US 11,947,192 B2
Contact lenses with microchannels
Sourav Saha, Pleasanton, CA (US); Victoria Rogers, Pleasanton, CA (US); Charles B. Derringer, Livermore, CA (US); Sarah Tao, Pleasanton, CA (US); Szeshen Chuah, Hayward, CA (US); Yuan Sun, Pleasanton, CA (US); Yuwen Liu, Dublin, CA (US); Nancy Keir, Pleasanton, CA (US); Tim Warren, Dublin, CA (US); Matthew S. Linn, Castro Valley, CA (US); and Lu Jiang, Pleasanton, CA (US)
Assigned to COOPERVISION INTERNATIONAL LIMITED, Fareham (GB)
Filed by CooperVision International Limited, Fareham (GB)
Filed on Dec. 6, 2022, as Appl. No. 18/075,444.
Application 18/075,444 is a continuation of application No. 16/884,077, filed on May 27, 2020, granted, now 11,550,166.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/857,391, filed on Jun. 5, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2023/0107664 A1, Apr. 6, 2023
Int. Cl. G02C 7/04 (2006.01); G02B 1/04 (2006.01)
CPC G02C 7/04 (2013.01) [G02B 1/043 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A contact lens comprising:
a) a bulk polymer material defined by a front surface, a back surface, and a circumferential edge; and
b) at least one microchannel embedded within the bulk polymer material having a first opening located within 1.5 mm of the circumferential edge, and a second opening on the front surface or the back surface and located more than 2 mm away from the circumferential edge, wherein
when worn, the at least one microchannel transports liquid from a lower tear meniscus of an eye through the contact lens bulk to a location on the front surface or the back surface of the contact lens that is not in contact with the lower tear meniscus.