OPHTHALMOLOGICAL IMPLANT WITH MACHINE-READY PRODUCT IDENTIFICATION

Description

Technical field

[0001] The invention relates to an ophthalmic implant with a base body which includes a preferably machine-readable product identifier. State of the art

[0002] Ophthalmic implants, such as intraocular lenses (IOLs), are typically identified by product labeling on the packaging. This labeling may include manufacturer information, the IOL type, and other relevant details such as the refractive power. Therefore, proper patient care depends on the packaged and delivered IOL matching the information on the product label.

[0003] To ensure users don't have to rely solely on the packaging information, it is also common practice to affix a product label directly to the ophthalmic implant itself. This type of labeling prevents the risk of confusion if an ophthalmic implant is incorrectly packaged or the packaging is incorrectly labeled. Furthermore, it ensures that important information about the implant remains accessible to doctors and patients even after surgery.

[0004] EP 3 202 369 A1 discloses intraocular lenses with quantum dots, materials and methods for manufacturing optical lenses, and methods for using such lenses. The lenses offer detectable markings that can be used to align, detect, and correct the alignment of lenses before, during, and after use.

[0005] WO 2016 / 012368 A1 discloses a method for marking substrates and marked containers. One method comprises the steps of applying and curing a coating composition comprising (a) a matrix-forming material comprising an inorganic oxide or an inorganic oxide precursor, and (b) an organic pore-forming agent. The marking is achieved by removing at least part of the organic pore-forming agent at a selected location within the coating layer. The marking can be applied to a container holding a product or a heat-sensitive product. Further embodiments relate to multilayer coatings and methods for producing multilayer coatings.

[0006] WO 2009 / 156275 A1 discloses pigment mixtures containing two different components, A and B, where component A is graphite in the form of platelets (graphite nanoplatelets) with an average particle size of less than 50 microns and a thickness of less than 100 nm, and component B is an organic or inorganic pigment. The use of graphite nanoplatelets in a pigment mixture with organic and / or inorganic pigments, particularly effect pigments (component B), enables the production of metallic-looking colorations with maximum opacity (background substrate disappears completely) while maintaining good rheological behavior (use in low concentrations).

[0007] WO 2009 / 124838 A2 describes an ophthalmic implant with a marking that is also possible on an optical imaging element. However, in this case, either a fluorescent dye with an emission maximum outside the visible light spectrum or an absorbing dye with an absorption maximum outside the visible light spectrum is used for the marking.

[0008] Most dyes, however, do not meet the biocompatibility requirements for use in ophthalmic implants. Furthermore, fluorescent dyes require specialized equipment to be read, such as an excitation laser with the correct wavelength. They can also only be read a limited number of times because the molecules are not photostable and fade rapidly when exposed to light. This means, for example, that reliable identification of an implant by a physician who needs to retrieve the information years after the operation is usually no longer possible.

[0009] Besides the problem of insufficient photostability, organic dyes are also severely limited in their application due to their chemical structure. While UV and near-UV absorbers are relatively easy to synthesize, structures that absorb at longer wavelengths, for example in the visible wavelength range for humans between approximately 380 nm and 750 nm, require either large conjugated aromatic compounds or charged ones. The former are difficult to synthesize and offer low solubility, while the latter can disrupt the physiological system when used in an implant. Description of the invention

[0010] The object of the present invention is to create an improved possibility for realizing a permanent product marking of an ophthalmic implant.

[0011] The problem is solved according to the invention by an ophthalmological implant according to claim 1. Advantageous embodiments with suitable configurations of the invention are specified in the dependent claims.

