Carbazole-grafted silicone hydrogel with a high refractive index for intraocular lens

The refractive index (RI) is an important parameter for intraocular lens biomaterials. In this paper, a novel carbazole-grafted methacrylic polysiloxane macromonomer (MA-CZ-PDMS) with a high RI value was synthesized and its structure was confirmed by proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR). The polysiloxane macromonomer can copolymerize with monomers of 3-methacryloxypropyl tris(trimethylsiloxy) silane (TRIS) and N,N-dimethylacrylamide (DMA) to prepare transparent high RI silicone hydrogel. Increasing MA-CZ-PDMS macromonomer content in the silicone hydrogels improved its water content, RI value, and mechanical properties, however decreased slightly glass transition temperature (Tg) and transmittance of blue light. The carbazole-grafted silicone hydrogel possessed good cytocompatibility and in vivo biocompatibility in rabbit eyes. The results demonstrate that the carbazole-grafted silicone hydrogel has a potential application as high RI ocular refractive correction biomaterial.