Hisham Muhammed, Butt Haider
Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, 127788, UAE.
Sci Rep. 2024 Jun 15;14(1):13860. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-63846-7.
Contact lenses are widely used for vision correction and cosmetic purposes. Smart contact lenses offer further opportunities as functionalized non-invasive devices capable of simultaneous vision correction, real-time health monitoring and patient specific drug delivery. Herein, a low-cost vat photopolymerization technique is developed for directly 3D printing functionalized structures on commercially available contact lenses. The process enables controlled deposition of functionalized hydrogels, in customizable patterns, on the commercial contact lens surface with negligible optical losses. Multi-functional contact lenses can also be 3D printed with multiple materials deposited at different regions of the contact lens. Herein, the functionalities of colour blindness correction and real-time UV monitoring are demonstrated, by employing three suitable dyes incorporated into 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) hydrogel structures printed on contact lenses. The results suggest that 3D printing can pave the way towards simple production of low-cost patient specific smart contact lenses.
隐形眼镜被广泛用于视力矫正和美容目的。智能隐形眼镜作为一种功能化的非侵入性设备，能够同时进行视力矫正、实时健康监测和针对患者的药物递送，提供了更多机会。在此，开发了一种低成本的 vat 光聚合技术，用于在市售隐形眼镜上直接 3D 打印功能化结构。该工艺能够以可定制的图案将功能化水凝胶可控地沉积在商业隐形眼镜表面，且光学损失可忽略不计。多功能隐形眼镜也可以用多种材料 3D 打印，这些材料沉积在隐形眼镜的不同区域。在此，通过将三种合适的染料掺入打印在隐形眼镜上的甲基丙烯酸 2-羟乙酯（HEMA）水凝胶结构中，展示了色盲矫正和实时紫外线监测的功能。结果表明，3D 打印可为低成本的针对患者的智能隐形眼镜的简单生产铺平道路。
