IMPROVED BIOCOMPATIBILITY OF INTRAOCULAR LENSES

INTRAOCULAR LENS IMPLANTS HAVE RETURNED VISION TO MANY CATARACT PATIENTS. THESE IMPLANTS PROVIDE VISUAL ACUITY WITHOUT THE DISTORTION OR MAGNIFICATION THAT CAN RESULT FROMWEARING THICK-LENSED SPECTACLES OR CONTACT LENSES. HOWEVER,AS WITH ALL OTHER IMPLANTABLE DEVICES, THERE ARE PROBLEMS WITH THE INTERACTION OF THE SYNTHETIC LENSES WITH EYE TISSUES. INADVERTENT CONTACT BETWEEN THE LENS AND THE CORNEAL ENDOTHELIUM AT THE TIME OF SURGERY OR LATER WHEN THEIMPLANT IS BEING CARRIED BY THE PATIENT, CAN CAUSE SERIOUS AND IRREPARABLE DAMAGE TO THE CORNEAL ENDOTHELIAL MONOLAYER.THIS PROJECT IS PLANNED TO COVALENTLY ATTACH HYDROPHILIC POLYMERS AND VISCO-ELASTIC CHEMICALS TO THE SURFACE OF INTRAOCULAR LENS MATERIALS. THIS PROCESS WILL NOT DAMAGE THE MECHANICAL OR OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE LENSES; IT WILL,HOWEVER, IMPROVE THEIR BIOCOMPATIABILITY. SUCH INTRAOCULAR LENS SURFACE MODICIATIONS ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE THE USABLE LIFE OF AN IMPLANTED LENS AND DECREASE THE COMPLICA- TIONS ASSOCIATED WITH LENS WEAR. THIS PROCESS WILL MAKE THEIMPLANTATION OF AN ARTIFICIAL LENS FEASIBLE FOR EVEN GREATERNUMBERS OF PATIENTS.