[0012] A first aspect of the invention relates to an ophthalmic implant according to claim 1, comprising a base body that includes a product marking, wherein the product marking is provided to consist at least partially of at least one interference dye. In other words, the ophthalmic implant is provided on its base body with a product marking which is itself formed partially or completely from one or more interference dyes. According to the invention, the at least one interference dye is provided to consist at least partially or completely of nanocellulose, in particular cellulose nanocrystals (CNC, NCC), cellulose nanofibers (CNF), nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC), and / or bacterial nanocellulose. Cellulose nanocrystals and / or cellulose nanofibers are particularly preferred.Nanocellulose is a material with particularly advantageous optical, mechanical, and chemical properties. Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) have been identified as being responsible for the vibrant, iridescent colors of various plants. As previously described, these colors are not due to the presence of a specific pigment, but rather to the interaction between light and the periodic microstructures of nanocellulose in petals and leaves, which is why interference colors are also called "structural colors." Cellulose itself is also a biocompatible material of biological origin, broken down by the human body, and can therefore be used for partial or complete product labeling without problems and usually without further treatments such as immobilization or encapsulation. Cellulose is widely available at low cost and from sustainable sources.Furthermore, the use of nanocellulose eliminates the need for special reading or evaluation devices compared to absorption and fluorescent dyes.

[0013] In the context of this disclosure, an interference dye is understood to be a compound which, due to its structure, interacts by interference at certain wavelengths present in the incident light. The physical principle behind structural colors is therefore not absorption, but diffraction. This phenomenon occurs when light or electromagnetic radiation interacts with periodic structural elements of the interference dye, where the spacing (periodicity) between the structural elements of the interference dye is of the same order of magnitude as the incident wavelength(s). The specific wavelength(s) that fulfill this spacing condition(s) are scattered by the periodic structural elements, causing the waves to superimpose constructively and / or destructively. The resulting light is reflected by the interference dye and can be perceived as a color impression.The condition for constructive interference depends on the distance between the structural elements (d), the wavelength of the incident light (λ), and the angle of incidence (θ) for which constructive interference is strongest. This relationship can be described by the formula nλ = 2d sin θ (Bragg diffraction), where n is a natural number representing the diffraction order. In this case, the origin of the color does not lie in a specific electronic transition within the molecules, as is the case with fluorescent dyes, but rather in a specific spatial organization of the structural elements of the interference dye, which thus act as a kind of lattice. An interference dye therefore offers considerable advantages over conventional absorption or fluorescent dyes, since the latter are subject to chemical degradation due to the molecule's sensitivity to oxidative stress in its excited state.In contrast, the use of an interference dye offers significantly greater design freedom and consistent complexity, virtually independent of the chosen detection or target wavelength. Furthermore, interference dyes are considerably more photostable than absorption or fluorescent dyes and can be precisely tailored to desired wavelengths or wavelength ranges. By using at least one non-fading structural dye for partial or complete product marking, the marking can be read, for example, with a simple white light source—meaning with very little equipment—or alternatively at specific wavelengths. The ease of tailoring structural dyes also makes it particularly simple to adapt product marking to a desired wavelength or wavelength range.Finally, the position of the product marking on the implant can also be chosen with particular flexibility. Preferably, the product marking is formed exclusively from one or more interference dyes, which are also referred to as structural colors. Alternatively, the product marking can be provided for by including one or more additional compounds that are not structural colors. In a further embodiment, the product marking can, in addition to one or more interference dyes, also include other structural elements such as relative depressions and / or relative elevations with respect to a surface of the base body, through which information is encoded.

[0014] The product marking of the ophthalmic implant according to the invention is preferably machine-readable and thus also machine-evaluable. This allows for a machine-based identification and verification process, enabling more reliable and convenient handling of the implant according to the invention. For example, the product marking according to the invention can be read using a simple operating microscope, without the need for a laser with special wavelengths, as is required for fluorescent dyes. In a further embodiment, a suitable polarizer, which is known per se, can be arranged in the optical readout path.

[0015] In principle, any suitable compound, possibly in nanoparticle form, can be used as structural dyes. Many nanoparticles are generally suitable because they are relatively easy to synthesize and their geometric properties allow for simple tuning to specific wavelengths. When using nanoparticles that are not biocompatible or only partially biocompatible, such as metal or semiconductor particles, biocompatibility can be improved, for example, by immobilization and / or encapsulation.

