Abstract
Poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) hydrogel was prepared for use as a transparent biomedical material of eyes. In the case of synthetic vitreous, 7% aqueous solution of PVA, having an average polymerization degree 2000 and a saponification degree >99.5%, was sealed in a glass ample and irradiated by gamma-ray. The crosslinked material was a transparent, fluid gel, having a swellig ratio of 100-110. After extraction of vitreous body of albino rabbit, the gel was substituted by a syringe through needle. As the result, no abnormality was observed histologically and the gel seemed to merge well with the vitreous humours, since no visual interface was formed between them. In the case of synthetic cornea, the gel membrane was prepared by irradiation of electron beam on the glass plate. Pieces of the gel, 2mm square and 0.2-0.3mm thickness, were implanted into the stroma of corneas of rabbit eyes. After 2 weeks, the gel and the corneas maintained transparency, but any biocompatible interface was not formed between them.
