Intraocular Lens with Differential Surface Wettability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current intraocular lenses do not effectively inhibit secondary cataract formation on both the posterior and anterior capsule surfaces after surgery, leading to opacification and vision impairment.

Innovation Solution

Development of an intraocular lens with distinct front and back surfaces in terms of protein adherence properties, where the back surface has higher fibronectin adherence, achieved through surface treatments such as copolymer coating and plasma treatment, to inhibit secondary cataract formation and reduce protein adherence on the front surface.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Illumination intensity

If an intraocular lens is inserted to correct vision after cataract surgery, then vision is improved, but secondary cataract occurs due to lens epithelial cell proliferation on the posterior capsule

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovevisionVSAvoidsecondary cataract

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The lens surfaces are treated with different properties: the front surface is made hydrophilic to resist protein adhesion, while the back surface is made hydrophobic to promote lens epithelial cell adhesion and inhibit secondary cataract. This local differentiation of surface properties allows simultaneous prevention of both anterior capsule opacification and posterior capsule metaplasia.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The intraocular lens combines materials or surface treatments with different wettability characteristics on its front and back surfaces. The front surface uses hydrophilic material to prevent protein adhesion, while the back surface uses hydrophobic material to control cell behavior, creating a composite structure that addresses multiple pathological issues.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Ease of operation

If the entire anterior capsule is incised during surgery, then lens insertion is enabled, but protein adhesion causes opacification on the lens front surface

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelens insertionVSAvoidfront surface opacification

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The front surface of the lens is specifically treated to be hydrophilic, creating a local property that resists protein adhesion. This localized treatment addresses the opacification problem on the anterior side without affecting the overall lens function or insertion procedure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The hydrophilic surface treatment on the front surface converts the harmful protein adhesion into a beneficial anti-fouling property. The hydrophilic nature prevents protein accumulation that would cause opacification, turning a potential harm into a protective mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Illumination intensity

If conventional intraocular lenses are used, then vision correction is achieved, but both front and back surfaces suffer from adhesion-related opacification

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevision correctionVSAvoiddual-surface opacification

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Different surface regions of the lens are assigned different wettability properties: the front surface is hydrophilic to prevent protein adhesion, while the back surface is hydrophobic to control lens epithelial cell behavior. This spatial differentiation allows simultaneous prevention of opacification on both surfaces through mechanism-specific surface properties.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The lens employs a composite surface structure with hydrophilic and hydrophobic regions. The hydrophilic front surface prevents protein adhesion, while the hydrophobic back surface promotes cell adhesion to inhibit metaplasia, creating a multi-functional surface system that addresses both adhesion-related problems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The intraocular lens effectively inhibits secondary cataract formation on both surfaces, maintaining lens transparency by controlling protein adherence, thereby preventing opacification and vision impairment.

Implementation Method 1

a front surface and a back surface being different from each other in the property of adhering to a protein... the front surface... specifically surface-treated

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHydrophilic interaction: Hydrophile

Implementation Method 2

surface treatments such as copolymer coating and plasma treatment

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPlasma treatment: Plasma

Data Source

PatentUS7892284B2Intraocular lens and process for producing the same

Publication Date: 2011.02.22 HOYA MEDICAL SINGAPORE PTE LTD

AI summary

Provided is an intraocular lens that inhibits secondary cataract which occurs after insertion of an intraocular lens and that is free from the adherence and deposition of a protein, etc., to/on the front surface of the lens, and the intraocular lens has an optic portion with a front surface and a back surface, said front surface and said back surface being different from each other in the property of adhering to a protein and satisfying the relationship of the expression (x),PAF<PAB (x)wherein PAF is the property of adherence of said front surface to fibronectin and PAB is the property of adherence of said back surface to fibronectin in a fibronectin adherence test.