Corneal implants

A reversibly deformable artificial cornea comprising:

• a monolithic body having a diameter between 4 mm and 10 mm and comprising a center optic surrounded by an annular rim, wherein the center optic has a cylindrical outer peripheral wall having a diameter in the range from 3 mm to 9 mm and an optic height in the range from 200 μm to 800 μm, and the rim has a width in the range from 0.5 mm to 4.5 mm and a median thickness in the range from 50 μm to 200 μm;
• wherein the monolithic body is comprised of a polymeric hydrogel having a Young's modulus in the range from 0.3 MPa to 100 MPa when fully hydrated;
• wherein the center optic is capable of refracting light entering the patient's eye;
• wherein the annular rim circumscribes an edge of the center optic;
• wherein the artificial cornea comprises a relaxed state and a deformed state, and being reversibly deformable such that the artificial cornea can return to the relaxed state from the deformed state without said artificial cornea breaking;
• wherein the diameter of the center optic is selected to be larger than a diameter of a central anterior opening of a space in a cornea in which the artificial cornea is implanted, the space being formed from an excised portion of the cornea;
• and
• wherein the optic height of the center optic is selected to match a depth of the space to within a tolerance of ±50 μm when the artificial cornea is implanted in the cornea.