Background: Additive manufacturing and 3D printing create new paths for the design and manufacturing of implants. Technologies with high resolution are required for the development of microstructured eye implants. In the present study, we demonstrate how these technologies can be used during the design development and manufacturing of a multifocal diffractive aspheric intraocular lens.
Material and methods: Multiphoton polymerisation (MPP) is used to manufacture a diffractive relief with resolution in the sub-micrometer range. The relief is applied to the moulded body of a refractive lens, forming a trifocal lens. Propagation of light behind the lens is visualised in water with fluorescein.
Results: Multifocal lenses were successfully manufactured with this approach. The optical design with three foci is confirmed by the light propagation images. The images even clearly demonstrate the impact of the refractive and diffractive elements and may provide information on artefacts and aberrations.
Conclusions: Multiphoton polymerisation is an interesting tool for the flexible manufacturing of complex multifocal lenses. With future technological progress in 3D printing with MPP, this is a promising method for on-demand manufacturing of patient individual intraocular lenses.
Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.