Prosthesis (i.e. – artificial body members) – parts thereof – or ai – Eye prosthesis – Corneal implant
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-05
2001-06-12
Willse, David H. (Department: 3738)
Prosthesis (i.e., artificial body members), parts thereof, or ai
Eye prosthesis
Corneal implant
Reexamination Certificate
active
06245106
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to ophthalmic lenses made from polymeric compositions and novel monomers useful in said compositions. More particularly, the invention relates to ophthalmic lenses, preferably deformable intraocular lenses, having reduced surface tackiness made from 2-phenylpropylacrylate and/or methacrylate-based polymeric compositions.
(2) Description of Related Art
Intraocular lenses (IOLs) have been known for a long time, since shortly after the end of World War II. Such a lens is surgically implanted into a mammalian eye, e.g., human eye, to replace a damaged or diseased natural lens of the eye and restore the patient's vision.
Although IOLs are made from “hard” or “rigid” polymeric or glass optical materials, such as polymethyl methacrylate (which has a refractive index of 1.49), soft resilient polymeric materials, such as silicones, have been increasingly used, for the reasons discussed below, in ophthalmic applications.
Since soft IOLs are deformable, for example, foldable or rollable, for implantation, a smaller incision can be surgically cut in the eye than for the implantation of “hard” IOLs of the same optical power. The smaller the incision, the less trauma the patient's eye experiences and the faster post-operative healing occurs. An incision of about 3 mm is ideal since this size incision is presently required to remove the natural lens after it has been broken up, for example, emulsified in a conventional phaceoemulsification procedure. In contrast the typical IOL optic has a diameter of about 6 mm.
The size and mechanical characteristics of the deformable IOLs play an important role. As is well understood by those skilled in the art, for successful implantation, the deformable IOL must have sufficient structural integrity, elasticity and elongation and be small enough in size to permit deforming for insertion through a small incision. After insertion, the lens must, of course, regain its original shape and have sufficient structural integrity to retain such shape under normal use conditions.
In general, the thinner the deformable IOL the smaller the incision in the eye that is required. On the other hand, in order to function optically as an IOL, the lens must have sufficient optical refractory power. Also, the higher the optical refractive index of the material making up the IOL, the thinner the IOL can be and still obtain the same optical refractory power.
Deformable IOLs made of acrylic materials can be quite tacky in nature, which tackiness inhibits deforming to a sufficiently small size for insertion through a very small incision and/or may cause handling problems.
Gupta U.S. Pat. No. 4,834,750 discloses IOLs with optics made of copolymers of methacrylate esters which form homopolymers that are relatively hard at room temperature and acrylate esters which form homopolymers that are relatively soft at room temperature. Such copolymers are crosslinked with a diacrylate ester to produce an acrylate material which preferably includes a constituent derived from a fluoroacrylate to reduce surface tackiness. None of the specific monomers disclosed in this patent provide homopolymers which have a refractive index of at least about 1.50.
Weinschenk, III U.S. Pat. No. 5,331,073 discloses acrylic-based intraocular lenses which optionally include a constituent derived from a hydrophilic monomeric component. This constituent is effective to reduce the tackiness of the copolymer. However, such hydrophilic constituent may cause a disadvantageous decrease in the index of refraction of the final IOL optic in that some water is included within the copolymer.
LeBoeuf et al U.S. Pat. No. 5,603,774 discloses plasma treatment of the polymer surface to reduce tackiness associated with certain acrylic polymers, particularly those polymers useful in intraocular lenses. However, such plasma treatment does involve an additional manufacturing step. Also, the non-homogeneous intraocular lens which results from the surface being treated with plasma has the potential of causing problems in the eye.
Monomers useful in preparing acrylic polymers and co-polymers are well known. For example, see RN 133832-56-1 REGISTRY which discloses homopolymers of 2-propenoic acid, 2-methyl-,2-methyl-3-phenylpropyl ester(s)-, (2-propenoic acid, 2-methyl-3-phenylpropyl ester?)homopolymer.
It would be advantageous to provide ophthalmic lens materials of construction which have good optical properties, including optical clarity and high refractive index (index of refraction) and, in addition, have reduced tackiness without the disadvantages of the prior art materials noted above.
Furthermore, it would be advantageous to provide novel monomers which are useful in the preparation of such ophthalmic lens materials.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
New polymeric materials and ophthalmic lenses, for example, IOLs, produced from such polymeric materials have been discovered. The present polymeric materials are derived from 2-phenylpropyl acrylate and/or 2-phenylpropyl methacrylate monomers and provide very useful optical properties in terms of optical clarity and high index of refraction and can be formed into ophthalmic lenses, for example, optics of IOLs which are effectively deformable, preferably foldable, for insertion through small surgical incisions, preferably on the order of about 3 mm or less (in maximum transverse dimension). Importantly, the present compositions and ophthalmic lenses have reduced surface tackiness without requiring the presence of fluoroacrylates, hydrophilic components and without requiring plasma treatment. By selecting the monomeric components used to produce the present compositions and ophthalmic lenses in accordance with the present invention, reduced surface tackiness is achieved with little or no adverse impact on the optical clarity, refractive index, homogeneity, biocompatability, deformability, and cost of production of such compositions and ophthalmic lenses. The present compositions and lenses can be produced using conventional techniques, e.g., conventional polymerization techniques. Thus, the present invention is very effective and easy to practice and results in polymeric compositions and ophthalmic lenses which have outstanding properties.
In one broad aspect of the present invention, ophthalmic lens bodies are provided which comprise crosslinked polymeric materials or compositions. Such materials comprise a first constituent derived from a first monomeric component selected from acrylates, methacrylates and mixtures thereof. Such first constituent will include at least one of 2-phenylpropyl acrylate or 2-phenylpropyl methacrylate as a monomer. A second constituent is included and is derived from a second component in an amount effective as a cross-linker in the crosslinked polymeric material. The resulting crosslinked polymeric material includes 2-phenylpropyl acrylate or 2-phenylpropyl methacrylate in an amount effective to reduce the tackiness of the crosslinked polymeric material relative to a substantially identical crosslinked polymeric material without branched chain alkyl groups. It has been found that the inclusion of 2-phenylpropyl acrylate or 2-phenylpropyl methacrylate, for example, in the first monomeric component, or portion thereof, unexpectedly provides reduced surface tackiness to the crosslinked polymeric material. Thus, this reduced tackiness is obtained without requiring the presence of a fluoroacrylate or a hydrophilic component and without requiring treating, for example, plasma treating, the surface of the polymeric material.
The present ophthalmic lens bodies may be in the form of optics of IOLs, contact lenses, corneal implants (for example, corneal onlays and corneal inlays) and other ophthalmic lens bodies. The present lens bodies are particularly useful as optics of IOLs, more preferably deformable IOLs. Because a deformable IOL is adapted to be deformed, that is rolled, folded or otherwise deformed, prior to insertion into the eye, it is important that the
Liao Xiugao
Makker Harish C.
Weinschenk, III Joseph I.
Allergan Sales Inc.
Baran Robert J.
Fisher Carlos A.
Phan Hieu
Voet Martin A.
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