CERAMIC MATERIALS FOR IMPROVED CONTACT LENSES

IN THIS PROGRAM, THIN SHEETS OF OPTICALLY CLEAR, CERAMIC MATERIALS WILL BE PRODUCED AND FABRICATED INTO LENSES FOR EVALUATION AS CONTACT LENS MATERIALS. THE MATERIALS WILL PERMIT HIGH OXYGEN FLUX TO AND FROM THE CORNEA, PREVENTING ATOXIA AND SHOULD HAVE HIGH WETTABILITY. THEY WILL ALSO BE STRONG, HARD AND RESISTANT TO HARD LENS CLEANING SOLUTIONS. INITIAL EVALUATION WILL INCLUDE OPTICAL PROPERTIES (REFRACTIVE INDEX, TRANSMISSIVITY), MECHANICAL PROPERTIES (STRENGTH, HARDNESS, IMPACT RESISTANCE), CHEMICAL PROPERTIES(WETTING ANGLE, RESISTANCE TO PROTEIN DEPOSITION) AND BIOCOMPATIBILITY. LONG TERM WORK WILL FOCUS ON OPTIMIZING DESIRABLE CHARACTERISTICS. BY APPROPRIATE MATERIAL SELECTION AND MODIFICATION, IT SHOULD BE POSSIBLE TO PRODUCECONTACT LENSES OF HIGH REFRACTIVE INDEX AND WHICH ARE UV ABSORBING OR HAVE OTHER SPECIAL TRANSMISSIVITY PROPERTIES. THIS IS A REVISED APPLICATION. CONSIDERABLE EXPERIMENTAL WORK HAS BEEN DONE SINCE THE PRIOR SUBMITTAL TO RESPOND TO CRITICISMS IN THE PREVIOUS SUMMARY STATEMENT. CONTACT LENSES HAVE BEEN PRODUCED AND MEASUREMENTS HAVE SHOWN VERY HIGH OXYGEN PERMEABILITY AND GOOD WETTABILITY. PRELIMINARY STUDIES OF BIOCOMPATIBILITY SHOW THE MATERIALS TO HAVE LOW BIOREACTIVITY AND TOXICITY.