[0016] In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the at least one interference dye contains particles and / or particle conglomerates having an average size of at least 40 µm, and in particular at least 50 µm, in order to produce a color impression in the wavelength range visible to humans, between approximately 380 nm and approximately 750 nm. In other words, the interference dye comprises particles whose size is in the specified nanometer range and / or which are arranged in correspondingly large conglomerates, that is, in larger accumulations or "assemblies." A particle conglomerate ("assembly") thus contains several particles, for example, cellulose nanocrystal groups, arranged together in a specific structure. The particles and / or particle conglomerates have a minimum size of 40 µm, but can also be larger. This minimum particle size is determined by the fact that the interference dye has a size in the specified nanometer range and / or is arranged in correspondingly large conglomerates, i.e., in larger clusters or "assemblies."Particle conglomerates ensure sufficient periodicity of the structure to be able to constructively interfere with incident light.

[0017] Alternatively or additionally, the interference dye is provided to comprise self-assembling particles and / or particle conglomerates that are designed to arrange themselves in an ordered, in particular periodic, structure. This automatically results in the alignment and arrangement of the individual particles or structural elements of the interference dye required for the desired color impression when applied to the substrate. Within the scope of this disclosure, the term "particle" generally also refers to fibers, which are particles with an elongated shape. Furthermore, within the scope of this disclosure, the term "particle" can also refer to non-circular, oval, and irregularly shaped structural elements.

[0018] Further advantages arise from the fact that the at least one interference dye is arranged on the base body and / or within the base body and / or on a coating of the base body and / or within a coating of the base body and / or under a coating of the base body. This allows for particularly flexible arrangement of the interference dye. In particular, when the at least one interference dye is arranged within the base body, within a coating of the base body and / or under a coating of the base body, a particularly high level of protection against mechanical damage is provided, resulting in a particularly durable product marking and ensuring reliable reading long after the initial operation.The coating can preferably be designed as a protective layer and / or, more preferably, have a refractive index that corresponds at least substantially to that of the aqueous humor. Fluorinated or perfluorinated (meth)acrylates are suitable for this purpose, for example. In this way, undesirable optical refractive effects at the phase boundaries can be avoided. If required, the interference dye can also be covalently bonded to the material of the substrate and / or the coating.

[0019] In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the product identifier characterizes an implant type and / or an optical property, in particular a refractive power, of the ophthalmic implant and / or a database key and / or positioning information. In other words, the product identifier contains information that characterizes the specification data of the individual ophthalmic implant, for example, model number, diopter, type, manufacturer, model, version, material, toric axis, etc. The specification data can also be represented by the database key as a unique identifier (UID or UUID), which enables the retrieval of corresponding product information from a database. Furthermore, the product identifier can characterize geometric data of the individual implant, enabling machine recognition of its position.Due to the coded nature of product marking, even a subset of recognized features can provide useful positioning information, for example, to align the implant more precisely in the eye. Product marking can also convey information for error detection, error tolerance, and / or error correction.

[0020] In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the product marking comprises at least one round and / or square and / or oblong and / or geometrically irregular marking point made of the at least one interference dye, and / or the product marking comprises several marking points in the form of a linear barcode and / or a 2D matrix code and / or a 3D matrix code and / or a dot grid with a pseudorandom irregular character. A marking point here does not refer to a point in the mathematical sense, but rather to a marking point that has a specific area. In the simplest embodiment, a marking point is round and has a specific (average) diameter. Alternatively, a marking point can also have a non-round shape, for example, an elliptical, square, oblong, and / or geometrically irregular shape.In general, product identification can be any type of visually recognizable coded information. Examples of such coded information include linear barcodes, 2D matrix barcodes (including dot codes or QR codes), and extended codes such as 3D matrix codes. Codes can vary in the shape, number, size, or width of the (individual) marker points, the overall code size, the spacing between marker points, and the orientation of the marker points within the code. "Pseudorandom irregular," as used in this disclosure, means that there are a number of different defined deviations of the marker points from a fixed reference point that would produce a regular character pattern. This minimizes grating diffraction effects that could impair vision.The marking points of the product identification are preferably designed, by their color, structure and / or arrangement, in such a way that they have no negative optical effect perceptible to the patient.

