Johns Hopkins University

Oliver D Schein

Jennifer H Elisseeff

Morgana M Trexler

Marcia W Patchan

Jeffrey P Maranchi

Xiomara Calderon-Colon

Julia B Patrone

Jennifer L Breidenich

Jenna L Graham

The present invention provides cellulose hydrogels having one or more of the following properties: high water content, high transparency, high oxygen permeability, high biocompatibility, high tensile strength and desirable thermal stability. The present invention further provides a process for preparing a cellulose hydrogel comprising (i) a step of activating cellulose, in which the activating step comprises contacting the cellulose with a solvent to activate the cellulose for a time duration from about 2 hours to about 30 hours; (ii) substantially dissolving the activated cellulose to form a solution; and (iii) gelling the solution to form a gel, in which the gelling step comprises allowing the solution to gel in an environment comprising a relative humidity from about 30% to about 80% at 35&#xb0; C.

Cellulose hydrogel compositions and contact lenses for corneal applications

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Baltimore, MD, United States of America

Oliver D Schein