Patents Assigned to Menicon Co., Ltd.
  • Patent number: 7029117
    Abstract: Disclosed is a contact lens having a refractive power ranging from ?15.0 to +15.0 diopters in an optical zone thereof, wherein a back optical zone is a conical surface having a conic coefficient ranting from ?0.04 to ?0.49, and a front optical zone is a conical surface having a conic coefficient ranging from ?0.02 to ?0.50. The contact lens exhibits optical characteristics required in consideration of an optical system of an eye when being positioned at a position of rest during wear in which an optical axis of the optical zone is decentered with respect to an optical axis of the eye.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: Menicon Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Asaki Suzaki, Atsushi Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20060052340
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide an ophthalmic solution, which provides an enhanced comfort by suitably exhibiting an moisturizing effect to an eye and advantageously preventing an occurrence of unpleasant feelings caused by fluctuation of visual acuity. The ophthalmic solution of the present invention is provided by dissolving, in an aqueous medium, a hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, which has a molecular weight below a critical molecular weight for entanglements of an aqueous solution, which contains 3 w/w % of the hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, wherein kinematic viscosity of the ophthalmic solution at 20° C. is not higher than 2 mm2/s.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2005
    Publication date: March 9, 2006
    Applicant: Menicon Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Tsuzuki, Sayuri Iwamuro, Sadayasu Tanikawa
  • Publication number: 20060035842
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide an ophthalmic composition, wherein: the ophthalmic composition assures a sufficiently high degree of safety to eyes of the lens wearer; the ophthalmic composition reduces symptoms such as an unpleasant feeling or dryness of the eyes; the ophthalmic composition does not adversely affect a contact lens, such as a change of the size of the contact lens; and the ophthalmic composition advantageously improves a water wettability of surfaces of the contact lens, and the ophthalmic composition for the contact lens is prepared by adding at least one specific amino-sugar derivative to an aqueous medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2005
    Publication date: February 16, 2006
    Applicant: Menicon Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Tsuzuki, Sadayasu Tanikawa
  • Patent number: 6997554
    Abstract: A method of marking an ophthalmic lens, including a step of irradiating the ophthalmic lens formed of a resin material with a laser radiation, such that the laser radiation is condensed at each of predetermined at least one spot within the ophthalmic lens, to form a whitened portion at the each of the predetermined at least one spot, for thereby providing the ophthalmic lens with a marking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: Menicon Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Nakada, Hiroaki Suzuki, Kenichi Ishihara, Yuuji Gotou
  • Publication number: 20060003906
    Abstract: It is intended to provide a method of selecting a contact lens suitable for a wearer and/or a care system therefor, by which the occurrence of problems (for example, worsening in the feel during wearing, lowering in the oxygen permeability of the lens, shortening in the lens life, lowering in the visual acuity, corneal injury, etc.) can be minimized to thereby ensure a high safety for the eye, namely, a method which comprises collecting the lacrimal fluid of a wearer, detecting the protein content and/or the lipid content in the lacrimal fluid thus obtained (Step S5), estimating the dirt adhesion characteristics of the wearer to a contact lens based on the protein content and/or lipid content thus detected, and then selecting a contact lens suitable for the wearer and/or a care system therefor from among a plurality of contact lenses and a plurality of care systems (Step S6).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2005
    Publication date: January 5, 2006
    Applicant: Menicon Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sadanori Ohno, Tetsuji Kawai, Kazuhiko Nakada, Hiroaki Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20050243273
    Abstract: A photochromic contact lens having a period of time for discoloring the contact lens from a colored state to the uncolored state shortened, wherein the photochromic contact lens is made of an oxygen-permeable polymer material having a second-order transition point of not higher than 110° C., and formed to have an oxygen permeation coefficient of not less than 50, and wherein the contact lens contains a dye capable of exhibiting photochromism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2005
    Publication date: November 3, 2005
    Applicant: Menicon Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sadayasu Tanikawa, Naotaka Kamiya, Shigeyasu Nagai
  • Publication number: 20050206843
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide an ophthalmic lens characterized in that it is capable of developing a color at a position where a light is irradiated, and to provide a marking method of the ophthalmic lens. It is another object of the present invention to provide an ophthalmic lens, which can form a clear and easily readable mark, without causing problems such as discoloration of the mark, caused by cleaning of the lens by rubbing, or deterioration of the mechanical strength of the lens, and to provide a marking method of the ophthalmic lens. The ophthalmic lens of the present invention is obtained by a polymerization of a polymerizable composition of monomers, which contains an alkyl (meth)acrylate as an essential polymerizable component, and this polymerization is carried out while the rhodamine derivative is existed in the composition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2005
