DEVELOPMENT OF A MICROFENESTRATED INTRACORNEAL LENS

THE LONG-TERM OBJECTIVES OF THIS RESEARCH ARE TO DEVELOP A SAFE AND EFFECTIVE INTRACORNEAL LENS (ICL) MANUFACTURED FROM MICROFENESTRATED ULTRAVIOLET-ABSORBING ACRYLIC PLASTIC. THE MICROFENESTRATED ICL CAN BE INSERTED INTO THE CORNEA USING A SIMPLE SURGICAL PROCEDURE. INITIAL INDICATIONS FOR USE INCLUDE HIGH MYOPIA AND APHAKIA. THE MICROFENESTRATIONS, MEASURING APPROXIMATELY 10 MICRONS IN DIAMETER, ARE THE INNOVATIVE FEATURE OF THE LENS DESIGN. THESE PORES ALLOW THE DIFFUSION OF METABOLITES, PARTICULARLYGLUCOSE, ACROSS THE LENS TO THE CORNEAL EPITHELIUM. THEY ALSO REDUCE THE RESOLUTION EFFICIENCY OF THE LENS (RELATIVE TO ICIS OF SOLID ACRYLIC). THE GOALS OF PHASE I RESEARCH ARE TWOFOLD: (1) TO EMPLOY SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY TO DESCRIBE MORE ACCURATELY THEPORE SIZE AND PERCENT COVERAGE OF THE SURFACE BY PORES, AND TO EXAMINE SURFACE AND EDGE CHARACTERISTICS WITH GREAT RESOLUTION; AND (2) TO DESCRIBE HOW RESOLUTION EFFICIENCY IS AFFECTED BY INCREASING THE DENSITY OF MICROFENESTRATIONS FROM 5-PERCENT SURFACE COVERAGE TO 20-PERCENT COVERAGE (IN 5-PERCENT INCREMENTS). ACCEPTABLE RESOLUTION WILL BE THE AMERICAN NATIONAL STANDARDS INSTITUTE STANDARD FOR ICLS: 60-PERCENT RESOLUTION EFFICIENCY. PILOT DATA INDICATE THAT FENESTRATED ICLS WITH 5-PERCENT SURFACE COVERAGE CAN DISPLAYACCEPTABLE RESOLUTION.