Significant improvement realized in PVA Eye Spears
Challenge: With the advent of Lasik eye surgery, medical devices needed to deliver enhanced precision. Surgeons complained that the standard eye spears were not sturdy enough to lift and manipulate the eye flap. A material needed to be found which was firm and absorbent enough wipe and manipulate the corneal flap, yet soft enough to avoid undue tissue damage. A major manufacturer of absorbent medical devices turned to Shima American Corporation for help.
Solution: Shima's Japanese manufacturing partner, Aion Co. Ltd., is one of the few PVA sponge makers with the ability to offer various pore size grades. Their "D" grade PVA sheets displayed ideal physical properties needed for an improved eye spear. With a 30% compressive stress rating of 8.3 kPa, the "D" grade PVA was almost twice as firm as competing PVA sponge materials. This added firmness came with no drop-off in porosity and absorbency. Additionally, the extremely small pore size of 80 microns in diameter offered the eye surgeons a precise, firm, and wide eye spear tip for corneal flap manipulation. By producing eye spears made from Aion’s Grade D PVA sponge, Shima's customer quickly cornered the Lasik eye spear market.
