Method for imparting hydrogel contact lenses with desired properties

• US 20080203592A1
• Filed: 02/22/2008
• Published: 08/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Novartis Ag
• Original Assignee: Novartis Ag
• Inventors: Vogt, Juergen, Qiu, Yongxing, Lally, John Martin
• Application Number:
  US12/070,967
• Publication Number:
  US 20080203592A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 264/2.6
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 31/04 Antibacterial agents
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 11/00067 Hydrating contact lenses
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 83/04 Polysiloxanes
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 1/043 Contact lenses

Abstract

A cost-effective method for making hydrogel contact lenses with desired properties, such as antimicrobial property and/or increased surface hydrophilicity. The method comprises a step of contacting a dry or unhydrated hydrogel contact lens with an aqueous solution (or hydrating solution) containing silver nanoparticles and/or a lubricant or wetting agent. By using a method of the invention, resultant hydrogel contact lenses can have antimicrobial capability and/or enhanced lens wearer'"'"'s comfort.

Claims

1. A method of imparting to hydrogel contact lenses one or more desired properties, comprising the steps of:

hydrating a dry hydrogel contact lens in a hydrating solution,

wherein the hydrating solution comprises (a) silver ions, silver nanoparticles, or combination thereof, (b) a lubricant or wetting agent, or (c) the combination thereof, and wherein the silver nanoparticles and/or the lubricant or wetting agent are adsorbed onto and/or entrapped in the hydrogel contact lens during hydrating of the dry hydrogel contact lens in the hydrating solution.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the hydrating solution comprises silver nanoparticles, wherein the silver nanoparticles are prepared in the presence of one or more stabilizers.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the one or more stabilizers are selected from the group consisting of a polyanionic material, a polycationic material, a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), a polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), a copolymer of vinylpyrrolidone with one or more vinylic monomers, and combinations thereof.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the hydrating solution comprises a lubricant/wetting agent selected from the group consisting of a polyvinyl alcohols, a polyamide, a polyimide, a polylactone, a polyvinylpyrrolidone, a copolymer of vinylpyrrolidone with one or more vinylic monomers, an alkylated polyvinylpyrrolidone, a homopolymer of acrylamide, a homopolymer of methacrylamide, a copolymer of acrylamide with one or more hydrophilic vinylic monomers, a copolymer of methacrylamide with one or more hydrophilic vinylic monomers, a polyethylene oxide, a polyoxyethylene derivative, poly 2-ethyl oxazoline, a heparin polysaccharide, a polysaccharide, and a mixture thereof.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the hydrating solution comprises at least one polyvinylpyrrolidone with a molecular weight of 60-K or higher and at least one polyvinylpyrrolidone with a molecular weight PVP of lower than 60-K.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the hydrating solution comprises at least one polyvinylpyrrolidone and at least one copolymer of vinylpyrrolidone with one or more vinylic monomers.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the hydrating solution comprises at least one polyvinylpyrrolidone and at least one alkylated polyvinylpyrrolidone.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of hydrating a dry hydrogel contact lens is performed at a temperature of preferably from about 10°

C. to about 95°

C.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises a step of placing the hydrated lens in a packaging solution in a lens package, wherein the packaging solution comprises:

(a) silver ions, silver nanoparticles, or combination thereof, (b) a lubricant or wetting agent, or (c) the combination thereof.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the hydrogel contact lens is a silicone hydrogel contact lens.

11. A method of making hydrogel contact lenses, comprising the steps of:

(1) polymerizing a lens-forming formulation to form a hydrogel contact lens;

(2) optionally extracting unpolymerized polymerizable components in the lens-forming formulation by using an organic solvent;

(3) optionally contacting the polymerized hydrogel contact lens, which subjected to the extraction step, with a first aqueous solution containing (a) silver ions, silver nanoparticles, or combination thereof, (b) a lubricant or wetting agent, or (c) the combination thereof, so as to replace, by water, the organic solvent entrapped in the hydrogel contact lens; and

(4) hydrating the polymerized hydrogel contact lens in a second aqueous solution containing (a) silver ions, silver nanoparticles, or combination thereof, (b) a lubricant or wetting agent, or (c) the combination thereof,

wherein the silver nanoparticles and/or the lubricant or wetting agent are adsorbed onto and/or entrapped in the hydrogel contact lens during the extraction step and/or the hydrating step.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein at least one of the first and second aqueous solution comprises silver nanoparticles, wherein the silver nanoparticles are prepared in the presence of one or more stabilizers.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the one or more stabilizers are selected from the group consisting of a polyanionic material, a polycationic material, a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), a polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), a copolymer of vinylpyrrolidone with one or more vinylic monomers, and combinations thereof.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein at least one of the first and second aqueous solution comprises a lubricant/wetting agent selected from the group consisting of a polyvinyl alcohols, a polyamide, a polyimide, a polylactone, a polyvinylpyrrolidone, a copolymer of vinylpyrrolidone with one or more vinylic monomers, an alkylated polyvinylpyrrolidone, a homopolymer of acrylamide, a homopolymer of methacrylamide, a copolymer of acrylamide with one or more hydrophilic vinylic monomers, a copolymer of methacrylamide with one or more hydrophilic vinylic monomers, a polyethylene oxide, a polyoxyethylene derivative, poly 2-ethyl oxazoline, a heparin polysaccharide, a polysaccharide, and a mixture thereof.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein at least one of the first and second aqueous solution comprises at least one polyvinylpyrrolidone with a molecular weight of 60-K or higher and at least one polyvinylpyrrolidone with a molecular weight PVP of lower than 60-K.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein at least one of the first and second aqueous solution comprises at least one polyvinylpyrrolidone and at least one copolymer of vinylpyrrolidone with one or more vinylic monomers.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein at least one of the first and second aqueous solutions comprises at least one polyvinylpyrrolidone and at least one alkylated polyvinylpyrrolidone.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of hydrating is performed at a temperature of preferably from about 10°

C. to about 95°

C.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the method further comprises a step of placing the hydrated lens in a packaging solution in a lens package, wherein the packaging solution comprises:

(a) silver ions, silver nanoparticles, or combination thereof, (b) a lubricant or wetting agent, or (c) the combination thereof.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the hydrogel contact lens is a silicone hydrogel contact lens.

21. A silicone hydrogel contact lens, comprising:

(1) a core silicone hydrogel material; and

(2) silver nanoparticles and/or a lubricant or wetting agent, wherein the silver nanoparticles and/or the lubricant or wetting agent are adsorbed onto the core silicone hydrogel material and/or entrapped in the core silicone hydrogel material by hydrating the core silicone hydrogel material in a hydrating solution, wherein the hydrating solution comprises (a) silver ions, silver nanoparticles, or combination thereof, (b) a lubricant or wetting agent, or (c) the combination thereof.