Abstract: The present invention provides a medical device, preferably an ophthalmic device, more preferably a contact lens, which comprises a lubricious coating including a capping layer of polyvinylpyrrolidone and/or at least one layer of a lubricious coating material and one layer of a polyionic material having charges opposite of the charges of the lubricious coating material. The lubricious coating on the medical device of the invention has increased lubricity, preferably characterized by an averaged CoF of about 3.0 or less, increased hydrophilicity characterized by an averaged contact angle of about 80 degree or less, and increased bacterial adhesion resistance, while maintaining the desired bulk properties such as oxygen permeability and ion permeability of lens material. Such lenses are useful as extended-wear contact lenses. In addition, the invention provides a method for making a medical device, preferably a contact lens, having a lubricious coating thereon.

Abstract: A prepolymer is prepared by reacting a mixture containing (a) at least one multifunctional compound, (b) at least one diisocyanate, and (c) at least one diol. The diol has a weight average molecular weight of at most 6000. The prepolymer, when reacted with an excess of water, forms a hydrogel polymer. The mixture of the prepolymer and water may be reaction molded, and used to form a contact lens.

Abstract: The present invention provides a toric multifocal contact lens having a cylindrical optical power to correct astigmatism vision errors and a multifocal power to compensate for presbyopia. A toric multifocal contact lens of the invention has a central axis, an anterior surface having a first central optical zone, and an opposite posterior surface having a second central optical zone. The first central optical zone and the second central optical zone combine to provide a cylindrical optical power to correct astigmatism vision errors and a multifocal power to compensate for presbyopia.

Abstract: A method of making a colored contact lens comprises printing at least one layer of a colorant onto contact lens using a printing process selected from the group consisting of ink jet printing, electrophotographic printing, thermal transfer printing, and photographic development printing. Printing can be done directly on the contac lens, on a film in a mold where the contact lens is formed, or on a cliché pad. Multiple layers of colorants can be printed onto a contact lens.

Abstract: A method of making a colored contact lens comprises printing at least one layer of a colorant onto a contact lens using a printing process selected from the group consisting of ink jet printing, electrophotographic printing, thermal transfer printing, and photographic development printing. Printing can be done directly on the contact lens, on a film in a mold where the contact lens is formed, or on a cliché pad. Multiple layers of colorants can be printed onto a contact lens.

Abstract: The present invention provides an improved LbL-coating process for modifying the surface of a medical device, preferably an ophthalmic device, more preferably a contact lens. An LbL coating on a contact lens, which is prepared according to the process of the invention, can have increased hydrophilicity characterized by an averaged contact angle of about 80 degree or less, preferably about 50 degrees or less, while maintaining the desired bulk properties such as oxygen permeability and ion permeability of lens material.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for coating a material surface, comprising the steps of: (a) applying to the material surface a tie layer comprising a polyionic material; (b) covalently binding a bifunctional compound comprising an ethylenically unsaturated double b3nd to the tie layer; and (c) graft polymerizing a hydrophilic monomer onto the compound comprising the ethylenically unsaturated double bond. The coated articles that are obtainable by the process of the invention have desirable characteristics regarding adherences to the substrate, durability, hydrophilicity, wettability, biocompatibility and permeability and are thus useful for the manufacture of biomedical articles such as ophthalmic devices.

Abstract: The present invention provides a contact lens comprising a convex surface and a concave surface, one or both of the surfaces comprising: a) a central optical zone that is an aspherical sub-surface; b) a transition zone that is adjacent to said central optical zone, wherein and is a rotationally symmetric off-center sphere sub-surface; and c) a peripheral zone that comprises one or more sphere sub-surfaces, wherein all sub-surfaces are tangent to each other. By having a transition zone of the present invention, flexion points at the junction of optical zone with peripheral zone can be eliminated. The present invention also provides a method for producing a contact lens of the present invention.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for efficiently and uniformly treating articles with two or more fluids without transferring the articles from one container to another container.

Abstract: The invention provides a system and method for plasma coating of an optical lens, particularly lenses made of silicone-containing polymer. A system of the invention comprises an entry chamber, a coating chamber downstream from the entry chamber, and an exit chamber downstream from the coating chamber. The coating chamber includes a pair of spaced apart electrodes disposed therein. A system of the invention is configured in a way so that a lens may enter, pass through and exit the system without requiring the coating chamber to be repeatedly pressurized and depressurized.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for coating a material surface, comprising the steps of: (a) providing an inorganic or organic bulk material; (b) providing one or more polyionic materials at least one of them comprising covalently bound initiator moieties for radical polymerization; (c) applying the polyionic material of step (b) to the bulk material of step (a), thereby forming a hydrophilic layer on the bulk material surface; and (d) graft polymerizing a hydrophilic monomer or macromonomer onto said polyionic material. The coated articles that are obtainable by the process of the invention have desirable characteristics regarding adherence to the substrate, durability, hydrophilicity, wettability, biocompatibility and permeability and are thus useful for the manufacture of biomedical articles such as ophthalmic devices.

