3d printing of an intraocular lens having smooth, curved surfaces

A continuous additive fabrication system, comprising:

• a bath of photopolymer resin;
• a light source assembly comprising a light source and a motorized variable aperture, the light source assembly operable to generate a focus point in the bath of photopolymer resin, a shape of the focus point at a curing plane within the bath of photopolymer resin corresponding to a shape of the motorized variable aperture;
• a platform configured to support cured polymer comprising a build object;
• a drive mechanism coupled to at least one of the platform or the light source assembly, the drive mechanism configured to continuously move at least one of the curing plane or the platform through the bath of photopolymer resin,
• wherein at least one of a size or shape of the motorized variable aperture is changed while the at least one of the curing plane or the platform is continuously moved through the bath of photopolymer resin.

A method for forming an intraocular lens (IOL) using continuous additive fabrication, comprising:

• generating, via a light source assembly, a focus point in a bath of photopolymer resin, a shape of the focus point at a curing plane within the bath of photopolymer resin corresponding to a shape of a motorized variable aperture of the light source assembly, wherein the bath of photopolymer resin comprises a platform disposed therein;
• continuously moving at least one of the curing plane or the platform through the bath of photopolymer resin by continuously changing an optical power of the light source assembly to thereby move the curing plane vertically through the photopolymer resin towards a surface of the photopolymer resin;
• and
• changing at least one of a size or shape of the motorized variable aperture while continuously moving the at least one of the curing plane or the platform through the bath of photopolymer resin so as to form the IOL with a smooth hemispherical shape.