OPHTHALMOLOGICAL APPLICATION OF CONTACT-LENSES MODIFIED BY MEANS OF ION-ASSISTED CARBON-FILMS

The possibility of producing hard and soft clinical contact lenses wit h their surface modified by means of carbon films has been shown. The carbon films have been formed by two plasma ion methods, namely direct deposition from plasma ion hydrocarbon vapour flows and high held mag netron deposition from the gas phase. As substrate materials, hard con tact lenses containing 38% water and highly hygroscopic lenses with 70 % water have been used. Tests of microhardness abrasion wear and chemi cal stability in solutions used for contact lens storage and steriliza tion (saline solution, 2.5% Na2S2O3 solution, 3% H2O2 solution) have b een carried out. Investigations have demonstrated that material surfac e modification provides stability of the deposited coating and its adh esion to the substrate material as well as an increase in lens service life by a factor of at least 1.5. Optical characteristic measurements have shown that the coatings reduce eye exposure to UV radiation. The antimicrobe activity of the diamond-like and carbyne-containing films under investigation, which has been established before, leads to a re duced probability of inflammation. The possibility of coating depositi on with less adhesion for cells in comparison with materials without c oatings has also been demonstrated. Finally, clinical tests of the mod ified contact lenses are being carried out.