Silicone Intraocular Lens Surface Treatment for Tackiness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Soft silicone materials used in medical devices like intraocular lenses (IOLs) exhibit surface tackiness, making them difficult to handle and clean, and are prone to damage during solvent extraction processes, while existing solutions often compromise the optical and mechanical properties of these materials.
Innovation Solution
A surface treatment process involving a reaction mixture with a platinum catalyst, silicon-hydride cross-linker, and a polymer with specific formula, followed by a surface treatment with a compound containing Si—H bonds, which reduces tackiness and enhances the material's resistance to solvent extraction without altering its optical and mechanical properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If soft silicone materials are used in medical devices, then flexibility and biocompatibility are improved, but surface tackiness increases making handling and cleaning difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a cross-linked surface layer specifically on the surface of the silicone material, creating a localized region with different properties (non-tacky) while maintaining the bulk material's softness and flexibility. This resolves the contradiction by making only the surface non-tacky for easy handling, while the interior remains soft and biocompatible
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite structure with a cross-linked silicone surface layer over a non-cross-linked soft silicone bulk. This composite approach allows the surface to provide non-tacky handling properties while the bulk maintains flexibility and biocompatibility, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and reliability
2Ease of manufacture
If soft silicone materials are subjected to solvent extraction processes, then manufacturing is simplified, but the materials are easily damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies cross-linking treatment to the silicone surface before the solvent extraction process. This preliminary cross-linking creates a protective surface layer that prevents damage during subsequent extraction, allowing simplified manufacturing while maintaining damage resistance
Solution Approach 2:
The cross-linked surface layer acts as a protective cushion or barrier before the solvent extraction process begins. This pre-formed protective layer shields the soft silicone bulk from damage during extraction, enabling ease of manufacture without sacrificing strength
3Ease of operation
If surface treatment is applied to reduce tackiness, then handling is improved, but optical and mechanical properties may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a surface-specific cross-linked layer that modifies only the surface properties to reduce tackiness, while the bulk material retains its original optical and mechanical properties. This localized treatment resolves the contradiction by affecting only where needed (the surface)
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a thin cross-linked surface film or shell on the silicone material. This thin surface layer provides non-tacky handling properties while being thin enough to not significantly affect the bulk material's optical clarity and mechanical performance, resolving the contradiction between handling and reliability
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 surface treatment effectively minimizes surface tackiness and protects the silicone materials from damage during solvent extraction, maintaining the optical and mechanical properties essential for medical applications like IOLs.
Implementation Method 1
a reaction mixture comprising a platinum catalyst, a silicon-hydride cross-linker, and a polymer having formula (I)
Implementation Method 2
a silicon-hydride cross-linker
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein are surface treatments for soft silicone gel materials such as silicone intraocular lenses.