    Publication date: September 22, 2005
    Applicant: Menicon Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Nakada, Masahiro Matsumoto
  • Publication number: 20050160009
    Abstract: It is an object to provide a novel system for supporting contact lens users, who has not been provided with an after-selling support sufficiently, which is able to provide an appropriate support to individual contact lens user so that he can use contact lenses with comfortable. In order to attain the object, an image signal of the user's currently used contact lenses (20) acquired by a user client apparatus (18) is transmitted via communication network means (38), to a server apparatus (12) of a supporting entity (10). The server apparatus (12) then obtains lens condition evaluation data, which are stored in memory means (14) and transmitted via the communication network means (38) to the user client apparatus (18) so that the user (16) can be provided with the lens condition evaluation data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2003
    Publication date: July 21, 2005
    Applicant: Menicon Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidenari Tanaka, Kazuhiko Nakada, Hiroaki Suzuki, Sadanori Ohno, Tetsuji Kawai
  • Publication number: 20050157256
    Abstract: It is an object of the invention to ensure in a series of contact lenses composed of an assorted plurality of contact lenses having mutually different optical characteristics such as refractive power or the like that each contact lens is capable of exhibiting advantageously and consistently a good wear comfort and tear fluid exchange. In order to attain the object, the present invention arranges each contact lens 10a, 10b, 10c making up the series contact lens designed and having mutually different optical characteristics in the optical zone, such that not only is a shape of the lens back surface 14 of the optical zone 28 identified, but a shape of the peripheral zone 30 is identified at least the outer peripheral zone 44 that contributes to wear comfort and tear fluid exchange.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2003
    Publication date: July 21, 2005
    Applicant: MENICON CO., LTD
    Inventors: Yuuji Gotou, Kunio Maruyama
  • Patent number: 6902273
    Abstract: A method of designing an ophthalmic lens, including: determining specifications of a temporary lens to provide an optical power required by a wearer; applying the temporary lens to a prescribed schematic eye, and effecting emmetropization of an optical system including the temporary lens and schematic eye; obtaining an optical characteristic of the optical system at a position of an optical axis of the temporary lens which is offset from an optical axis of the schematic eye by an offset amount; obtaining successively optical characteristics corresponding to different configurations of the temporary lens with the axes of the temporary lens and schematic eye offset by the offset amount; selecting optimum one of the different configurations of the temporary lens which gives optimum one of the successively obtained optical characteristics; and determining specifications of an intended ophthalmic lens as a final product, based on the selected optimum configuration of the temporary lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2005
    Assignee: Menicon Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Asaki Suzaki, Atsushi Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 6889825
    Abstract: Disclosed is an ophthalmic lens storage container comprising: a container body including a lens storage portion having a cavity for storing a lens and a preserving solution, and a flange surrounding the cavity; and a cover sheet stripably sealed to the flange in a sealing zone that extends around the cavity to thereby fluid-tightly seal the lens storage portion. The flange of said container body includes an insulating portion located radially outward of an open-end peripheral portion of the cavity, extending circumferentially and includes a shoulder surface that extends in a first direction opposite to a second direction along which the cavity is exposed, and the sealing zone is located radially outward of the insulating portion of the flange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2005
    Assignee: Menicon Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seiichi Ichikawa, Hiroyuki Oyama, Masayoshi Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20050073646
    Abstract: A method of marking an ophthalmic lens, including a step of irradiating the ophthalmic lens formed of a resin material with a laser radiation, such that the laser radiation is condensed at each of predetermined at least one spot within the ophthalmic lens, to form a whitened portion at the each of the predetermined at least one spot, for thereby providing the ophthalmic lens with a marking.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2004
    Publication date: April 7, 2005
    Applicant: Menicon Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Nakada, Hiroaki Suzuki, Kenichi Ishihara, Yuuji Gotou
  • Publication number: 20050060196
    Abstract: Provides a novel supply and examination system by which it is possible to safely provide users with contact lenses having a predetermined expiration date, without imposing an excessive burden on users and on ophthalmologists. A user 18 is assessed a periodic membership fee on the one hand, while the user 18 is supplied with contact lenses through a designated pre-selected merchant 14. That is, member users 18 who pay a periodic membership fee on a continuing basis are supplied with new replacement contact lenses without any special procedure, simply by visiting the merchant 14. When receiving supply of lenses, user 18 received periodic eye examinations at the merchant 14. Various kinds of information including personal user information are managed by the contact lens supplying entity 10 to build a database 24.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2004
