The Property Driven Innovation of Materials for Use in Ophthalmology

Innovations are tracked and explained for four different classes of Ophthalmologic devices: contact lenses, intraocular lenses, intracorneal rings and viscoelastic agents. Successive improvements in the performance profile of these devices are driven by deficiencies that come to light for each version of the device, thus leading to a continuous evolution and product improvement. Standard considerations of materials engineering property profiles can and do apply. There is nothing mysterious about the use of such materials in connection with devices used for ophthalmology. The motivation leading to such innovation is the value proposition relating to the research and development expenditures and the promise of an eventual return.