Provided is a method of forming a shaped structure. The method includes coupling a first section of a mold to a second section of the mold such that a mold cavity is defined, wherein a cross-sectional shape of the mold cavity corresponds to a cross-sectional shape of the shaped structure and wherein at least one of the first section of the mold and the second section of the mold comprise a soluble material; at least partially filling the mold cavity with a curable polymer; and curing the curable polymer in the mold cavity to make the shaped structure.

A method of forming a fluid-filled implant is provided. The method includes: forming a first zone of an elastomeric membrane defining at least one partially enclosed void space; expanding a volume of the void space, thereby expanding a volume enclosed by the first zone; forming a second zone comprising at least one elastomeric middle layer on at least a portion of the expanded first zone; and reducing the volume of the void space, thereby contracting elastomeric layers of the first zone and the second zone. The method also includes forming an adjustable implant from the elastomeric membrane by enclosing the void space to form at least one chamber.

The present invention relates to a process for manufacturing an object made of biocompatible hydrogel by molding a polymer solution in a mold made of a particular material, said process comprising the following steps: (i) preparation of a polymer solution by dissolving a copolymer of acrylonitrile and of an olefinically unsaturated co-monomer bearing anionic groups in an aprotic solvent, optionally in the presence of a nonsolvent, (ii) shaping and the start of gelation of the polymer solution obtained at the end of step (i) in a mold consisting of a material containing said nonsolvent or of a material permeable to said nonsolvent, (iii) immersion of the object undergoing gelation resulting from step (ii) in a nonsolvent. The present invention also relates to the objects made of biocompatible hydrogel resulting from this process such as, for example, intracorneal lenses (or lenticules) implantable in the cornea or any other implants usable in ophthalmology.

A moulding composition comprising at least one sugar component in a weight proportion of at least 20% in relation to the weight of the moulding composition, and at least one aggregate as well as a mould for a moulding process, wherein the mould is a compact three-dimensional structure made of the moulding composition, and a process for moulding a workpiece with the mould.

A method of forming an implant includes providing a preformed shell formed from at least one cured elastomeric layer. The shell includes an outer surface, an inner surface, and an opening for accessing an interior volume of the shell. The method further includes expanding the shell to an expanded state, in which the interior volume is greater than the interior volume of the shell at a time of forming the shell and forming an inner zone having at least one inner elastomeric layer on at least a portion of the inner surface of the shell, while the shell is in the expanded state, thereby forming a multi-zone shell. The method further includes reducing the interior volume of the multi-zone shell, thereby contracting the at least one inner elastomeric layer of the inner zone and causing texturing of the at least one inner elastomeric layer.