Tailorable and deployable trans-corneal drainage device fabricated with nanoporous liquid crystal elastomer

While the pathophysiology of glaucoma is widely unknown, current treatment relies on lowering intraocular pressure (IOP) in order to delay vision loss. The gold standard in the surgical treatment of glaucoma is the Ahmed valve. This device offers unpredictable intraocular pressure (IOP) lowering efficacy as well as a milieu of acute and chronic complications. On the forefront of glaucoma device interest is trans-corneal drainage, which offers a predictable IOP lowering performance while eliminating procedural outcomes that lead to many of the current complications seen (e.g. blebs). An investigation into a novel manufacturing process of a trans-corneal drainage device constructed from a porous liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) is proposed herein. Using a sacrificial template of water soluble nanofibers, several hundred thousand submicron channels are created in a cylindrical LCE with diameter ~200 microns. Tailorable sacrificial templates of nanofibers are formed via electrospinning of poly(vinylalcohol). LCE monomers are polymerized around these sacrificial templates, and once these fibers are dissolved from a bulk LCE, the remaining channels allow for constant and predictable flow through the material. Existence of pores is confirmed with SEM and fluorescent microscopy. Finally, the drainage efficacy is tested using a water column perfusion test. Design of the device involves a two piece system: a silicone outer housing which is inserted into the cornea and a separate LCE filter. A collagenous exterior may be introduced to the outer housing to promote integration into the cornea. The LCE filter contains channels with controlled diameters to provide adequate drainage properties, while being small enough to block most corneal flora. The filter also may be chemically coated with a layer of copper to provide additional v antimicrobial properties. The chemical and physical barriers to microbes yield an antimicrobial LCE, or A-LCE. The shape switching property of LCEs allows this device to overcome several disadvantages of glaucoma devices which are currently available to patients. The first of which is a limited lifetime of devices caused by scarring over or migration of a device. The proposed device may be cooled down to be easily removed and replaced upon inactivation. A second shortcoming of current devices involves improper IOP control. Several styles of the proposed device could easily be made through manufacturing process which could provide varying levels of IOP relief. This would make the device appropriate for patients with mild to severe glaucoma. Finally, the use of heat activated expansion allows for simple, non-surgical insertion. This advantage may prove to be the most crucial in the development of the device. Non-surgical insertion and an attractive price point would make the device accessible in developing and third world countries where ophthalmic surgeons are rare or otherwise inaccessible. This unique attribute would open up new markets not currently realized with other glaucoma drainage devices. The form and content of this abstract are approved. I recommend its publication. Approved: Chris Yakacki