title: Advances in polyvinyl alcohol hydrogel keratoprostheses: protection against ultraviolet light and fabrication by a molding process.
abstract: Our goal was to: 1) modify poly(vinyl alcohol) hydrogels intended for use in a synthetic cornea to absorb ultraviolet light and 2) develop molding procedures for the fabrication of the device. Two ultraviolet light-absorbing monomers were incorporated by copolymerization. The resulting hydrogels protected against ultraviolet light, were not toxic to corneal fibroblasts, and the protection did not diminish during prolonged aqueous exposure. A novel keratoprosthesis molding procedure was developed that made use of the phase transition properties of mixtures of poly(vinyl-trifluoroacetate) and acetonitrile. In this procedure the keratoprosthesis was shaped and a fibrous skirt was bonded to it in a single operation. Composite keratoprostheses were designed and prepared for in vivo testing.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Boston University School of Medicine, Massachusetts 02118, USA.
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Tsuk
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Trinkaus-Randall
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Leibowitz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000528:radiation effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003315:Cornea / Q000166:cytology; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology; D005782:Gels; D008422:Materials Testing; D055095:Optics and Photonics; D011142:Polyvinyl Alcohol / Q000528:radiation effects; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D011817:Rabbits; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D005782:Gels; D011142:Polyvinyl Alcohol