    Publication date: March 17, 2005
    Applicant: MENICON CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yasuaki Tsushi, Akira Ishihara
  • Patent number: 6857744
    Abstract: A method of marking an ophthalmic lens, including a step of irradiating the ophthalmic lens formed of a resin material with a laser radiation of a femtosecond pulse width, such that the laser radiation is condensed at each of at least one predetermined spot within the ophthalmic lens, to form a whitened portion at the each of the at least one predetermined spot, for thereby providing the ophthalmic lens with a marking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2005
    Assignee: Menicon Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Nakada, Hiroaki Suzuki, Kenichi Ishihara, Yuuji Gotou
  • Patent number: 6806243
    Abstract: An ophthalmic solution or contact lens solution comprising at least one germicidal/preservative component. The ophthalmic solution further comprises at least one selected amino-acid-based component, 0-0.2 wt. % of sodium chloride, and 0-0.5 wt. % of phosphate. The contact lens solution further comprises at least one selected acidic component and 0-0.2 wt. % of sodium chloride. Alternatively, the contact lens solution further comprises at least one selected amino-acid-based component, at least one selected acidic compound, and 0-0.2 wt. % of sodium chloride.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2004
    Assignee: Menicon Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kentaro Hozumi, Osamu Mori, Akira Tsuzuki
  • Patent number: 6790873
    Abstract: An ocular lens having a desired shape without having a deformation induced by its process, and having a uniform coat layer on its surface, is proceeded by single mold polymerization. The ocular lens is produced by a process comprising a step of irradiating at least one part of the molding surface for the ocular lens of the mold with an excimer light, a step of coating a compound fixable to the ocular lens surface by an interaction with a polymerizable component in the ocular lens material, or its solution on the mold surface after irradiating with an excimer light, a step of filling the ocular lens material into the mold after coating, and polymerizing, a step of releasing a polymer obtained by the polymerization from the mold, and obtaining an ocular lens stock material having above-mentioned component fixed on its surface, and a step extracting unfixed unreacted components from obtained ocular lens stock material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Assignee: Menicon Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Tomono, Kazuhiko Nakada
  • Patent number: 6790409
    Abstract: A method of disinfecting a contact lens is provided, including the steps of preparing a disinfecting liquid which contains water-dispersible fine particles of a titanium oxide dispersed in an aqueous medium, immersing the contact lens in the disinfecting liquid; and irradiating the disinfecting liquid in which the contact lens is immersed, with a light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Assignee: Menicon Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chikako Nakamura, Kazuhiko Nakada, Tatsuya Hayashi, Kotaro Sakanishi
  • Patent number: 6770728
    Abstract: A process for preparing an ocular lens with a urethane compound comprising the steps of a) preparing a urethane compound by reacting at least one hydroxyl compound and at least one isocyanate compound in the presence of an organic iron compound, b) removing the organic iron compound from the urethane compound obtained in the step a) c) mixing the urethane compound obtained in the step b) with at least one compound selected from the group consisting of another copolymerizable compound, a crosslinking agent, a UV absorbent, a dye, a polymerization initiator, a photosensitizer, and an organic solvent to obtain a mixture, and d) curing the mixture obtained in the step c) to prepare a lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2004
    Assignee: Menicon Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Watanabe, Eri Ito, Sadayasu Tanikawa, Shoji Ichinohe, Toshio Yamazaki, Mouad Lamrani
  • Patent number: 6770727
    Abstract: A process for preparing an urethane compound for medical instruments, characterized by reacting a hydroxyl compound (A) with an isocyanate compound (B) in the absence of a catalyst or in the presence of a reaction catalyst other than an organic tin compound to give an urethane compound (I). According to the process, the urethane compound showing high safety can be easily prepared, in particular, while molecular weight of the compound is controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2004
    Assignee: Menicon Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Watanabe, Eri Ito, Sadayasu Tanikawa, Shoji Ichinohe, Toshio Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 6764179
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of designing an ophthalmic lens including the steps of: (a) determining a preliminary lens shape by preliminary determining a shape of the ophthalmic lens; and (b) varying the preliminary lens shape so as to adjust a position of an image surface at which MTF value is maximized, such that the position of the image surface matches a desired focal length of said ophthalmic lens. A resulting ophthalmic lens constructed according to this method is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2004
    Assignee: Menicon Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukihisa Sakai, Yoshihiko Oyama