Physical and Optical Properties of Hydrophilic Tinted Lens Materials with the Fluoro-substituted Aniline Group

Abstract

The physical and optical properties of polymers with 2-fluoroaniline and 4-fluoroaniline added, which can be used for hydrophilic ophthalmic lenses, were investigated in this study. The UV-blocking properties of 2- and 4-fluoroaniline were also investigated by measuring their UV transmissibility. 2- and 4-Fluoroaniline were used as additives for the basic combination of HEMA, 5% AA, and 1% MMA, and the materials were copolymerized with EGDMA as the cross-linking agent and AIBN as the initiator. The refractive index, water content, optical transmittance, tensile strength, and contact angle were measured to evaluate the physical properties of the produced hydrogel lens. The measured physical properties of the hydrogel contact lens produced with the copolymerized polymer showed a refractive index of 1.425-1.436; a water content of 36.95-44.65%; a visual light transmittance of 66.0-81.0%; a tensile strength of 0.138-0.281 kgf; and a contact angle of <TEX>$55.02-57.87^{\circ}$</TEX>. The UV transmissibility was significantly reduced, which indicates that 2-fluoroaniline and 4-fluoroaniline have UV-blocking properties. This study showed that 2- and 4-fluoroaniline are expected to be used as UV-blocking materials in hydrogel ophthalmic lenses whose physical properties, such as their refractive index and water content, do not change.