High ion and metabolite flux lenses and materials

1. A biocompatible polymer composition comprising: a hydrogel having an equilibrium water content of from 50 to 55 wt. %, a refractive index greater than about 1.41 and a total sodium and chloride ion flux from about 16 μeq-mm/hr/cm 2 to about 20 μeq-mm/hr/cm 2 , wherein: i) the hydrogel is formed into a thin, high flux posterior chamber intraocular phakic lens; ii) the hydrogel includes N-vinyl-pyrrolidone and 2-phenyl ethyl methacrylate crosslinked with a cross-linking agent; iii) the intraocular phakis lens is foldable for insertion into a lens injector; and iv) the intraocular phakic lens of the hydrogel is sufficiently rigid to remain in an implanted position within a posterior chamber of an eye interposed between a natural lens and an iris of the eye.

2. The biocompatible polymer of claim 1 , wherein the hydrogel comprises about 70 wt. % N-vinyl-pyrrolidone and about 29 wt. % 2-phenyl ethyl methacrylate.

3. The biocompatible polymer composition of claim 2 , wherein the hydrogel swells about 30 vol. % upon hydration.

4. The biocompatible polymer composition of claim 3 , wherein the crosslinking agent comprises from about 0.2 to about 1.0 wt. % of allyl methacrylate.

5. A polymeric composition comprising: a polymerization product consisting essentially of from about 68 to about 71 wt. % N-vinyl-pyrrolidone and from about 28 to about 30 wt. % 2-phenyl ethyl methacrylate crosslinked with a crosslinking agent, the polymerization product having a refractive index greater than about 1.41 and an equilibrium water content that is in a range of 50 to 55 wt. % wherein: i) the polymerization product is formed into a thin, high flux posterior chamber intraocular phakic lens: ii) the sodium ion flux is between about 16 to about 20 μeq-mm/hr/cm 2 : iii) the intraocular phakis lens is foldable for insertion into a lens injector; and iv) the intraocular phakic lens of the hydrogel is sufficiently rigid to remain in an implanted position within a posterior chamber of an eve interposed between a natural lens and an iris of the eye .

6. The polymer composition of claim 5 , wherein the equilibrium water content is about 52 wt. %.

7. The polymer composition of claim 5 , wherein the crosslinking agent comprises from about 0.2 to about 1.0 wt. % of allyl methacrylate.

8. The polymer composition of claim 5 , further comprising an ultraviolet light absorber.

9. A phakic posterior chamber intraocular lens comprising a hydrogel polymerization product of from about 68 to about 71 wt. % N-vinyl-pyrrolidone and from about 28 to about 30 wt. % 2-phenyl ethyl methacrylate crosslinked with a crosslinking agent, the polymerization product having a refractive index greater than about 1.41 and an equilibrium water content of from 50 to 55 wt. % wherein: i) the polymerization product is formed into a thin, high flux posterior chamber intraocular phakic lens; ii) the intraocular phakis lens is foldable for insertion into a lens injector; and iii) the intraocular phakic lens of the hydrogel is sufficiently rigid to remain in an implanted position within a posterior chamber of an eye interposed between a natural lens and an iris of the eye.

10. The phakic posterior chamber lens of claim 9 , wherein the polymerization product comprises about 70 wt % N-vinyl-pyrrolidone, and about 29 wt. % 2-phenyl ethyl methacrylate and an equilibrium water content of about 52 wt. %.

11. The phakic posterior chamber lens of claim 9 , wherein a total sodium and chloride ion flux of the phakic posterior chamber lens is between about 16 to about 20 μeq-mm/hr/cm 2 .

12. The biocompatible polymer composition of claim 1 wherein the hydrogel swells about 30 vol. % upon hydration.

13. The biocompatible polymer composition of claim 9 wherein the polymerization product swells about 30 vol. % upon hydration.