Corneal implants

1. A reversibly deformable artificial cornea comprising:

a monolithic body having a diameter between 4 mm and 10 mm and comprising a center optic surrounded by an annular rim, wherein the center optic has a cylindrical outer peripheral wall having a diameter in the range from 3 mm to 9 mm and an optic height in the range from 200 μm to 800 μm, and the rim has a width in the range from 0.5 mm to 4.5 mm and a median thickness in the range from 50 μm to 200 μm;

wherein the monolithic body is comprised of a polymeric hydrogel having a Young's modulus in the range from 0.3 MPa to 100 MPa when fully hydrated;

wherein the center optic is capable of refracting light entering the patient's eye;

wherein the annular rim circumscribes an edge of the center optic;

wherein the artificial cornea comprises a relaxed state and a deformed state, and being reversibly deformable such that the artificial cornea can return to the relaxed state from the deformed state without said artificial cornea breaking;

wherein the diameter of the center optic is selected to be larger than a diameter of a central anterior opening of a space in a cornea in which the artificial cornea is implanted, the space being formed from an excised portion of the cornea; and

wherein the optic height of the center optic is selected to match a depth of the space to within a tolerance of ±50 μm when the artificial cornea is implanted in the cornea.

2. An artificial cornea as in claim 1 , having a tensile strength of at least 1.5 MPa.

3. An artificial cornea as in claim 1 , having an elongation to break of at least 100%.

4. An artificial cornea as in claim 1 , wherein an angle between the center optic and the rim varies by less than ±10°.

5. An artificial cornea as in claim 1 , wherein the rim circumscribes a posterior edge of the center optic.

6. An artificial cornea as in claim 1 , wherein at least an anterior surface of the center optic is convexly shaped to provide a refractive power generally equal to a native cornea.

7. An artificial cornea as in claim 6 , wherein the center optic provides a refractive power in the range from 30 diopter to 70 diopter when implanted in a cornea.

8. An artificial cornea as in claim 7 , wherein both the anterior and posterior surfaces of the center optic are convexly shaped.

9. An artificial cornea as in claim 8 , wherein the anterior surface is flatter than the posterior surface.

10. An artificial cornea as in claim 1 , wherein the rim has apertures to allow passage of nutrients and oxygen.

11. An artificial cornea as in claim 10 , wherein the apertures occupy from 10% to 90% of the annular area of the rim.

12. An artificial cornea as in claim 11 , wherein the apertures are round holes disposed uniformly about the annular rim.

13. An artificial cornea as in claim 1 , wherein the polymeric hydrogel comprises material selected from the group consisting of hydrophilic acrylic material, a hydrophobic acrylic material, a silicone polymer hydrogel, a collagen polymer hydrogel, and an interpenetrating network hydrogel.

14. An artificial cornea as in claim 1 , wherein the polymer hydrogel has an oxygen permeability of at least 3 Barrer.

15. An artificial cornea as in claim 1 , wherein the polymer hydrogel comprises a material selected from the group consisting of Lotrafilcon A, Lotrafilcon B, Balafilcon A, Comfilcon A, Senofilcon A, Enfilcon A and Galyfilcon A.

16. An artificial cornea as in claim 1 , wherein an annular peripheral region of an anterior face of the center optic promotes epithelial growth while the anterior face within the annular peripheral region inhibits epithelial growth.

17. An artificial cornea as in claim 16 , wherein the annular peripheral region is covered with an epithelial growth-promoting material, is roughed, or is porous.

18. An artificial cornea as in claim 16 , wherein the anterior face of the center optic within the annular peripheral region is covered with a material that inhibits epithelial growth.