Methods of altering the refractive index of materials

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016228238-A1
Application number	US-201415021632-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 10, 2014
Priority date	Sep 12, 2013
Publication date	Aug 11, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Methods and devices for altering the power of a lens, such as an intraocular lens, are disclosed. In one method, the lens comprises a single polymer matrix containing crosslinkable pendant groups, wherein the polymer matrix increases in volume when crosslinked. The lens does not contain free monomer. Upon exposure to ultraviolet radiation, crosslinking causes the exposed portion of the lens to increase in volume, causing an increase in the refractive index. In another method, the lens comprises a polymer matrix containing photobleachable chromophores. Upon exposure to ultraviolet radiation, photobleaching causes a decrease in refractive index in the exposed portion without any change in lens thickness. These methods avoid the need to wait for diffusion to occur to change the lens shape and avoid the need for a second exposure to radiation to lock in the changes to the lens.

First claim

1 - 8 . (canceled)

9 . A method of altering the optical power of a lens, comprising:
providing a lens comprising a polymer matrix having photobleachable chromophores; and exposing a portion of the lens to electromagnetic or charged particle radiation, causing photobleaching to occur in the exposed portion of the lens and increasing the refractive index of the exposed portion of the lens, thereby altering the optical power of the lens.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the charged particle radiation is provided by an electron beam.

11 . A method of altering the optical power of a lens, comprising:
providing a lens comprising:
a single polymer matrix having crosslinkable pendant groups;
wherein the polymer matrix does not change significantly in volume when crosslinked; and
exposing a portion of the lens to electromagnetic or charged particle radiation, causing crosslinking to occur in the exposed portion of the lens and increasing the refractive index of the exposed portion of the lens, thereby altering the optical power of the lens.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the lens is devoid of free monomers.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the charged particle radiation is provided by an electron beam.

14 - 19 . (canceled)

20 . A method of altering the optical power of a lens, comprising:
providing a lens comprising a polymer matrix and an additive; and exposing a portion of the lens to radiation to cause a change in a solubility parameter of the additive in the matrix, thereby changing an effective refractive index of the exposed portion of the lens.

21 - 23 . (canceled)

Assignees

• Battelle Memorial Institute

Inventors

• Risser Steven M
• Mcginniss Vincent D

Classifications

• C08J3/28

  Treatment by wave energy or particle radiation · CPC title

• C08J3/24

  Crosslinking, e.g. vulcanising, of macromolecules (mechanical aspects B29C35/00; crosslinking agents C08K) · CPC title

• C08J2335/02

  Characterised by the use of homopolymers or copolymers of esters (C08J2335/06, C08J2335/08 take precedence) · CPC title

• A61F2/1627 Primary

  for changing index of refraction, e.g. by external means or by tilting · CPC title

• H01J37/317

  for changing properties of the objects or for applying thin layers thereon, e.g. for ion implantation (H01J37/36 takes precedence) · CPC title