A novel type nanocellulose reinforced ophthalmic contact lens hydrogel is presented, featuring excellent optical, mechanical and biocompatibility properties. Contact lenses are an integral part of the vision corrective eye-care as they can prevent or cure as much as 80% of moderate to severe visual impairment. Various types of hydrogels are typically used to produce soft contact lenses. All hydrogels of high water content are intrinsically weak and require cross-linking to enhance their mechanical properties. Apart from mechanical resilience, the lens ought to feature a set of optical, oxygen/molecular permeability, and biocompatibility properties, which makes their production non-trivial. The presented work focuses on the development of nanocellulose-reinforced hydrogels suitable for ophthalmic use. In particular, the optical and mechanical properties of the produced materials are thoroughly characterized and discussed. The presented work is of broad interest for scientists working with biomaterials for ophthalmic use as well as researchers active in the domain of cellulosic composites.

Nanocellulose reinforced contact lens for ophthalmic use

251st National Meeting (2016)

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