| Abstract Scope |
In this study, we presented the fabrication of tinted contact lenses for color blindness, and several issues related to their mechanical properties and toxicity were reported. Gold nanoparticles were integrated into the soft hydrogel material-based contact lenses, thus forming nanocomposite contact lenses targeted for red-green CVD application. Integrating nanomaterials into hydrogels is a prominent research challenge for many healthcare applications, such as bio-sensing, cancer therapy, and bone tissue engineering. Several types of nanoparticles were synthesized, characterized, and incorporated within the pHEMA hydrogel material. Vat photopolymerization-based 3D printers were used for printing nanocomposite contact lenses, and their resulting optical, mechanical, and hydration material properties were assessed. The optical transmission properties of the 3D-printed nanocomposite lenses were analogous to those of the commercial CVD glasses. Hence, this work demonstrates the potential of 3D printing multi-functional and nanocomposite contact lenses for ocular health management and, more generally, color filtering applications. |