Responsive Hydrogels Based Lens Structure with Configurable Focal Length for Intraocular Lens (IOLs) Application

Abstract

Summary Stimuli‐responsive hydrogel has attracted wide interests in bio‐applications, especially in bio‐optical systems that need tuning and adjustment of their optical performances. In this paper, we have investigated the materials and structural designs for the potential intraocular Lens (IOLs) design by studying swelling induced morphology changes and subsequently optical properties of ionic responsive Poly (Acrylamide‐co‐sodium acrylate) hydrogel. The equilibrium swelling ratio and swelling kinetics of gel were measured under both free standing and confined conditions. The Poly (Acrylamide‐co‐sodium acrylate) hydrogel has shown reversible swelling response to the ion concentration. Autonomous focusing of the gel lens was demonstrated under the certain ionic stimulus. Initial optical results have been presented with designable stimuli‐responsive focal length shifting under structural confinement.

Controlled Cooperative Wetting Enabled Heterogeneous Structured 3D Morphing Transducers

“…The swelling and deswelling ratios dynamically responding to PBS concentration (0–0.5 m ) and SA compositions were obtained. In our previous PAAm‐SA (different composition) swelling study, [ 39 ] various boundary confinement conditions were characterized—freestanding, one‐side confinement, and ring confinement. In this work, the 3D morphing bilayer structure was placed in “freestand” mode in PBS/water solutions and the swelling ratio characterizations of PAAm and PAAm‐SA hydrogel spheres were conducted ( Figure a).…”

Light-Triggered Transmittance Control in Thermoresponsive Hydrogels by Femtosecond Laser Direct Writing

“…Hydrogels exhibit high biocompatibility and high optical transparency in the visible and near-infrared wavelengths owing to their high water content. Therefore, stimulus-responsive hydrogels have been applied to soft optical devices, such as lens arrays that change the focal length with a change in pH , or the concentration of ions . Among stimulus-responsive hydrogels, light-responsive hydrogels offer noncontact switching capabilities at high temporal resolutions and control of the response by multiple parameters, such as the intensity and wavelength of stimulus light.…”

A Tunable Morphing Polyelectrolyte System for Smart Ocular Applications

“…Looking beyond human ocular applications, tunable biooptical configurations in other advanced devices have been achieved in recent developments, which no longer require complicated mechanical units [13 -15]. Some of the recently developed smart polymer achieve tunable optical focal length, responding to and controlled by external stimulation such as pH-responsive [16], electric field [17], and ion concentration [18] with mechanical confinement structures or electrical interconnects. However, limited efforts have been found on developing easy-to-implant artificial ocular device with responsive focal shifting, since the above devices may require non-compatible materials (e.g.…”