[0021] Further advantages arise from the fact that at least one interference dye interacts with light in the wavelength range between 300 nm and 3000 nm, particularly in the wavelength range between 400 nm and 750 nm and / or in the wavelength range between approximately 750 nm and approximately 3000 nm. Particularly simple determination and evaluation of the product identification is possible if the at least one interference dye produces a color impression through interaction with light in the wavelength range between 300 nm and 900 nm, especially in the wavelength range visible to humans between approximately 400 nm and 750 nm. However, interference dyes with a high reflectance in the near-infrared range between approximately 750 nm and approximately 3000 nm can also be very advantageous, especially since there is no risk of visual impairment for the patient outside the wavelength range perceptible to humans.

[0022] In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the product marking comprises at least two interference dyes with different colors. Interference dyes with different colors are understood to be those that, due to their different structural composition, interact with different wavelengths of the incident light and thus lead to different color impressions under otherwise identical or comparable lighting conditions. This represents a particularly advantageous possibility for the high-dimensional encoding of information, since not only the relative positions of the different interference dyes with respect to the base body, but also their respective colors can be determined and evaluated.

[0023] In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the ophthalmic implant is designed as a capsular tension ring, a stent, an intraocular lens, or an implantable contact lens (ICL). This allows the advantages of the invention to be realized for different implant types.

[0024] Further advantages arise from the fact that the base body comprises at least one optical and at least one haptic part, with the product marking being arranged on the at least one optical part and / or on the at least one haptic part. This allows for a particularly high degree of flexibility in the arrangement of the product marking. The product marking can, in principle, also consist of several parts, each arranged at different locations on the base body. Likewise, the product marking can be arranged partially or completely in a transition area between the optical and the haptic part. Preferably, the product marking is not located in a central optical zone of the optical part. For intraocular lenses, the central optical zone is defined as the central area with a diameter of 4.4 mm. Currently, marking in this area is not ISO-compliant.The product marking can preferably be located in the peripheral optical zone, i.e., in the outer area of ​​the optical part of an ophthalmic implant, thus leaving the central optical zone with a diameter of 4.4 mm free. In this peripheral area, marking is currently ISO-compliant.

[0025] Further features of the invention are evident from the claims, the figures, and the description of the figures. The features and combinations of features mentioned above in the description, as well as those subsequently mentioned in the description of the figures and / or shown in the figures alone, are not only usable in the combinations specified, but also in other combinations without departing from the scope of the invention. Thus, embodiments that are not explicitly shown and explained in the figures, but which can be derived and generated from the explained embodiments by separate combinations of features, are also to be considered as encompassed and disclosed by the invention. Embodiments and combinations of features that do not exhibit all the features of an originally formulated independent claim are also to be considered disclosed.Furthermore, embodiments and combinations of features, in particular those set out above, are to be considered disclosed which go beyond or deviate from the combinations of features set out in the cross-references of the claims. This shows: . Fig. 1 a schematic view of an ophthalmic implant according to a first embodiment; Fig. 2 a schematic view of the ophthalmic implant according to a second embodiment; Fig. 3 a schematic view of the ophthalmic implant according to a third embodiment; Fig. 4 an illustration of the operating principle and a selection method based on a spectral characterization of a product marking according to the invention; Fig. 5 a further embodiment of a color- and location-coded product marking of the ophthalmic implant according to the invention; Fig. 6 a further embodiment of the color- and location-coded product marking of the ophthalmic implant according to the invention; Fig. 7 a further embodiment of the product marking of the ophthalmic implant according to the invention with toric markers as an alignment aid; Fig.Fig. 8 shows a further embodiment of the product marking of the ophthalmic implant according to the invention; Fig. 9 shows a further embodiment of the product marking of the ophthalmic implant according to the invention; and Fig. 10 shows a further embodiment of the ophthalmic implant according to the invention with one optical and two haptic parts. Preferred embodiment of the invention

[0026] Fig. 1Figure 1 shows a schematic view of an ophthalmic implant 10 according to a first embodiment. The ophthalmic implant 10, which is exemplified here as an intraocular lens, has a base body 12 which, in the example shown, comprises an optical part 14 and two haptic parts 16. It should be emphasized that the present invention is not limited to intraocular lenses. Likewise, it is not necessary for an implant 10 according to the invention to have an optical part 14 and two haptic parts 16. For example, the base body 12 may also have only one haptic part 16, which may optionally surround the optical part 14. It is also possible for the implant 10 according to the invention, or its base body 12, to have only one or more haptic parts 16 or only one or more optical parts 14.

