Injectable intraocular lens

Abstract

The present invention relates to polysiloxanes suitable for the preparation of intraocular lenses by a crosslinking reaction, having a specific gravity of greater than about 1.0, a refractive index suitable for restoring the refractive power of the natural crystalline lens and a viscosity suitable for injection through a standard cannula. The present invention includes an injectable intraocular lens material based on said polysiloxanes and methods of preparing intraocular lenses by direct injection into the capsular bag of the eye.

1 . Polysiloxanes suitable for the preparation of intraocular lenses by a crosslinking reaction, having a specific gravity of greater than about 1.0, a refractive index suitable for restoring the refractive power of the natural crystalline lens and a viscosity suitable for injection through a standard cannula.  
     
     
         2 . Polysiloxanes according to  claim 1 , wherein the refractive index ranges between 1.382 up to about 1.60  
     
     
         3 . Polysiloxanes according to  claim 2  comprising at least one siloxane monomer with a specific gravity greater than about 1.0.  
     
     
         4 . Polysiloxanes according to  claim 3  comprising at least one siloxane monomer —R a R b SiO—, wherein R a  and R b  are the same or different alkyl or phenyl groups of which at least one is substituted with one or several fluorine atoms.  
     
     
         5 . Polysiloxanes according to  claim 4  comprising fluoroalkyl(alkyl)siloxane monomers.  
     
     
         6 . Polysiloxanes according  claim 5  comprising trifluoropropylmethylsiloxane monomers.  
     
     
         7 . Polysiloxanes according to any of  claims 1  to  6  being terpolymer or higher polymer of three or more siloxane monomers units.  
     
     
         8 . Polysiloxanes according to any of  claims 3  to  7  comprising arylsiloxane monomers.  
     
     
         9 . Polysiloxanes according to  claim 8  comprising methyl and substituted methylsiloxanes, phenylsiloxanes and trifluoropropylsiloxanes.  
     
     
         10 . Polysiloxanes according to  claim 9  being essentially a terpolymer of 
 a) dimethylsiloxane,  
 b) methylphenylsiloxane or diphenylsiloxane;  
 c) and trifluoropropylmethylsiloxane monomers.  
 
     
     
         11 . Polysiloxanes according to claim according to  claim 6  comprising at least about 4 mol % trifluoropropylmethylsiloxane.  
     
     
         12 . Polysiloxanes according to any of  claims 2  to  11  having a specific gravity of within the range of about 1.03 to 1.20 and refractive index from above about 1.38.  
     
     
         13 . An injectable lens material, comprising polysiloxanes having a specific gravity that is greater than about 1.0 and a refractive index comparable to that of a natural lens according to any of  claims 1  to  12 , a crosslinking agent having a suitable amount of unreacted Si—H groups and a catalyst.  
     
     
         14 . A reaction mixture for making polysiloxanes of an injectable lens material comprising a plurality of siloxane monomers having a specific gravity ranging from 0.97 to 1.28, wherein the siloxane monomers comprise one or more trimer or tetramer or higher order cyclic siloxane monomers forming a silicone lens material with a specific gravity greater than 1.0.  
     
     
         15 . The reaction mixture of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of siloxane monomers is copolymerized to sake a terpolymer with a refractive index of about 1.41 and a specific gravity of about 1.1.  
     
     
         16 . The reaction mixture of  claim 15  wherein at least one of the monomers has a specific gravity that is greater than 1.0.  
     
     
         17 . The reaction mixture of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of siloxane monomers are selected from a group consisting of methyl and substituted methyl siloxanes, phenyl siloxanes and trifluoropropyl methyl siloxane.  
     
     
         18 . The reaction mixture of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of siloxane monomers consists essentially of cyclic dimethylsiloxane monomer, cyclic diphenylsiloxane monomer and 3,3,3-trifluoropropylmethyl cyclotrisiloxane.  
     
     
         19 . The reaction mixture of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of siloxane monomers consists essentially of cyclic dimethylsiloxane monomer, triphenyltrimethyl cyclosiloxane monomer and 3,3,3-trifluoropropylmethyl cyclotrisiloxane.  
     
     
         20 . A method of preparing an intraocular lens, comprising: 
 providing a reaction mixture according to any of  claims 14  to  19 ;    polymerizing the siloxane monomers to form a polysiloxane having a specific gravity greater than 1.0; transferring the polymerized siloxane monomers in a mixture together with a crosslinking agent and a catalyst to the capsular sac; and curing the mixture to the final lens.    
     
     
         21 . A method of preparing an intraocular lens including the provision of a mixture comprising the polysiloxanes according to any of  claims 1  to  12 , a crosslinker and a catalyst, injecting the said mixture into a mold and curing said mixture at curing temperature optionally under forming pressure for a time sufficient to prepare said lens.  
     
     
         22 . A method according to  claim 21 , wherein the mixture is injected into the capsular bag of a human eye and cured at an ambient temperature.