Homopolymers containing stable elasticity inducing crosslinkers and ocular implants made therefrom

Abstract

Ocular implants composed of homopolymers containing stable elasticity inducing crosslinkers which contain rigid chemical groups disposed between at least two polymerizable ethyleneically unsaturated chemical groups are disclosed. These ocular implants are stable, elastic, soft, optically clear, have high refractive index and low-tack surfaces.

We claim:  
     
         1 . Optical implants comprising optically clear, high refractive index, low-tack homopolymers having a glass transition temperature of less than about 15° C. and an elongation at break of at least 150%.  
     
     
         2 . The optical implants of  claim 1 , wherein said homopolymers comprise from about 95% to 99.5% by weight monomer and from about 0.5% to 5.0% by weight stable elasticity inducing crosslinker having a rigid chemical group disposed between a plurality of polymerizable, ethyleneically unsaturated chemical groups.  
     
     
         3 . The optical implants of  claim 1 , wherein said optical implants are an intraocular lens.  
     
     
         4 . The optical implants of  claim 1 , wherein said intraocular lenses have a refractive index above approximately 1.50, a shore hardness between approximately 25-42, a glass transition temperature equal to or below approximately 15° C., an elongation at break of approximately 150% greater, and a tensile strength of at least approximately 250 pounds per square inch.  
     
     
         5 . The optical implants of  claim 1 , wherein said intraocular lenses have a tapering peripheral border forming an edge having a thickness of approximately 0.5 mm, or less.  
     
     
         6 . The optical implants of  claim 1 , wherein said optical implants are a corneal implant.  
     
     
         7 . The optical implants of  claim 1 , wherein said optical implants are a corneal overlay.  
     
     
         8 . The optical implants of  claim 1 , wherein said optical implants are a phakic lens.  
     
     
         9 . Optically clear, high refractive index, low-tack homopolymers comprising from about 95% to 99.5% by weight monomer and from about 0.5% to 5.0% by weight stable elasticity including crosslinker having a rigid chemical group disposed between a plurality of polymerizable, ethyleneically unsaturated chemical groups.  
     
     
         10 . The optically clear, high refractive index, low-tack homopolymers of  claim 9 , wherein said stable elasticity inducing crosslinker is selected from the group consisting of: 
 diacrylates and dimethacylates of bisphenol A ethoxylate (1 EO/phenol), bisphenol A ethoxylate (2 EO/phenol), bisphenol A propoxylate (2 PO/phenol), bisphenol A, 2,2′-diallylbisphenol A, bis(4-(2-acryloylethoxy)phenyl)methane, bis(4-(2-methacryloylethoxy)phenyl)methane, bis(naphthol) A ethoxylate (X EO/naphthol), bis(2-acryloylalkylphenyl)propane, bis(2-methacryloylalkylphenyl)propane, 3,3′-(ethylenedioxy)diphenyl A ethoxylate (X EO/phenol), and naphth-diol A ethoxylate (2X EO/naphthalene), wherein X=1-5.    
     
     
         11 . The optically clear, high refractive index, low-tack homopolymers of  claim 9 , wherein said monomer is selected from the group consisting of: 
 phenoxyethylacrylate, poly (ethyleneglycol) phenylethylacrylate, 2-phenylethyl acrylate, 3-phenylethylacrylate, 4-phenylethylacrylate and alkylacrylate derivatives.    
     
     
         12 . Stable elasticity inducing crosslinkers having a rigid chemical group disposed between a plurality of polymerizable ethyleneically unsaturated chemical groups.  
     
     
         13 . The stable elasticity inducing crosslinkers of  claim 12  wherein said rigid chemical group is selected from the group consisting of: 
 alkaryl, biphenyl and naphthalene groups.  
 
     
     
         14 . The stability inducing crosslinkers of  claim 12  wherein said rigid chemical group is selected from the group consisting of: 
 bisphenol A ethoxylate (1 EO/phenol), bisphenol A ethoxylate (2 EO/phenol), bisphenol A propoxylate (2 PO/phenol), bisphenol A, 2,2′-diallylbisphenol A, bis(4-(2-acryloylethoxy)phenyl)methane, bis(4-(2-methacryloylethoxy)phenyl)methane, bis(naphthol) A ethoxylate (X EO/naphthol), bis(2-acryloylalkylphenyl)propane, bis(2-methacryloylalkylphenyl)propane, 3,3,′-(ethylenedioxy)diphenyl A ethoxylate (X EO/phenol), and naphth-diol A ethoxylate (2X EO/naphthalene), wherein X=1-5.  
 
