SYSTEM AND METHOD

Abstract

The present invention generally relates to a system for two-photon or multi-photon irradiating an artificial lens, preferably an intraocular lens preferably arranged within an eye of a patient and a method for locally adjusting a polarizability and/or a refractive index of an artificial lens preferably an intraocular lens preferably arranged within an eye of a patient. The method relates in particular to fabrication of optical profiles by adjusting polarizability through two- or multi-photon processes in a non-destructive manner.

Claims

1. A system for irradiating an artificial lens, the system comprising: one or more irradiation sources (1) for two-photon or multi-photon irradiating a said artificial lens (3) with an irradiation beam (2) focused with an optic (16) and of a first wavelength and/or a second wavelength different from the first wavelength, a scanner (4) coupled to the one or more irradiation sources (1) and configured to scan a said irradiation beam (2) across said artificial lens (3), and an input unit (6) coupled to the one or more irradiation sources (1) and the scanner (4), wherein the input unit (6) is configured to input data for treating said artificial lens (3) by scanning a said irradiation beam (2) across said artificial lens (3) based on the input data (8), and wherein the first wavelength is between 600 nm and 800 nm for locally decreasing, based on said treating of said artificial lens, a polarizability of said artificial lens, and wherein the second wavelength is between 400 nm and 590 nm for locally increasing, based on said treating of said artificial lens, the polarizability of said artificial lens (3).

2. A system according to claim1 wherein the artificial lens (3) is a contact lens or intraocular lens.

3. A system according to claim 1 wherein the artificial lens (3) is arranged within an eye of a patient.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein the input data (8) comprises lens data (10) of said artificial lens (3) and/or treatment plan data (12) relating to a treatment plan for said treating of said artificial lens (3).

5. A system according to claim 4, wherein the lens data (10) comprises data relating to a radiation absorption property of a said artificial lens (3), and wherein the system is configured to adjust the first wavelength and/or the second wavelength for said artificial lens to locally change the polarizability based on two-photon or a multi-photon absorption process.

6. A system according to claim 2, further comprising a positioning system (20) for determining a position of a focus of said irradiation beam (2) within a said eye of a said patient, wherein the positioning system (20) is coupled to the scanner (4) and wherein the scanning, by the scanner, of said irradiation beam (2) across said artificial lens (3) is based on the position of said focus of said irradiation beam within the eye.

7. A system according to claim 2, wherein the system is configured to determine a location and/or orientation of said artificial lens (3) relative to the eye and the outlet of the irradiation beam, and wherein the scanning, by the scanner (4), of said irradiation beam (2) across said artificial lens (3) is based on the location and/or orientation of said artificial lens (3) relative to the eye.

8. A system according to claim 1, further comprising a temperature management unit (14) coupled to one or both of (i) the one or more irradiation sources (1) and (ii) the scanner (4), wherein the temperature management unit (14) is configured to determine, based on an irradiation beam property of a said irradiation beam (2) and an artificial lens property of a said artificial lens (3), a temperature of a part of said artificial lens (3) during said treating of said artificial lens (3) by said scanning, and wherein the system is configured to control, based on said determination of the temperature, one or both of (i) the one or more irradiation sources (1) and (ii) the scanner (4).

9. A system according to claim 8, wherein the temperature management unit (14) is configured to predict said temperature during said treating of said artificial lens (3), and wherein said input data (8) comprises the predicted temperature.

10. A system according to claim 2, further comprising an eye interface system (18) configured to keep a said eye of a said patient in a fixed position.

11. A process for adjusting a polarizability of an artificial lens comprising a body formed of a polymeric optical material based on a two- or multi-photon absorption process, the process comprising the steps of: providing said lens; and adjusting the polarizability of said lens through irradiation of said lens by using a system according to claim 1 thereupon changing the polymeric optical material with significant differences in the UV/Vis spectrum with respect to the non-irradiated polymeric optical material of the artificial lens.

12. The process according to claim 11, wherein said adjusting of the polarizability of the artificial lens comprises decreasing the polarizability by irradiating the artificial lens with an irradiation beam having a wavelength of between 600 nm and 800 nm thereupon changing the polymeric optical material with significant differences of the UV/Vis spectrum namely loss in peak absorption in the range of 300 nm to 400 nm with respect to the non-irradiated polymeric optical material of the artificial lens.

13. The process according to claim 11, wherein said adjusting of the polarizability of the artificial lens comprises increasing the polarizability by irradiating the artificial lens with an irradiation beam having a wavelength of between 400 nm and 590 nm thereupon changing the polymeric optical material with significant differences of the UV/Vis spectrum namely increase in peak absorption in the range of 300 nm to 400 nm with respect to the non-irradiated polymeric optical material of the artificial lens.

14. The process according to claims 11, wherein said polymeric optical material of the artificial lens comprises a polymeric matrix comprising covalently bound photoactive units comprising a non-aromatic double bond which is able to dimerize by forming a cyclobutane ring by means of a [2π+2π] cycloaddition under the effect of the two-photon or multi-photon process.

15. The process according to claim 11, wherein said optical material of the artificial lens comprises a polymeric matrix comprising covalently bound photoactive units comprising a non-aromatic double bond which is able to dimerize by forming a cyclobutane ring by means of a [2π+2π] cycloaddition under the effect of the two-photon or multi-photon process together with already dimerized photoactive units.

