614) |
| Duration | 01/06/2010 - 31/07/2011 |
| Project Topic | The objective of MonthlyC2 is the creation of multifocal progressive contact lenses on moulded silicone hydrogel. It is based on the Precilens C2 NVS speciality contact lens and a new soft silicone hydrogel from our LE P; an innovative optical simulation will support the lens design. |
|
Project Results (after finalisation) |
For Imagine Optic : _x000D_- Succes in the measurements and simulations of optical aberrations of the lens on human eyes. _x000D_- Improvement in the iterative design process of the lens by minimizing the time, resources and material waste._x000D_For the project :_x000D_- A soft multifocal contact lens with silicone Hydrogel material and Precilens C2 unique design has been conceived, put in production and marketed since january 1st 2012. |
| Network | Eurostars |
| Call | Eurostars Cut-Off 4 |
Project partner
| Number | Name | Role | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Imagine Optic SA | Partner | France |
| 3 | Laboratoire Precilens SAS | Coordinator | France |
| 3 | Sauflon Pharmaceuticals Limited | Partner | United Kingdom |