Abstract: This invention provides a method for efficiently applying a coating to each of a plurality of objects selected from the group consisting of ophthalmic lenses, molds for making ophthalmic lenses, and other medical devices, the method comprising dipping the plurality of objects into a coating bath containing a coating solution having a coating material; and creating with a means a convective current flow and thereby forcing a coating solution flowing over and under each of the plurality of ophthalmic lenses. In a preferred embodiment, the plurality of objects are held in baskets which are pre-conditioned to have a first layer of polyelectrolytes and a second layer of aqueous solution or have a mixed layer of polyelectrolytes and aqueous solution on the surfaces of the baskets.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to a method of modifying the surface of substrates such as contact lenses and other biomedical articles by at least partially coating the surfaces of such substrates with a polymeric tie layer having reactive sites. Various other moieties may then be chemically attached to the article surface by reaction of the other moieties with the reactive sites through classical chemical attachment mechanisms.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the manufacture of a molding comprising the steps of a) preparing an aqueous solution comprising a water-soluble prepolymer having crosslinkable groups and a further polymer which is devoid of crosslinkable groups, b) introducing the solution obtained into a mold, c) triggering the crosslinking, and d) opening the mold such that the molding can be removed from the mold. According to the process of the invention moldings such as contact lenses may be manufactured with an improved quality and an improved overall yield.

Abstract: An ophthalmic lens comprising a receptor moiety can be used to determine the amount of an analyte in an ocular fluid. The receptor moiety can bind either a specific analyte or a detectably labeled competitor moiety. The amount of detectably labeled competitor moiety which is displaced from the receptor moiety by the analyte is measured and provides a means of determining analyte concentration in an ocular fluid, such as tears, aqueous humor, or interstitial fluid. The concentration of the analyte in the ocular fluid, in turn, inidicates the concentration of the analyte in a fluid or tissue sample of the body, such as blood or intracellular fluid.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for coating a material surface comprising the steps of: (a) providing an inorganic or organic bulk material having covalently bound to its surface initiator moieties for radical polymerization; (b) graft polymerizing a hydrophilic ethylenically unsaturated macromonomer from the bulk material surface in the presence of a biocompatible hydrophilic polymer being devoid of polymerizable ethylenically unsaturated groups and thereby entrapping said hydrophilic polymer within the polymer matrix formed by the polymerization of the macromonomer. Composite materials obtainable according to the process of the invention have desirable characteristics regarding adherence to the substrate, durability, hydrophilicity, wettability, biocompatibility and permeability and are thus useful for the manufacture of biomedical articles such as ophthalmic devices.

Abstract: An ophthalmic lens suited for extended-wear periods of at least one day on the eye without a clinically significant amount of corneal swelling and without substantial wearer discomfort. The lens has a balance of oxygen permeability and ion or water permeability, with the ion or water permeability being sufficient to provide good on-eye movement, such that a good tear exchange occurs between the lens and the eye. A preferred lens is a copolymerization product of a oxyperm macromer and an ionoperm monomer. The invention encompasses extended wear contact lenses, which include a core having oxygen transmission and ion transmission pathways extending from the inner surface to the outer surface.

Abstract: The invention provide a method for applying a coating to an ophthalmic lens or a mold for making the ophthalmic lens or a medical device other than ophthalmic lens. The method comprises spraying at least one layer of a coating liquid onto an ophthalmic lens using a spraying process selected from the group consisting of an air-assisted atomization and dispensing process, an ultrasonic-assisted atomization and dispensing process, a piezoelectric assisted atomization and dispensing process, an electro-mechanical jet printing process, a piezo-electric jet printing process, a piezo-electric with hydrostatic pressure jet printing process, and a thermal jet printing process. The coating can comprise a property/functionality pattern or a color image or combination of both.

Abstract: A method of making a colored contact lens comprises printing at least one layer of a colorant onto a contact lens using a printing process selected from the group consisting of ink jet printing, electrophotographic printing, thermal transfer printing, and photographic development printing. Printing can be done directly on the contact lens, on a film in a mold where the contact lens is formed, or on a cliché pad. Multiple layers of colorants can be printed onto a contact lens.

Abstract: A contact lens is disclosed having a front surface and a back surface. The lens contains a continuously varying aspheric surface on one or more of these surfaces.