Efficient and flexible fabrication of hydrophobic free-form surface intraocular lenses by fast-tool servo diamond lathing
Background
Intraocular lenses (IOL) are small plastic optics that are implanted into the human eye as a replacement for the natural lens. Such a surgery becomes necessary when the natural lens becomes cloudy due to cataract. Every year, around 800,000 cataract surgeries are carried out on humans in Germany.
To date, IOLs are manufactured by single-piece facing. The lens to be manufactured is located in the center of the lathe spindle and the tool moves perpendicular to the axis of rotation towards the center. The possibilities of off-axis diamond lathing with fast tool servo for the simultaneous processing of several patient-specific intraocular lenses are investigated during this project in order to realize faster, more resource-efficient and therefore more economical production.
Supervised by Projektträger Karlsruhe (PTKA) Karlsruher Institut für Technologie
The initiator for the F3IOL project is the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). It emerged from the funding measure “KMU-innovativ: Production Research” in the BMBF’s “Future of Value Creation” program (2021).
Partners In The Project
Leibniz-Institut für Werkstofforienterte Technologien (IWT)