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A method for modifying the refractive index of an optical, hydrogel polymeric material. The method comprises irradiating predetermined regions of an optical, polymeric material with a laser to form refractive structures. To facilitate the formation of the refractive structures the optical, hydrogel

A method for modifying the refractive index of an optical, hydrogel polymeric material. The method comprises irradiating predetermined regions of an optical, polymeric material with a laser to form refractive structures. To facilitate the formation of the refractive structures the optical, hydrogel polymeric material comprises a photosensitizer. The presence of the photosensitizer permits one to set a scan rate to a value that is at least fifty times greater than a scan rate without the photosensitizer in the material, yet provides similar refractive structures in terms of the observed change in refractive index. Alternatively, the photosensitizer in the polymeric material permits one to set an average laser power to a value that is at least two times less than an average laser power without the photosensitizer in the material, yet provide similar refractive structures.

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1. An optical device comprising an optical, hydrogel polymeric material with irradiated regions that define refractive structures, wherein the irradiated regions are characterized by a positive change in refractive index and exhibit little or no scattering loss, and the optical, polymeric material c

1. An optical device comprising an optical, hydrogel polymeric material with irradiated regions that define refractive structures, wherein the irradiated regions are characterized by a positive change in refractive index and exhibit little or no scattering loss, and the optical, polymeric material comprises a photosensitizer to enhance the photoefficiency of two photon absorption by the polymeric material to form the refractive structures, wherein the photosensitizer permits one to irradiate the regions at a given average laser power using a scan rate that is at least fifty times greater than a scan rate without the photosensitizer in the material, or at a given scan rate that permits one to set an average power of the laser to a value that is at least two times less than an average laser power without the photosensitizer in the material, yet provide a similar positive change in refractive index within the irradiated regions, and wherein the optical, hydrogel polymeric material further includes at least three monomeric components: a first monomeric component is present in an amount of at least 60% by weight, and its homopolymer will have a refractive index of at least 1.50; a second monomeric component is present in an amount from 3% to 20% by weight, and a hydrophilic component present in an amount from 2% to 30% by weight. 2. The optical device of claim 1 wherein the irradiated regions of the optical material are defined within a two-dimensional plane or by a three-dimensional structure. 3. The optical device of claim 2 wherein the optical polymeric material is a component of an intraocular lens. 4. The optical device of claim 3 wherein the optical polymeric material is prepared from one or more (meth)acrylate monomers selected from the group consisting of 2-hydroxymethyl(meth)acrylate, 2-phenylethyl(meth)acrylate, methyl(meth)acrylate and 3-phenylpropyl(meth)acrylate. 5. The optical device of claim 3 wherein the positive change in refractive index is variable within the focal volume to provide a extended depth of field to the lens relative to a base lens prior to irradiating regions with the laser. 6. An optical device comprising an optical, hydrogel polymeric material that includes a photosensitizer to facilitate the formation of refractive structures with a laser by irradiating regions of the polymeric material, the laser light having a wavelength from 650 nm to 950 nm and a pulse energy from 0.05 nJ to 100 nJ, wherein the refractive structures are characterized by a positive change in refractive index of from 0.01 to 0.06 and exhibit little or no scattering loss, relative to the optical hydrogel material outside the irradiated regions, said optical, hydrogel polymeric material having a water content of at least 15%, and wherein the optical, hydrogel polymeric material further includes at least three monomeric components: a first monomeric component is present in an amount of at least 60% by weight, and its homopolymer will have a refractive index of at least 1.50; a second monomeric component is present in an amount from 3% to 20% by weight, and a hydrophilic component present in an amount from 2% to 30% by weight. 7. The optical device of claim 6 wherein the optical, hydrogel polymeric material is a component of an intraocular lens. 8. The optical device of claim 6 wherein the optical, hydrogel polymeric material is a component of a corneal inlay. 9. The optical device of claim 7 wherein the refractive structures take the form of positive or negative lens elements. 10. The optical device of claim 9 wherein the positive or negative lens elements are disposed in a volume of the polymeric material that is within 300 μm from the anterior surface of the intraocular lens. 11. The optical device of claim 6 wherein the photosensitizer has a multi-photon cross section of at least 0.01×10−50 cm4 s. 12. The optical device of claim 6 wherein the photosensitizer is a polymerizable monomer having a chromophore functional moiety. 13. The optical device of claim 1 wherein the photosensitizer has a multi-photon cross section of at least 0.01×10−50 cm4 s. 14. The optical device of claim 1 wherein the photosensitizer is a polymerizable monomer having a chromophore functional moiety. 15. The optical device of claim 6 wherein the optical, hydrogel polymeric material comprises about 80% by weight HEMA. 16. The optical device of claim 1 wherein the optical, hydrogel polymeric material comprises about 80% by weight HEMA.