Design of BIOcompatible and customized inTERs, surFACE and coatings for Intra Ocular Lens (IOLs) - BIOTERFACE

Project summary

This project name “BIOTERFACE - Design of Biocompatible and Customized interfaces, surface and coatings for Intra Ocular Lens (IOLs)” is focused on the research of a new biomaterial and on the design of surfaces and coating enabling fulfilling medical, chemical and physical requirements for intraocular surgery applications (IOLs). Besides, manufacturing processes will be studied in order to improve know-how related to manufacturing possibilities; this BIOTERFACE designed coatings and interfaces as well as the deposition of the biomaterial to achieve desired results on IOLs applications. BIOTERFACE solution will be a new set of Intra Ocular lens where the application of a new material and the surface/interface and coating on the designed lens, will increase improve functionalities of IOLs and decrease their current limitations. Besides, manufacturing processes will be analysed and adapted for this purpose. Expected impact in relation to IOLs products is very promising because these intraocular lens are applicable to a large group of patients due to the variety of its applications. In order to understand the context, next several figures are mentioned: 200,000 patients per year are operated in Spain for refractive corneal surgery, and multifocal IOL market, only in Spain means 17.5M€ and a conservative scenario for the European market of at least 180 M€. Besides, the world market for intraocular lenses, is estimated that it will surpass the 3.7 KM US $ by the year 2015, with demographic data favourable in the form of ageing of the population in developed countries and economic development in countries of high development, playing a key role in driving demand.