基于光子晶体的智能隐形眼镜用于眼压实时监测和控制的研究

Glaucoma is the main cause of irreversible blindness, and elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) pathological is the most important risk factor. Because standard clinic follow–up evaluations fail to identify IOP variations, a novel device, based on wireless contact lens sensor, has been introduced into the IOP measurements. These techniques, however, seem to be challenging for costly, inconvenient, complex signal processing, and containing the battery that powers the device. Moreover, it cannot timely alleviate ocular symptoms. Herein, we present a novel approach to IOP measurement and control. The key element of this innovative measurement and control is a soft contact lens with an embedded microfabricated photonic crystal layer that allows the measurement and drug delivery system of changes in cornea curvature correlated to IOP. The purpose of this study is to verify the measurement and control principle of this device under physiological conditions, which is on the basis of numerical simulation, in vitro and in vivo experiments，as well as our previous work that responsive photonic crystal beads were used for in vivo imaging. The color variation of the photonic crystal layer embedded into contact lens can be seen with naked eyes, and drug can be delivered timely for anomalous IOP. This device will allow noninvasive real-time IOP monitoring and control by combining diagnosis with therapy, thus opening up new diagnostic and therapeutic methods for the management of glaucoma.

青光眼是全球排名首位不可逆致盲性眼病，其最重要的危险因素是病理性眼压升高。现临床使用的眼压仪无法实时监测眼压，而最新报道的隐形眼镜检测仪不仅价格昂贵，而且需电驱动和复杂的信号处理，使用不便利，亦无法及时缓解高眼压症状。据此，本研究拟设计一种低成本、使用便捷、无需电驱动，用于眼压实时监测和高眼压时释放降眼压药的智能隐形眼镜。基于前期将响应型光子晶体用于活体应用的成功经验，本课题拟在此基础上设计对角膜曲率改变敏感且负载降眼压药的光子晶体结构隐形眼镜，探索该智能隐形眼镜用于眼压实时监测和控制的原理，及所需的特殊微结构，并以数值仿真、体外和活体实验为基础，完善压力响应型隐形眼镜的结构设计，实现在眼压异常时，光子晶体隐形眼镜颜色改变肉眼可见，和及时缓释放降眼压药以控制高眼压症状的目标，集成诊断与治疗一体化，为青光眼的提早预防、诊断、治疗提供一种全新的思路和手段。

在项目执行期间，深入系统研究了单分散聚合物乳胶颗粒的自组装过程和影响因素，包括组装材料自身、不同基底表面、同一基底具有不同表面特性等，实现了大面积和图案化的可控自组装，以及曲面自组装，制备了高度有序和性质均一的胶体光子晶体，获得了具有高效光调控能力的窄带隙的光子晶体，并以此为基础研究发展了一系列高性能的光学传感器和检测等器件，特别是获得了具有自主知识产权的光子晶体隐形眼镜，并探索了隐形眼镜在眼压监控方面的应用前景。依托该项目，以第一作者或通讯作者在在Adv. Mater.、Adv. Mater. Technol.、ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces、Sens. Actuator B-Chem.、J. Mater. Chem. C等上发表SCI/EI论文12篇（其中影响因子大于3的论文4篇），以第一作者或通讯作者发表国际/国内会议论文15篇。其中举办会议1次，作特邀报告4次，分组报告9次。申请中国发明专利20项，国际PCT申请4项，以第一发明人已获7项发明专利授权。已联合培养硕士生3名，培养博士后3名，且目前仍在站，其中一名博士后荣获广东省“珠江人才”计划。