The present invention provides a method for producing a retinal progenitor cell, including (1) a first step of subjecting pluripotent stem cells to floating culture in a serum-free medium to form an aggregate of pluripotent stem cells, and (2) a second step of subjecting the aggregate formed in step (1) to floating culture in a serum-free medium or serum-containing medium each being free of a substance acting on the Sonic hedgehog signal transduction pathway but containing a substance acting on the BMP signal transduction pathway, thereby obtaining an aggregate containing retinal progenitor cells.

Intraocular implants and methods of forming intraocular implants are described herein. The intraocular implant can include a powered optic and a lens holder. The optic can be mechanically coupled to an inner periphery of the lens holder to form the intraocular implant. A portion of the lens holder can include a mask disposed about the optic to increase depth of focus in a human patient.

Ionized radiation-absorbed, dose sensitive, highly flexible polymeric compositions are provided that exhibits multidirectional changes in refractive index. Also provided are methods of producing a precision multi-directional nanogradient of refractive index in a polymeric composition.

Disclosed are co-polymers which are produced from reactive monomer mixtures and which have both high refractive index and a high Abbe number. These materials are well suited for use as implantable ophthalmic devices and have a refractive index which may be edited through application of energy. When used for an intraocular lens, the high refractive index allows for a thin lens which compresses to allow a small incision size.

A photodynamic therapy technique for preventing damage to the fovea of the eye or another body portion of a patient is disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a treatment laser is applied to a body portion of a patient using a painting technique, the treatment laser being configured to provide paint brush-type photodynamic therapy (PPDT) using the painting technique to the body portion of the patient by emitting light of a predetermined wavelength that is absorbed by tissue of the body portion of the patient to which a photosensitizer has been applied, the body portion of the patient being afflicted by a medical condition. The application of the treatment laser to the body portion of a patient using the painting technique treats the medical condition, reduces the symptoms associated with the medical condition, and/or alleviates the medical condition.

A hydrophobic intraocular lens (IOL) with excellent non-glistening characteristics, high Abbe number, excellent mechanical properties comprising at least one copolymer comprising: (a) a first monomeric subunit comprising a polymerized (meth)acrylate group and at least one alkoxyalkoxyalkyl side group, (b) a second monomeric subunit different from the first monomeric subunit comprising a polymerized (meth)acrylate group, at least one side group comprising (i) an aryloxy moiety with at least one halogen, and (ii) an aliphatic carbon moiety linking the aryloxy moiety with the polymerized (meth)acrylate group, wherein the aliphatic carbon moiety comprises at least one hydroxyl substituent.

A method of forming and implanting a synthetic corneal lenslet in an eye of a patient includes the steps of: forming a synthetic lenslet from a collagen solution using a mold or a 3-D printer that are configured to form the synthetic lenslet into a predetermined shape for correcting a particular refractive error of the patient; forming a cavity for receiving the synthetic lenslet in the cornea of the eye of the patient; inserting the synthetic lenslet into the cavity of the eye; applying a photosensitizer into the cavity of the eye so that the photosensitizer permeates at least a portion of the tissue surrounding the cavity and at least a portion of the synthetic lenslet; and irradiating the cornea so as to activate cross-linkers in the synthetic lenslet and cross-linkers in the portion of the tissue surrounding the cavity, and thereby prevent an immune response.

Various aspects and embodiments of the present invention are directed to methods of treating a subject having an ocular condition, methods of isolating ocular stem cells, methods of selecting and/or producing ocular grafts for transplantation, and methods of promoting ocular cell regeneration as well as to grafts and preparations containing isolated ocular stem cells characterized by the expression of ABCB5 on their cell surface.

The present invention provides novel biomaterial compositions and methods having a technology to improve retention of hyaluronic acid (HA). The biomaterial compositions utilize small HA binding peptides that is tethered to synthetic biocompatible polymers. When tethered to the polymers, the peptide region allows the polymers to bind to HA. The biocompatible polymers are modified to contain a crosslinking group so that the HA can be incorporated into a scaffold and retained in place. The novel biomaterial 1 compositions can be made into hydrogel compositions and used in a variety of tissue applications, using mild crosslinking conditions and they also have the ability to be degraded with hyaluronidase if needed. Furthermore, the novel biomaterial compositions will enable enhanced interaction between the scaffold and encapsulated cells for a wide variety of tissue engineering applications. Methods of making hydrogel compositions and their use are also provided. The present invention also provides bifunctional biopolymer compositions comprising a biologically compatible polymer having at least one amine reactive moiety and at least one thiol reactive moiety and provides thiolated HA binding peptides which can be used together to coat or chemically modify cartilage or tissues having amine reactive residues with a biologically compatible polymer having HA binding peptides, which allow HA to bind to the surface of the cartilage or tissues. Methods of using same are also provided.

Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a phototherapy eye device. In an example, the phototherapy eye device includes a number of radioluminescent light sources and an anchor. Each radioluminescent light source includes an interior chamber coated with phosphor material, such as zinc sulfide, and containing a radioisotope material, such as gaseous tritium. The volume, shape, phosphor material, and radioisotope material are selected for emission of light at a particular wavelength and delivering a particular irradiance on the retina (when implanted in an eyeball). The wavelength is in the range of 400 to 600 nm and the irradiance is substantially 10.sup.9 to 10.sup.11 photons per second per cm.sup.2.