Contact lens

• US 3,916,033 A
• Filed: 12/04/1972
• Issued: 10/28/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sanwa Business Credit Corporation
• Original Assignee: Edward W. Merrill
• Inventors: Merrill, Edward W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Martin, William D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Schmidt, William H.
• Application Number:
  US05/311,819
• Time in Patent Office: 1,058 Days
• Field of Search: 351/160 117/93.31,138.8A 260/827 204/159.13,159.15 264/1,22 156/272
• US Class Current: 427/498
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 11/00076 enabling passage of fluids, e.g. oxygen, tears, between the area under the lens and the lens exterior
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 11/00317 Production of lenses with markings or patterns
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2383/00 Characterised by the use of macromolecular compounds obtained by reactions forming in the main chain of the macromolecule a linkage containing silicon with or without sulfur, nitrogen, oxygen, or carbon only; Derivatives of such polymers
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2383/04 Polysiloxanes
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 7/18 using wave energy or particle radiation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31663 As siloxane, silicone or silane
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31667 Next to addition polymer from unsaturated monomers, or aldehyde or ketone condensation product
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31855 Of addition polymer from unsaturated monomers

Abstract

A contact lens comprising a silicon polymer or copolymer core and a hydrophilic polymer surface grafted to the core is formed by contacting a silicone with a free radical polymerizable precursor to the polymer in a liquid state and subjecting the precursor and silicone to a high dose of ionizing radiation for a short period. The radiation dose, time of radiation and temperature are controlled to produce an optically clear contact lens by forming a smooth surface of the polymer grafted to the silicone, preventing substantial migration of the precursor into the silicone and preventing localized high concentration of hydrophilic polymer on the silicone surface. The silicone may be irradiated while immersed in a solution of the precursor or in a mold where the precursor is present as a coating on an inside surface of the mold. The hydrophilic surface may be grafted onto a silicone sheet which is then grafted onto the silicon lens.

Claims

1. THE METHOD OF MAKING AN OPTICALLY CLEAR CONTACT LENS OR LENS ELEMENT FORMED O AN ORGANIC POLYMER OR COPOLYMER HAVING A SURFACE COMPRISING A HYDROPHILIC POLYMER OR COPOLYMER GRAFTED THEREON, WHICH COMPRISES IN THE SHAPE OF SURFACE OF THE SILICONE POLYMER OR COPOLYMERR IN THE SHAPE OF A CONTACT LENS OR LENS ELEMENT UNIFORMLY WITH A LIQUID CONTAINING FREE-RADICAL POLYMERRIZABLE PRECURSOR TO SAID HYDROPHILIC POLYMER OR COPOLYMER, EXPOSING SAID SURFACE WHILE IN CONTACT WITH SAID PRECURSOR TO DOSAGE OF HIGH ENGERRY IONIZING RADITION SUFFICIENT TO FORM A HYDROPHILIC SURFACE ON SAID LENS OR LENS ELEMENT DURING A TOTAL TIME WHICH IS SHORT COMPARED TO THE TIME REQUIRED FOR THE PRECURSOR TO PENETRATE INTO THE SILICONE POLYMER OR COPOLYMER AND TO FORM LOALIZED AREA S OF HIGH HYDROPHILIC POLYMER OR COPOLYMER CONCENTRATION ON THE SILICONE SURFACE AND CONTROLLING THE INTENSITY AND DURATION OF RADIATION AND THE CONCENTRATION OF PRECURSOR TO PREVENT EXCESSIVE MIGRATION OF PRECURSOR INTO THE SILICONE POLYMER OR COPOLYMER THEREBY CAUSING SAID PRECURSOR IN GRAFT TO SAID SURFACE WHILE PREVENTING NON-UNIFORM AND EXCESSIVE POLYMERIZATION OF THE PRECURSOR, AND THEREBY PRODUCING A THIN SMOOTH HYDROPHILIC LAYER UNIFORMLY OVER THE ENTIRE SILICONE SURFACE.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the silicone polymer or copolymer is crosslinked prior to contacting the precursor therewith.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the silicone polymer or copolymer and precursor are contacted by immersing the silicone polymer or copolymer shaped as a contact lens or contact lens element in a liquid solution of the precursor and subjecting the immersed silicone polymer or copolymer and precursor to ionizing radiation.

