Modification of therapeutic silicone-hydrogel soft contact lenses
Safonova T.N., Novikov I.A., Boev V.I., Gladkova O.V.

State Research Institute of Eye Diseases, Moscow

Тherapeutic soft contact lens (SCL) use saturated drug substances to improve bioavailability and reduce systemic absorption of drug in ophthalmology. To date, there remains the problem of creating a model of treatment for SCL saturation optically opaque and lipophilic drug substances, which takes into account the effect of pressure on the eyelids.
Objective. To develop therapeutic SCL, which can saturate the optically opaque and lipophilic drugs. 
Material and methods. The material of a lens is silicone-hydrogel. Lenses made by laser. 
Result. Lens contains a non-through depots filled with drug. Lens's diameter is 14.3-15 mm. At the edge of the lens there is a chamfer 1 mm. Depots are arranged in a grid on the outer surface of the lens or in the annular recesses on the inner peripheral surface of the lens. Depots have a hemispherical shape with the micronotches arranged on their inner surfaces. Medication leaves the lens under pressure of the eyelids during blinking. The concentration of the drug at the eye surface depots depends on the amount and frequency of blinking. Therapeutic SCL is possible to effectively use for 5–14 days to complete emptying of the depot. For prolongation of therapy should be re-saturation of the same drug substance SCL.
Conclusion. A new model of therapeutic SCL was developed. This lens can saturate different drug substances, including lipophilic and optically opaque substances. This may increase the time of drug exposure. 

Key words: therapeutic soft contact lens, ocular surface, inflammation.

For citation: Safonova T.N., Novikov I.A., Boev V.I., Gladkova O.V. Modification of therapeutic silicone-hydrogel soft contact lenses // RMJ. Clinical ophthalmology. 2016. № 3. P. 117–120.