[0027] In the example shown, the base body 12 features a machine-readable product identifier 18 in a peripheral area of ​​the optical part 14, conforming to ISO standards. This identifier consists, for example, of three marking points 20a, 20b, 20c, each with a different position on the base body 12. The product identifier 18 characterizes or encodes important information about the implant 10, which is accessible to physicians and patients before, during, and after the operation. The marking points 20a, 20b, 20c are therefore themselves formed from three different interference dyes 22a, 22b, 22c, each with a different color. The different colors of the interference dyes 22a, 22b, 22c are schematically indicated in the figures by different fill patterns.Each marking point 20a, 20b, 20c can represent one or more features of the implant 10, for example a model designation and / or the spherical and / or toric diopters, which are classified or coded based on the color and / or position on the base body 12 of the respective marking point 20a, 20b, 20c.

[0028] Three nanocelluloses with different microstructures are used as interference dyes 22a, 22b, and 22c. Nanocellulose possesses particularly advantageous optical, mechanical, chemical, and biological properties among nanomaterials. Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) are especially suitable as nanocelluloses. The resulting color impressions are therefore not due to the presence of a specific pigment, but rather to the interaction between the incident light and the respective periodic microstructures of the three nanocelluloses, each of which acts as a type of diffraction grating and accordingly interacts with different wavelengths or wavelength ranges of the incident light, producing different color impressions.

[0029] The interference dyes 22a, 22b, 22c, being structural colors, are non-fading dyes and are therefore ideally suited for producing a product marking 18 for the ophthalmic implant 10 according to the invention. Depending on their microstructure, they can be read and evaluated easily using a simple white light source or, alternatively, at specific wavelengths, for example, near-infrared radiation in the wavelength range between 750 nm and 3000 nm, without requiring extensive equipment. The interference dyes 22a, 22b, 22c, and especially nanocelluloses, can be freely tailored to the desired wavelengths. Accordingly, the type and position of the product marking 18 on the implant 10 according to the invention can also be freely selected as needed.

[0030] The nanocelluloses used consist of particle or fiber conglomerates with an average size of at least 50 µm, which are periodically organized so that constructive interference can occur. A nanocrystal size of at least 40 µm, preferably at least 50 µm, is sufficient to reflect enough light in the visible wavelength range. Therefore, the nanocellulose particle conglomerates can have a size of 40–50 µm but consist of several nanocrystals or particles of smaller size. Furthermore, the nanocellulose particles or fibers used possess a self-assembly capability, allowing them to spontaneously arrange themselves into a periodic, and thus at least predominantly ordered and non-amorphous, structure when applied to the substrate 12.

[0031] Product marking 18 thus offers several advantages. On the one hand, the interference dyes 22a, 22b, 22c ensure permanent coloration without fading. On the other hand, compared to a QR code, a dot matrix, or similar, more information can be encoded in less space by utilizing color as an information carrier. Furthermore, the marking points 20a, 20b, 20c do not need to be particularly large, but only large enough to preserve the internal structure of the interference dyes 22a, 22b, 22c that produces the desired color (particle size approximately 50 µm or more). The shape of the marking points 20a, 20b, 20c can otherwise be round, oval, square, oblong, or geometrically random.

[0032] A major improvement offered by the implant 10 according to the invention relates to the simplicity of the readout procedure for the coded information, since the coloring of the product marking 18 is not based on the excitation of a fluorescent dye with a specific wavelength, but solely on the ability of the interference dyes 22a, 22b, 22c to diffract and reflect selected wavelengths of the visible spectrum. The incident light for examining the product marking 18 can therefore be a simple white light source, such as a halogen lamp. The reflected light can be read out just as easily, for example, with a camera equipped with a polarizer. Since no special equipment is required, physicians can perform the reading of the product marking 18 during routine examinations.

