Injectable intraocular lens materials based upon hydrogels

The possibilities to develop an injectable hydrogel lens were investigated. Aqueous solutions of reactive polymers in combination with a water-soluble blue light photoinitiator were transformed into hydrogels by irradiation with blue light. Poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylates (PEGDA) with low molecular weights and an acrylate modified copolymer of N-vinylpyrrolidone and vinyl alcohol with a high molecular weight were used as reactive polymers. A copolymer of (4-vinyl-2,6-dimethylbenzoyl)diphenylphosphine oxide and dimethylacrylamide was used as a water-soluble blue light photoinitiator. PEGDA showed high reactivity and the hydrogels were more transparent than the natural lens. The mass loss and the additional swelling of the hydrogel were 1.0 and 4.0%, respectively. The refractive index of these hydrogels was 1.40, lower than that of natural lens. The viscosity of the solutions before cross-linking was too low for injection into the capsular bag. Hydrogels based upon the copolymer had a transmission comparable to a 25-year-old natural lens. The materials showed no mass loss and the additional swelling after curing was less than 1%. The refractive index was comparable to that of the natural lens (1.42). The viscosity of the polymer solutions was sufficient for injection into the capsular bag without leakage.