4. THE METHOD OF CLAM 1 WHEREIN THE SILICONE POLYMER OR COPOLYMERR AND PRECURSOR ARE CONTACTED IN A MOLD CAVITY IN THE SHAPE OF A CONTACT LENS OR CONTACT LENS ELEMENT, WHEREIN THE PRECURSOR IS LOCATED IN A COATING ON THE INSIDE SURFACES OF SAID MOLD AND IN CONTACT WITH THE SURFACES OF SAID SILICONE POLYMER OR COPOLYMER AND WHEREIN AN OUTSIDE SURFACE OF SAID MOLD INTERPOSED BETWEEN THE SILICONE POLYMER OR COPOLYMER AND A SOURCE OF RADITION HAS THE SAME GENERAL SHAPE AS THE SURFACE OF THE SILICONE POLYMER OR COPOLYMER NEAREST THE SOURCE OF RADITION TO EFFECT A GENERALLY UNIFORM DOS OF IONIZING RADIATION OVER THE ENTIRE SURFACE OF SAID SILICONE POLYMER OR COPOLYMER.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the precursor comprises N-vinyl pyrrolidone and hydroxyethyl methacrylate in aqueous solution.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the precursor comprises N-vinyl pyrrolidone.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the precursor comprises hydroxyethyl methacrylate.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the precursor is dissolved in a solvent inert to the precursor and silicone polymer or copolymer.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the precursor comprises N-vinyl pyrrolidone and hydroxethyl methacrylate in admixture.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the precursor comprises N-vinyl pyrrolidone in aqueous solution.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the precursor comprises hydroxyethyl methacrylate in aqueous solution.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the percursor comprises N-vinyl pyrrolidone and hydroxyethyl methacrylate in aqueous solution.

13. THE METHOD OF MAKING AN OPTICALLY CLEAR CONTACT LENS OR CONTACT LENS ELEMENT FORM OF AN ORGANIC SILICONE POLYMER OR COPPLYMER HAVING A SURFACE COMPRISING A HYDROPHILIC POLYMER OR COPOLYMER GRAFTED THEREON WHICH COMPRISES CONTACTING ONE SURFACE OF A THIN SHEET OF A SILICONE POLYMERIZABLE PRECURSOR TO A LIQUID COMPRISING A FREE-RADICAL POLYMERIZABLE PRECURSOR TO SAID HYDROPHILIC POLYMER OR COPOLYMER, EXPOSING SAID SHEET AND SAID PRECURSOR TO DOSAGE OF HIGH ENERGY IONING RADITION SUFFICIENT TO FORM A HYDROPHILIC SURFACE ON SAAID ONE SURFACE OF SAID SHEET DURING A TOTAL TIME WHICH IS SHORT COMPARED TO THE TIME REQUIRED FOR THE PRECURSOR TO PENETRATE INTO THE SILICONE POLYMER OR COPOLYMER AND TO FORM LOCALIZED AREAS OF HIGH HYDROPHILIC POLYMER CONCENTRATING ON THE SILICONE SURFACE, CONTROLLING THE INTENSITY AND DURATION OF RADIATION AND THE CONCENTRATION OF PRECURSOR TO PREVENT EXCESSIVE MIGRATION OF PRECURSOR INTO THE SILICONE POLYMER OR COPOLYMER THEREBY CAUSING SAID PRECURSOR TO GRAFT TO SAID ONE SURFACE, BUT NOT TO ASECOND SURFACE OF SAID SHEET, WHILE PREVENTING NON-UNIFORM AND EXCESSIVE POLYMERIZATION OF THE PRECURSOR, AND THEREBY PRODUCING A THIN SMOOTH HYDROPHILIC LAYER OVER THE ENTIRETY OF SAID ONE SURFACE, REMOVING SAID ONE SURFACE FROM CONTACT WITH THE PRESCURSOR, CONTACTING SAID SECOND SURFACE TO A SURFACE OF A SILICONE POLYMER OR COPOLYMER SHAPED AS A CONTACT LENS OR CONTACT LENS ELEMENT AND EXPOSING SAID SHEET AND SHAPED SILICONE TO IONIZING RADIATION TO GRAFT THE SHEET TO THE SHAPED SILICONE.

14. THE METHOD OF MAKING AN OPTICALLY CLEAR CONTACT LENS OR CONTACT LENS ELEMENT FORMED OF AN ORGANIC SILICONE POLYMER OR COPOLYMER HAVING A SURFACE COMPRISING A HYDROPHILIC POLYMER OR COPOLYME GRAFTED WHICH COMPRISES CONTACTING A SHEET FORMED FROM A HYDROPHILIC POLYMER OR COPOLYMER AND CONTAINING A PRESCURSOR TO A HYDROPHILIC POLYME OR COPOLYMER WITH A SURFACE OF A SILICONE POLYMER OR COPOLYMER SHAPED IN THE FORM OF A CONTACT LENS OR CONTACT LENS ELEMENT AND EXPOSING SAID SHEET SILICONE POLYMER OR COPOLYMER WHILE IN CONTACT TO DOSAGE OF HGH ENERGY IONIZING RADIATION SUFFICIENT TO FORM A HYDROPHILIC SURFACE ON SAIL LENS OR LENS ELEMENT DURING A TOTAL TIME IS SHORT COPARED TO THE TIME REQUIRED FOR THE PRECURSOR TO PENETRATE INTO THE SILICONE POLYMER OR COPOLYMER AND TO FORM LOCALIZED AREAS OF HIGH HYDRPHILIC POLYMER OR COPOLYMER CONTRATION ON THE SILICO SURFACE THEREBY TO GRAFT SAID SHEET TO SAID SILICONE SURFACE AND TO PRODUCE A THIN SMOOTH HYRIPILIC SHEET UNIFORMLY GRAFTED OVER THE ENTIRE SILICONE SURFACE.