Polymeric intraocular lens material having improved surface properties

DETAILED DESCRIPTION It is an object of the invention to provide a surface-modified polymer that has improved biocompatibility and the method of making the same.
It is particularly, an object of the invention to provide a surface modified poly (methyl methacrylate) intraocular lens that causes a reduction in adhesion damage of corneal endothelium cells during surgical implantation.
It is an object of the invention to provide an improved, modified intraocular lens material which includes a rigid, low-energy surface having reduced adhesion characteristics with corneal cells.
The improved intraocular lens material of the invention is an intraocular lens material polymer substrate including a fluorocarbon polymer coating bound covalently to the substrate.
The fluorinated coating will protect the lens from degradation by the body by virtue of the dense and impermeable cross-linked nature of the film coating.
Also, the fluorinated film will protect leaching of fusible components from the lens into the body.
The preferred intraocular lens material is a poly (methyl methacrylate) substrate including a fluorocarbon polymer coating.
The surface coating is deposited by exposing the substrate polymer to a gaseous monomer and an electrical field.
The field ionizes the monomer gas, creating a fluorocarbon plasma.
The plasma reacts with the polymer substrate resulting in the simultaneous deposition and polymerization of the fluorocarbon groups and their attachment onto the substrate surface.
The preferred process for making a modified polymeric intraocular lens material includes placing poly (methyl methacrylate) substrate material in a chamber including a gaseous perfluoropropane monomer.
A radio-frequency generator then induces an oscillating electric field within the chamber polymerizing the monomer and attaching it to the surface of the substrate.
System parameters such as RF power, system pressure and length of reaction control the nature and depth of the deposition as desired.