Jacqueline de Groot studied Chemistry at the University of Groningen in The Netherlands. She got a PhD degree in Polymer Chemistry/Technology and did her research in the group of Prof. Dr. Albert J. Pennings. After graduation in 1995, she got a researcher position in the same group. She developed new biodegradable polyesters and polyurethanes. From these polymers she developed porous materials that, among other tissues, enable complete ingrowth of new meniscal tissue. The materials were successfully used for meniscal repair and meniscal prostheses. Since 1998 she is working as a Polymer Scientist for Pharmacia Groningen BV, a company that develops and produces intraocular lenses. She is project leader for the development of hydrogels for injectable and accommodating intraocular lenses. In her free time she is still involved in research on materials for meniscal- repair and prostheses. She presented her work on conferences (IUPAC Symposium: Molecular Architecture for degradable Polymers, Stockholm 1997 and 1998. Polymer Networks. Cracow 2000, ACS Chicago 2001), in 5 patents and thirty publications.

Purpose: To evaluate the possibilities to develop an injectable hydrogel lens.

Methods: Aqueous solutions of reactive polymers in combination with a water-soluble blue light photoinitiator were transformed into hydrogels by irradiation with blue light.

Results: Poly(ethylene glycoldiacrylates) (PEGDA) with low molecular weights and an acrylate modified copolymer of N-vinylpyrrolidone and vinylalcohol with a high molecular weight were used as reactive polymers. A copolymer of 4-vinyl-2,6-dimethyl benzoyl diphenylphosphine oxide and dimethylacrylamide was used as water-soluble blue light photoinitiator. PEGDA showed high reactivity and the hydrogels were more transparent than the natural lens. The mass loss and the additional swelling of the hydrogel were 1.0 and 4.0%, respectively. The refractive index of these hydrogels was 1.40, lower than that of the natural lens. Hydrogels based upon the copolymer had a transmission comparable to a 25-year-old natural lens. The materials showed no mass loss and the additional swelling after curing was less than 1%. The refractive index was comparable to that of the natural lens (1.42).