Process of producing shaped optical bodies useful as aids to vision

Abstract

Abstract OPTICAL LENSES USEFUL FOR REPLACING DAMAGED OR CATARACTOUS EYE LENSES, CONTACT LENSES, AND OTHER AIDS TO VISION ARE OBTAINED BY FIRST PREPARING A COLLOIDAL SOLUTION OF THE PERIPHERAL PART OF ANIMAL OR HUMAN EYE LENSE OR OF THE LENS NUCLEUS O OF BOTH MATERIALS BY MEANS OF AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS OF ACID OR ALKALINE AGENTS OR SALTS SUCH AS ALKALI METAL HYDROXIDES, HYDROXY CARBOXYLIC ACIDS, FOR INSTANCE, LACTIC ACID, TARTARIC ACID, OR CITRIC ACID, UREA AND ITS DERIVATIVES, LITHIUM THIOCYANATE, AND OTHERS WHICH INCREASE THE SOLUBILITY OF THE LENS SUBSTANCE IN WATER WITHOUT AFFECTING AND DENATURATING THE LENS PROTEIN. THE RESULTING SOL IS THEN EXPOSED TO ION DIFUSION PREFERABLY THROUGH ION-PERMABLE MEMBRANES IN THE DESIRED SHAPE WHEREBY A GEL IS FORMED. POLYVALENT METAL IONS AND PREFERABLY COPPER, CADMIUM, ZINC, AND CALCIUM IONS ARE THE PREFERRED IONS. ELECTROLIALYSIS OR CHANGE IN THE PHVALUE OF THE SOL BY MEANS OF HYDROGEN IONS MAY ALSO BE USED FOR GEL FORMATION. THE RESULTING CLEAR AND TRANSPARENT SHAPED GEL WITH ORIENTED FILAMENTARY PROTEIN MOLECULES IS THEN STABILIZED BY CROSS-LINKING WITH AGENTS SUCH AS FORMALDEHYDE, DIALDEHYDES, DIEPOXIDES, AND THE LIKE.

Inventors

• 👤 Heinrich Thiele
• 👤 Wilhelm P Soehnges

Bibliographic Details