World's first daily disposable flat pack contact lens

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The most striking characteristic of the Miru 1day Menicon Flat Pack, launched in the domestic market in Japan (under the name Magic) by Menicon in November 2011, is a newly designed flat package approximately 1mm thick (Figure 1). This is the world's thinnest package for disposable and frequent replacement contact lenses without the usual blister-pack shape. However, compact size is not the only thing that was demanded of this product; comfort and safety were also addressed.

Miru 1day is manufactured from poly (HEMA-GMA) (hioxifilcon A) with 57 per cent water content, which is classified by the US Food and Drug Administration as Group II (high water content, nonionic material). GMA (glycerol monomethacrylate) has a molecular structure similar to HEMA (hydroxyethyl methacrylate), but two times more hydroxyl groups (-OH). The structure of the GMA chains found in (HEMA-GMA) is similar to the structure of oligosaccharide which makes up a significant proportion of mucin, the body's own natural wetting substance, found in tears.1 Therefore, it is expected that the poly (HEMA-GMA) lens' excellent hydrophilic property and water retention capability will lead to better comfort and less dryness.