16. The process according to claim 11, wherein said said polymeric optical material of the artificial lens comprises a polymeric matrix comprising covalently bound dimerized photoactive units as sole photoactive units which are able to separate under the effect of the two-photon or generally multi-photon process.

17. The process according to claim 11, wherein the provided artificial lens comprising a polymeric matrix comprises covalently bound photoactive units comprising a non-aromatic double bond which is able to dimerize by forming a cyclobutane ring by means of a [2π+2π] cycloaddition is irradiated with the irradiation beam of the first wavelength, said irradiation causes the dimerization of said photoactive units thereby decreasing the polarizability of said artificial lens and thereby modifying the provided artificial lens in that the modified artificial lens comprises a polymeric matrix comprising partially or fully dimerized photoactive units derived from said [2π+2π] cycloaddition and optionally irradiating said modified artificial lens with an irradiation beam of the second wavelength for locally increasing the polarizability of said modified artificial lens by partially cleaving said dimerized photoactive units.

18. The process according to claim 16, wherein the provided artificial lens is irradiated with the irradiation beam of the second wavelength, said irradiation causes the separation of said dimerized photoactive units thereby increasing the polarizability of said artificial lens and thereby modifying the provided artificial lens in that the modified artificial lens comprises a polymeric matrix comprising photoactive units able to dimerize again and optionally irradiating said modified artificial lens with an irradiation beam of the first wavelength for locally decreasing the polarizability of said modified artificial lens by partially dimerizing said photoactive units.

19. The process according to claim 15, wherein the provided artificial lens is irradiated with the irradiation beam of the first wavelength said irradiation causes the dimerization of said photoactive units thereby decreasing the polarizability of said artificial lens and thereby modifying the provided artificial lens in that the modified artificial lens comprises a polymeric matrix comprising more dimerized photoactive units derived from said [2π+2π] cycloaddition, or wherein the provided artificial lens is irradiated with the irradiation beam of the second wavelength, said irradiation causes the separation of said dimerized photoactive units thereby increasing the polarizability of said artificial lens and thereby modifying the provided artificial lens in that the modified artificial lens comprises a polymeric matrix comprising more photoactive units able to dimerize by forming a cyclobutane ring by means of a [2π+2π] cycloaddition.

20. Kit of parts comprising a system according to claim 1 and at least one artificial lens to be suited for said system.

Description

INDEX OF FIGURES

[0454] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a system for the irradiation of an artificial lens, e.g. a contact lens or an intraocular lens not arranged within an eye of a patient.

[0455] FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of a system for the irradiation of an intraocular lens arranged within an eye of a patient.

[0456] FIG. 3 shows a schematic illustration (1500) of scanning strategies.

[0457] FIG. 4 shows a schematic illustration (1600) of said variables used in the scanning program taken into account when irradiating the lens within the eye of a patient.

[0458] FIG. 5 shows a further schematic illustration of a system for the irradiation of an intraocular lens arranged within an eye of a patient.

[0459] FIG. 6 shows a schematic illustration of components of the system for the irradiation of an intraocular lens arranged within an eye of a patient.

[0460] FIG. 7 shows a schematic illustration of components of the system for the irradiation of an intraocular lens arranged within an eye of a patient.

[0461] FIG. 8 shows a specific [2π+2π] cycloaddition reaction of poly(M-14).

[0462] FIG. 9 shows a specific cleavage of poly(M-14)-dimer by cycloreversion.

[0463] FIG. 10 shows the irradiation setup used in example 5.

[0464] FIG. 11 shows an irradiation setup e.g. for example 14.

[0465] FIG. 12 shows absorption as a function of wavelength for a single-photon process as further described in the experimental section as example 2

[0466] FIG. 13 shows absorption as a function of wavelength for a single-photon process as described in example 3.

[0467] FIG. 14 shows change of refractive index for a single-photon process as a function of applied energy as described in example 5.

[0468] FIG. 15 shows change of refractive index for a single-photon process as a function of applied energy as described in example 5.

[0469] FIG. 16 shows absorption as a function of wavelength for a single-photon process as further described in example 7.

[0470] FIG. 17 shows absorption as a function of wavelength for a single-photon process as described in example 8 with a solution of example 7.

[0471] FIG. 18 shows change of refractive index for a single-photon process as a function of applied energy as described in example 10 for the bulk polymer of example 9 comprising polymerized M18.

[0472] FIG. 19 shows change of refractive index for a single-photon process as a function of applied energy as described in example 10 for the crosslinked dimer of the bulk polymer of example 9 comprising polymerized M18.

[0473] FIG. 20 shows the fluorescence spectra with increasing irradiation time according to example 15.

[0474] FIG. 21 shows the peak of the fluorescence spectra at 420-430 nm as a function of irradiation wavelength as described in example 17.

[0475] FIG. 22 shows the refractive index change (Δn) as a function of radiant exposure according to example 19.

[0476] FIG. 23 shows the refractive index change (Δn) as a function of radiant exposure according to example 20.

[0477] FIG. 24 shows a selected example of a refractive-index profile written into the optical material in the course of the experiment of example 20.