[0033] Fig. 2Figure 1 shows a schematic view of the ophthalmic implant 10 according to a second embodiment. In contrast to the previous embodiment, the product marking 18 is arranged exclusively on one of the two haptic parts 16 of the base body 12. Alternatively, the product marking 18 could of course also be provided on both haptic parts 16 and / or optionally also on the optical part 14.

[0034] Fig. 3Figure 1 shows a schematic view of the ophthalmic implant 10 according to a third embodiment. The product marking 18 is designed as a toric marker, i.e., as positioning information, and is located at opposite edges of the optical part 14, near the two haptic parts 16 of the ophthalmic implant 10. The toric markers 18 consist of elongated marking points 20a, 20b, which in turn are formed from interference dyes 22a, 22b. The interference dyes 22a, 22b can be identical or of different colors.

[0035] Fig. 4 the operating principle and a selection method based on the spectral characterization of the product identification 18. On the abscissa of the diagram of Fig. 4The wavelength λ is plotted on the y-axis, and the intensity of the reflected radiation R (relative unit) is plotted on the ordinate. Colors covering the visible spectrum can be generated with different or differently organized nanocellulose crystals and determined based on the position of the maximum reflectance R on the wavelength axis λ. The maximum reflectance is preferably read out at a constant scattering angle θ or at the scattering angle θ of highest intensity. There are also alternative readout methods based on RGB cameras and the decomposition of the intensity into these three channels. Other methods are also conceivable. Different marker points 20, each consisting of an interference dye 22, can be implemented, with the marker points 20 or the interference dyes 22 generating different color impressions, which are described in Fig. 4 are indicated by different hatching patterns.

[0036] Fig. 5 Figure 1 shows a further embodiment of a color- and location-coded product marking 18 of the ophthalmic implant 10 according to the invention. The product marking 18 consists, by way of example, of three marking points 20a-20c, each of which in turn consists of an interference dye 22a-22c. It can be seen that the marking points 20a-20b are connected by the vector d1 and the marking points 20b-20c by the vector d2.

[0037] Fig. 6Figure 1 shows a further embodiment of the color- and location-coded product marking 18 of the ophthalmic implant 10 according to the invention. Here, too, the product marking 18 consists, by way of example, of three marking points 20a-20c, each of which in turn consists of an interference dye 22a-22c. It can be seen that the marking points 20a-20b are connected by the vector d3 and the marking points 20b-20c by the vector d4. The vectors d3 and d4 differ from the vectors d1 and d2 because Fig. 5 , so that a compact coding of information is made possible via the position of the marking points 20a-20c on the implant, the color of the interference dyes 22a-22c and the vectors d 1 -d 4 or the distance between the individual marking points 20a-20c, that is, via the relative position of the marking points 20a-20c to each other.

[0038] Fig. 7Figure 1 shows a further embodiment of the product marking 18 of the ophthalmic implant 10 according to the invention, with toric markers 20a, 20b made of interference dyes 22a, 22b as an alignment aid. The product marking 18 is located in the peripheral area of ​​the optical part 14. One or more haptic parts 16 may also be provided. Above and below the toric marker 20b, further marking points 20c made of one or more interference dyes 22c are arranged to encode additional information about the ophthalmic lens 10.

[0039] Fig. 8Figure 1 shows a further embodiment of the product marking 18 of the ophthalmic implant 10 according to the invention. In contrast to the previous embodiment, the product marking 18 has further marking points 20b, 20d made of one or more interference dyes 22b, 22d above and below the two toric markers 20a, 20c in order to encode additional information about the ophthalmic lens 10. In addition to the marking points 20a, 2b and 20c, 20d, which in this example are formally located at the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock positions of the implant 10, respectively, an additional marking point 20e made of an interference dye 22e is provided at the 12 o'clock position of the ophthalmic implant 10. This allows for a further improved alignment aid.

