Packaging and supply of contact lenses

Abstract

A package is provided for supplying contact lenses directly to a wearer by mail or internet order. An outer mailing envelope ( 402 ) contains packages of bulk quantity of lenses ( 210 ) and a trial quantity of lenses ( 310 ) of the same prescription and manufacturing lot. These are supplied simultaneously, the bulk lenses being packaged with a tamper-evident seal ( 212 ) while the trial lenses are accessible for use without breaking said seal. In the example described, bulk and trial packs of lenses for two eyes are contained within the same mailing envelope. Each bulk pack contains 92 lenses for three months' wear, plus a strip of four lenses in the trial pack. The strip of trial lenses is taken from one of six sheets of sixteen lenses included in the bulk pack. Prescription and lot details can be read directly from the blister packs through window in the bulk package, without breaking the seal ( 212 ).

1 . A method of supplying contact lenses to a wearer, wherein a bulk quantity of contact lenses and a trial quantity of contact lenses of the same prescription as the bulk lenses are supplied simultaneously, the bulk lenses being packaged with a tamper-evident seal while the trial lenses are accessible for use without breaking said seal.  
   
   
       2 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said bulk quantity of lenses represents between two and three months' supply, the quantity of bulk lenses ranging from 60 to 100 daily lenses.  
   
   
       3 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said bulk quantity of lenses represents three months' supply, the quantity of bulk lenses ranging from 88 to 96 lenses.  
   
   
       4 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the trial quantity of lenses comprises fewer than ten lenses.  
   
   
       5 . A method as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the trial quantity of lenses comprises four or five lenses.  
   
   
       6 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the trial lenses are supplied in a package attached to the outside of the sealed package of the bulk lenses.  
   
   
       7 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the sealed package for the bulk lenses has an integral externally accessible pocket for holding the trial lenses.  
   
   
       8 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the packaged trial lenses and bulk lenses are supplied within a single outer envelope.  
   
   
       9 . A method as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the outer envelope contains packages of trial lenses and bulk lenses for each of two eyes.  
   
   
       10 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein lens identification information for the lenses within the bulk lens package, such as prescription, batch numbers and date of manufacture, shall be visible before the seal on the bulk lens package is broken.  
   
   
       11 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said trial lenses and bulk lenses are sourced from the same manufacturing batch or ‘lot’.  
   
   
       12 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said lenses are provided in one or more sheets, each sheet comprising a plurality of cavities each holding at least one lens and being sealed by a sealing foil.  
   
   
       13 . A method as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the cavities are blisters integrally formed in a single sheet of formable material.  
   
   
       14 . A method as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein said cavities are sealed by a common single sealing foil.  
   
   
       15 . A method as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the or each of said sheets comprises a plurality of individually formed single-cavity blisters attached to a common single sealing foil.  
   
   
       16 . A method as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein each sheet in said bulk package holds between twelve and twenty lenses.  
   
   
       17 . A method as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the sheet further comprises weakened zones between rows of lenses that allow strips of lenses to be snapped or torn off the sheet by the application to the sheet of a bending moment or tearing action, respectively.  
   
   
       18 . A method as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the manufacturer removes a row or column of lenses from a sheet, packages the rest of the sheet with the bulk quantity of lenses and uses the detached lenses as the trial quantity.  
   
   
       19 . A method as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the trial lenses comprise a strip of blisters separated from a sheet of the same type as are contained within the bulk pack.  
   
   
       20 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising the step of a wearer returning the bulk lenses within the unopened sealed package, after wearing one or more of the trial lenses.  
   
   
       21 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising the preliminary step of taking an order from a wearer without the intermediary of an ophthalmic practitioner, the lenses being of a prescription specified by the wearer, said package being supplied direct to the wearer.  
   
   
       22 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a preliminary step of taking an order from an ophthalmic practitioner, the lenses being of a prescription specified by the ophthalmic practitioner, said package being delivered directly to the wearer for trial and use.  
   
   
       23 . A contact lens package, said package containing a bulk quantity of contact lenses and a trial quantity of contact lenses of the same prescription as the bulk lenses, the bulk lenses being packaged with a tamper-evident seal while the trial lenses are accessible for use without breaking said seal.  
   
   
       24 . A package as claimed in  claim 23 , wherein said bulk quantity of lenses represents between two and three months' supply, the quantity of bulk lenses ranging from 60 to 100 daily lenses.  
   
   
       25 . A package as claimed in  claim 23 , wherein said bulk quantity of lenses represents three months' supply, the quantity of bulk lenses ranging from 88 to 96 lenses.  
   
   
       26 . A package as claimed in  claim 23 , wherein the trial quantity of lenses comprises fewer than ten lenses.  
   
   
       27 . A package as claimed in  claim 26 , wherein the trial quantity of lenses comprises four or five lenses.  
   
   
       28 . A package as claimed in  claim 23 , wherein the trial lenses are contained in a package attached to the outside of the sealed package of the bulk lenses.  
   
   
       29 . A package as claimed in  claim 23 , wherein the sealed package for the bulk lenses has an integral externally accessible pocket for holding the trial lenses.  
   
   
       30 . A package as claimed in  claim 23 , further comprising an outer envelope containing the packaged trial lenses and bulk lenses.  
   
   
       31 . A package as claimed in  claim 30 , wherein the outer envelope contains packages of trial lenses and bulk lenses for each of two eyes.  
   
   
       32 . A package as claimed in  claim 23 , wherein lens identification information for the lenses within the bulk lens package, such as prescription, batch numbers and date of manufacture, is visible before the seal on the bulk lens package is broken.  
   
   
       33 . A package as claimed in  claim 23 , wherein said trial lenses and bulk lenses are sourced from the same manufacturing batch or ‘lot’.  
   
   
       34 . A package as claimed in  claim 23 , wherein said lenses are provided in one or more sheets, each sheet comprising a plurality of cavities each holding at least one lens and being sealed by a sealing foil.  
   
   
       35 . A package as claimed in  claim 34 , wherein the cavities are blisters integrally formed in a single sheet of formable material.  
   
   
       36 . A package as claimed in  claim 34 , wherein said cavities are sealed by a common single sealing foil.  
   
   
       37 . A package as claimed in  claim 34 , wherein the or each of said sheets comprises a plurality of individually formed single-cavity blisters attached to a common single sealing foil.  
   
   
       38 . A package as claimed in  claim 34 , wherein each sheet in said bulk package holds between twelve and twenty lenses.  
   
   
       39 . A package as claimed in  claim 34 , wherein the sheet further comprises weakened zones between rows of lenses that allow strips of lenses to be snapped or torn off the sheet by the application to the sheet of a bending moment or tearing action, respectively.  
   
   
       40 . A package as claimed in  claim 34 , wherein the trial quantity comprises a row or column of lenses removed from a sheet, the remainder of that sheet being included within the bulk quantity of lenses.  
   
   
       41 . A package as claimed in  claim 34 , wherein the trial lenses comprise a strip of blisters separated from a sheet of the same type as are contained within the bulk pack.  
   
   
       42 . A package as claimed in  claim 23 , further comprising a mailing envelope or label for use by a wearer in returning the bulk lenses within the unopened sealed package, after wearing one or more of the trial lenses.  
   
   
       43 . A package as claimed in  claim 23 , specifically adapted for mailing directly to a wearer without the intermediary of an ophthalmic practitioner.  
   
   
       44 . A package as claimed in  claim 23 , further including an order form and/or instructions printed with wearer-specific information, for ordering a further package of lenses from a supplier.