Detecting coatings on intraocular lens insertion devices and methods of manufacturing the devices

Abstract

Methods for detecting a coating on a surface of an intraocular lens delivery device and methods of manufacturing the device are provided. A method includes forming the coating on the device, the coating including a lubricious-enhancing component and a fluorescing component, illuminating the fluorescing component to cause the fluorescing component to emit a glow, and determining characteristics of the coating on the device based on the glow of the fluorescing component.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of detecting a characteristic of a coating on a surface of an intraocular lens delivery device comprising:
 forming the coating on the device, the coating including a lubricious-enhancing component and a fluorescing component;   illuminating the fluorescing component to cause the fluorescing component to emit a glow; and   determining characteristics of the coating on the device based on the glow of the fluorescing component.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the lubricious-enhancing component comprises a hydrophilic polymeric material. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fluorescing component comprises fluorescein. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein forming the coating includes forming a dispersion including a concentration of about 0.01% to about 5.0% of the fluorescing component in the coating and applying the dispersion to the device. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein forming the coating further comprises mixing the fluorescing component with the lubricious-enhancing component and a crosslinking agent to form the dispersion. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the device comprises an intraocular lens (IOL) cartridge and the surface comprises an inner surface of the IOL cartridge defining a lumen for receiving an IOL. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising comparing the glow of the fluorescing component to a reference and determining a thickness of the coating based on the comparison. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising applying another layer of coating material to the coating, if the thickness of the coating determined by the comparison is below the reference. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising comparing the glow of the fluorescing component to a reference and determining a uniformity of the coating over the surface of the device based on the comparison. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein comparing the glow of the fluorescing component to a reference includes obtaining a measurement of a color of the glow of the fluorescing component with a hand-held photodetector, and comparing the measurement of the color to a yellow index table to determine a thickness of the coating. 
     
     
         11 . A method of manufacturing an intraocular lens (IOL) insertion device comprising:
 molding a cartridge of the insertion device, the cartridge having an inner surface defining a lumen for receiving the IOL;   forming a coating on the inner surface of the cartridge, the coating including a lubricious-enhancing material and a fluorescing compound;   energizing the fluorescing compound in the coating to cause a light emission; and   measuring the light emission to determine a characteristic of the coating.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising applying another layer of coating to the inner surface of the cartridge, if a measurement of an intensity of the light emission is below a reference value. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising exposing the inner surface of the cartridge to plasma to wet the inner surface, prior to forming the coating. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the lubricious-enhancing material includes thermal radical initiators and ultraviolet radical initiators, and forming the coating includes exposing the lubricious-enhancing material to ultraviolet light and to elevated temperatures for a time sufficient to enhance stability of a resultant covalently bonded coating formed on the inner surface of the cartridge. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the measuring the light emission includes measuring a color of the light emission and comparing the color to a yellow index to determine a thickness of the coating. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the fluorescing compound comprises fluorescein. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the coating includes a crosslinking agent. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising determining a uniformity of the coating over the inner surface of the cartridge, based on a measurement of an intensity of the light emission. 
     
     
         19 . An intraocular lens (IOL) insertion device comprising:
 a molded cartridge having an inner surface defining a lumen; and   a coating disposed on the inner surface of the molded cartridge comprising a lubricious material and a fluorescing compound.   
     
     
         20 . The IOL insertion device of  claim 19 , wherein the molded cartridge comprises polypropylene. 
     
     
         21 . The IOL insertion device of  claim 19 , wherein the lubricious material is covalently bonded to the inner surface of the molded cartridge and includes a thermal radical initiator and an ultraviolet radical initiator. 
     
     
         22 . The IOL insertion device of  claim 19 , wherein the fluorescing compound comprises a sodium salt of fluorescein. 
     
     
         23 . The IOL insertion device of  claim 19 , wherein the coating includes a concentration of about 0.1% to about 5.0% dry weight of the fluorescing compound. 
     
     
         24 . The IOL insertion device of  claim 19 , wherein the coating includes a crosslinking agent.