[0040] Fig. 9Figure 1 shows a further embodiment of the product marking 18 of the ophthalmic implant 10 according to the invention, which essentially corresponds to the previous embodiment. Compared to the one in Figure 1, the product marking 18 is shown in Figure 1. Fig. 8 In the embodiment shown, the product marking 18 has an additional marking point 20f made of an interference dye 22f in the 6 o'clock position of the optical part 14 of the ophthalmic implant 10.

[0041] Fig. 10 Figure 1 shows a further embodiment of the ophthalmic implant 10 according to the invention, comprising an optical part 14 and two haptic parts 16. The product marking 18 is located in the connection area of ​​the haptic parts 16 to the optical part 14, but outside an optical zone of the optical part 14.

[0042] The product identifier 18 thus enables not only reliable identification of the ophthalmic implant 10, but also the detection of the implant's position or spatial orientation during surgery. Using the product identifier 18 allows for the provision of specification data and actual positional data. The information provided by the product identifier 18 opens up new possibilities for computer-aided optimization of the implant's positioning. Due to the coded nature of the product identifier 18, even a subset of the detected features provides helpful information for aligning the implant 10 more stably and precisely in the eye. The product identifier 18 therefore preferably includes means for error detection, error tolerance, and ideally, error correction.Furthermore, the use of the interference dye(s) 22 ensures a simple, reliable and permanent determination of the encoded information.

[0043] The parameter values ​​specified in the documents for defining process and measurement conditions for characterizing specific properties of the subject matter of the invention are also to be considered as included in the scope of the invention in the event of deviations - for example due to measurement errors, system errors, DIN tolerances and the like. Reference symbol list

[0044] 10 Implant 12 Base body 14 Optical part 16 Haptic part 18 Product identification 20 Marking point 22 Interference dye d1, d2, d3, d4 Vector λ Wavelength R Reflection

Claims

1. Ophthalmic implant (10) having a main body (12) which comprises product identification (18) that is preferably machine-readable, wherein the product identification (18) consists at least in part of at least one interference dye (22), characterized in that the at least one interference dye (22) consists at least in part of nanocellulose, in particular cellulose nanocrystals, cellulose nanofibres, nanofibrillated cellulose and / or bacterial nanocellulose.

2. Ophthalmic implant (10) according to Claim 1, characterized in that the at least one interference dye (22) contains particles and / or particle agglomerates having a mean dimension of at least 40 µm, in particular of at least 50 µm, and / or in that the interference dye (22) comprises self-organizing particles and / or particle agglomerates which are designed to arrange themselves in an ordered structure, in particular a periodic structure.

3. Ophthalmic implant (10) according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the at least one interference dye (22) is arranged on the main body (12) and / or within the main body (12) and / or on a coating of the main body (12) and / or within a coating of the main body (12) and / or under a coating of the main body (12).

4. Ophthalmic implant (10) according to any of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the product identification (18) characterizes an implant type and / or an optical property of the ophthalmic implant (10), in particular a refractive power, and / or a database key and / or positioning information.

5. Ophthalmic implant (10) according to any of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the product identification (18) comprises at least one round and / or square and / or elongate and / or geometrically irregular marking point (20) made of the at least one interference dye (22), and / or in that the product identification (18) comprises multiple marking points (20) in the form of a linear barcode and / or a 2D matrix code and / or a 3D matrix code and / or a dot grid with a pseudo-random irregular character.

6. Ophthalmic implant (10) according to any of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the at least one interference dye (22) interacts with light in the wavelength range between 300 nm and 3000 nm, in particular in the wavelength range between 400 nm and 750 nm and / or in the wavelength range between about 750 nm and about 3000 nm.

7. Ophthalmic implant (10) according to any of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the product identification (18) comprises at least two interference dyes (22a-f) of different colours.

8. Ophthalmic implant (10) according to any of Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the latter is designed as a capsular tension ring or as a stent or as an intraocular lens or as an implantable contact lens.

9. Ophthalmic implant (10) according to any of Claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the main body (12) comprises at least one optic portion (14) and at least one haptic portion (16), wherein the product identification (18) is arranged on the at least one optic portion (14) and / or on the at least one haptic portion (16).