     
     
         15 . The optically clear, high refractive index, low-tack homopolymers of  claim 9 , further comprising a UV absorber.  
     
     
         16 . The optically clear, high refractive index, low-tack homopolymers of  claim 15 , wherein said UV absorber is selected from the group consisting of: 
 acrylate, methacrylate and vinyl functionalized bezotriazoles and benzophenols.    
     
     
         17 . Optically clear, high refractive index, low-tack homopolymers having a glass transition temperature of less than about 15° C. and an elongation at break of at least 150%, said homopolymers comprising from about 95% to 99.5% by weight monomer and from about 0.5% to 5.0% by weight stable elasticity inducing crosslinker, said crosslinker selected from the group consisting of: 
 diacrylates and dimethacylates of bisphenol A ethoxylate (1 EO/phenol), bisphenol A ethoxylate (2 EO/phenol), bisphenol A propoxylate (2 PO/phenol), bisphenol A, 2,2′-diallylbisphenol A, bis(4-(2-acryloylethoxy)phenyl)methane, bis(4-(2-methacryloylethoxy)phenyl)methane, bis(naphthol) A ethoxylate (X EO/naphthol), bis(2-acryloylalkylphenyl)propane, bis(2-methacryloylalkylphenyl)propane, 3,3′-(ethylenedioxy)diphenyl A ethoxylate (X EO/phenol), and naphth-diol A ethoxylate (2X EO/naphthalene), wherein X=1-5.  
 
     
     
         18 . Optically clear, high refractive index, low-tack homopolymers having a glass transition temperature of less than about 15° C. and an elongation at break of at least 150%, said homopolymers comprising from about 97.1% to 99.5% by weight monomer and from about 0.5% to 2.9% by weight stable elasticity inducing crosslinker, said crosslinker selected from the group consisting of: 
 diacrylates and dimethacylates of bisphenol A ethoxylate (1 EO/phenol), bisphenol A ethoxylate (2 EO/phenol), bisphenol A propoxylate (2 PO/phenol), bisphenol A, 2,2′-diallylbisphenol A, bis(4-(2-acryloylethoxy)phenyl)methane, bis(4-(2-methacryloylethoxy)phenyl)methane, bis(naphthol) A ethoxylate (X EO/naphthol), bis(2-acryloylalkylphenyl)propane, bis(2-methacryloylalkylphenyl)propane, 3,3′-(ethylenedioxy)diphenyl A ethoxylate (X EO/phenol), and naphth-diol A ethoxylate (2X EO/naphthalene), wherein X=1-5.  
 
     
     
         19 . Intraocular lenses formed from optically clear, high refractive index, low-tack homopolymers comprising from about 95% to 99.5% by weight monomer and from about 0.5% to 5.0% by weight stable elasticity inducing crosslinker having a rigid chemical group disposed between a plurality of polymerizable, ethyleneically unsaturated chemical groups.  
     
     
         20 . Intraocular lenses of  claim 19  wherein said crosslinker is selected from the group consisting of: 
 diacrylates and dimethacylates of bisphenol A ethoxylate (1 EO/phenol), bisphenol A ethoxylate (2 EO/phenol), bisphenol A propoxylate (2 PO/phenol), bisphenol A, 2,2′-diallylbisphenol A, bis(4-(2-acryloylethoxy)phenyl)methane, bis(4-(2-methacryloylethoxy)phenyl)methane, bis(naphthol) A ethoxylate (X EO/naphthol), bis(2-acryloylalkylphenyl)propane, bis(2-methacryloylalkylphenyl)propane, 3,3′-(ethylenedioxy)diphenyl A ethoxylate (X EO/phenol), and naphth-diol A ethoxylate (2X EO/naphthalene), wherein X=1-5.  
 
     
     
         21 . Intraocular lenses, of  claim 19  wherein said monomer is selected from the group consisting of: 
 phenoxyethylacrylate, poly (ethyleneglycol) phenylethylacrylate, 2-phenylethyl acrylate, 3-phenylethylacrylate, 4-phenylethylacrylate and alkylacrylate derivatives.