title: Polymers for in vivo tuning of refractive properties in intraocular lenses.
abstract: High-refractive-index polymers for intraocular lenses are presented whose refractive index can be tuned post-operatively in a non-invasive manner to enable focal length and aspheric corrections in vivo. The polymer materials contain covalently attached photochemically crosslinkable coumarin side groups, to cause a change in refractive index of Deltan > 0.02, which enables one to tune the focal length of a standard IOL by two diopters. This is enough to ensure that more than 80% of all cataract patients can be adjusted non-invasively to optimal vision after cataract surgery, thus providing a remedy to a major shortcoming of today's cataract surgery.
authors.affiliation: University of Marburg, Department of Chemistry, Hans-Meerwein-Strasse, 35032 Marburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Träger
authors.forename: Jasmin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Heinzer
authors.forename: Hee-Cheol
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Norbert
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hampp
mesh_terms: D003374:Coumarins / Q000737:chemistry*; D019281:Dimerization; D006801:Humans; D007910:Lenses, Intraocular; D008689:Methacrylates / Q000138:chemical synthesis*; D015394:Molecular Structure; D010777:Photochemistry / Q000379:methods; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D012029:Refraction, Ocular / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D003374:Coumarins; D008689:Methacrylates; D011108:Polymers