Olivia Gebhart, segment marketing manager pharma, Amcor Flexibles, comments on recent innovations in the ophthalmologic space, and the role of packaging.
Whether it is using daily or frequent-replacement lenses, wearing contact lenses is an everyday routine for many. And it’s easy to see why: they’re simple, effective and provide a convenient method of vision correction without the hassle of eyeglasses. And they’re only getting better. Today, innovations in corrective lenses, lenses that can treat dry eye, or lenses that can even treat astigmatism are all current viable options, and we continue to see regular developments in the space. Even though contact lens usage dropped slightly during the pandemic, advances in this area haven’t slowed down. In fact, the attention that COVID-19 placed upon personal hygiene – in particular, hand washing and avoiding touching the face – is something that has always been a major topic for contact lens users and manufacturers but also for the primary packaging providers.
Eyes are one of the most sensitive parts of the human body - the human cornea is one of the most densely innervated tissues. This not only makes the eyes vulnerable to pain, but also to infection and other issues that can be caused by poor hygiene for example when using contact lenses. As a result, and already long before consumers need to exhibit good hygiene practices when putting in the contact lens, the packaging of the lens needs to ensure sterility so that users can feel confident and safe to use them.
How do manufacturers ensure sterility in contact lens packaging? Firstly, lenses are generally packaged in a plastic bowl sealed to a peelable lidding foil. After the manufacturing of the lens, placing it in the bowl, flushing with saline solution and sealing it with the flexible lidding material, the final airtight pack is being steam sterilised.
Sterilisation of the final contact lens blister pack is not easy. The lens itself as well as the primary packaging material – bowl and lidding - need to be able to withstand the steam sterilisation process without the functionality being compromised. For the primary packaging this means that its integrity is being kept until the point of use to ensure patient safety.
As there are new innovations coming to the market such as contact lenses that contain, in addition to their corrective features, also Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API), the demands to the packaging even increase. Beyond the ability to withstand steam sterilisation and thereby keeping excellent peel-properties for a hassle-free consumer experience, the primary packaging now also needs to ensure that the right level of API arrives at the point of use and that there is no migration or interaction between packaging material and the API.
One recent innovation in pharmaceutical packaging can answer to this new demand. It is a flexible film lidding solution, that can withstand steam sterilisation, also prevents drug uptake into the packaging as well as ensuring smooth peel-properties.
This development goes a long way in enabling further innovation for combination products, that consist of a medical device and an API, beyond contact lenses. It highlights the importance of close collaboration between drug and packaging manufacturer in particular in the development of combination devices, where many different factors may be interlinked. An early on collaboration can make all the difference in combining drug and material specific knowledge and ultimately leading to greater innovation and providing a better solution for patients and consumers.
