Abstract: The invention relates to a denture base having a plurality of tooth socket compartments where one or more of the tooth socket compartments comprises a convex surface configured in step-like structure, and one or more prominences on the step-like structure. The invention further relates to a dental prosthesis including the denture base, at least one bonding agent, and a plurality of artificial teeth. Artificial teeth are bonded within tooth socket compartments such that each artificial tooth can rest upon the top of each prominence in the tooth socket compartment, maintaining a predetermined amount of bonding agent between the artificial tooth and the denture base. The denture base and dental prosthesis of the invention can better address the need for easier, more efficient and reliable set-up of artificial teeth in a denture base, and ensuring more consistent and predictable bonding of artificial teeth in a denture base.

Abstract: An optical device comprising an optical hydrogel with select regions that have been irradiated with laser light having a pulse energy from 0.01 nJ to 50 nJ and a wavelength from 600 nm to 900 nm. The irradiated regions are characterized by a positive change in refractive index of from 0.01 to 0.06, and exhibit little or no scattering loss. The optical hydrogel is prepared with a hydrophilic monomer.

Abstract: An optical device comprising an optical hydrogel with select regions that have been irradiated with laser light having a pulse energy from 0.01 nJ to 50 nJ and a wavelength from 600 nm to 900 nm. The irradiated regions are characterized by a positive change in refractive index of from 0.01 to 0.06, and exhibit little or no scattering loss. The optical hydrogel is prepared with a hydrophilic monomer.

Abstract: The invention relates to a denture base having a plurality of tooth socket compartments where one or more of the tooth socket compartments comprises a convex surface configured in step-like structure, and one or more prominences on the step-like structure. The invention further relates to a dental prosthesis including the denture base, at least one bonding agent, and a plurality of artificial teeth. Artificial teeth are bonded within tooth socket compartments such that each artificial tooth can rest upon the top of each prominence in the tooth socket compartment, maintaining a predetermined amount of bonding agent between the artificial tooth and the denture base. The denture base and dental prosthesis of the invention can better address the need for easier, more efficient and reliable set-up of artificial teeth in a denture base, and ensuring more consistent and predictable bonding of artificial teeth in a denture base.

Abstract: A laser system for modifying the index of refraction of an optical hydrogel material. The laser system comprises a computer program to determine the position and shape of refractive structures to be written into the optical hydrogel material to correct a patient's vision, and a focused laser that generates laser light having a wavelength of from 400 nm to 900 nm, and which operates with an average power of 10 mW to 1000 mW to produce a pulse energy from 0.05 nJ to 1000 nJ with a peak intensity at focus of greater than 1013 W/cm2. The refractive structures exhibit a change in the index of refraction of 0.01 to 0.06 in the optical hydrogel material.

Abstract: An optical device comprising an optical hydrogel with select regions that have been irradiated with laser light having a pulse energy from 0.01 nJ to 50 nJ and a wavelength from 600 nm to 900 nm. The irradiated regions are characterized by a positive change in refractive index of from 0.01 to 0.06, and exhibit little or no scattering loss. The optical hydrogel is prepared with a hydrophilic monomer.

Abstract: An optical device comprising an optical hydrogel with select regions that have been irradiated with laser light having a pulse energy from 0.01 nJ to 50 nJ and a wavelength from 600 nm to 900 nm. The irradiated regions are characterized by a positive change in refractive index of from 0.01 to 0.06, and exhibit little or no scattering loss. The optical hydrogel is prepared with a hydrophilic monomer.

Abstract: A laser system for changing the index of refraction of cornea tissue in a living eye. The laser system comprises a laser that provides laser pulses with a wavelength from 400 nm to 900 nm and a pulse energy from 0.01 nJ to 10 nJ, and a control device for setting the operating parameters of the laser below an optical breakdown threshold of the tissue to avoid photo-disruption and tissue destruction of the tissue, and to direct the laser pulses at the cornea tissue resulting in a change in the index of refraction of the tissue within regions irradiated by the laser pulses.

Abstract: A dual reactivity crosslinking agent of formula I having at least two different reactive sites, and hydrogel materials prepared from at least two monomers with different rates of free-radical polymerization reactivity. The crosslinking agent includes at least one free-radical reactive site for vinyl-containing monomer and at least one free-radical reactive site for meth(acrylic)-containing monomer. The hydrogel materials are useful in the manufacture of biocompatible medical devices, for example, hydrogel materials having desirable physical properties useful as contact lens materials.

Abstract: An optical device comprising an optical hydrogel with select regions that have been irradiated with laser light having a pulse energy from 0.01 nJ to 50 nJ and a wavelength from 600 nm to 900 nm. The irradiated regions are characterized by a positive change in refractive index of from 0.01 to 0.06, and exhibit little or no scattering loss. The optical hydrogel is prepared with a hydrophilic monomer.

Abstract: An optical device comprising an optical hydrogel with select regions that have been irradiated with laser light having a pulse energy from 0.01 nJ to 50 nJ and a wavelength from 600 nm to 900 nm. The irradiated regions are characterized by a positive change in refractive index of from 0.01 to 0.06, and exhibit little or no scattering loss. The optical hydrogel is prepared with a hydrophilic monomer.

Abstract: A new synthetic method of forming free radical polymerizable end terminal functionalized poloxamers and poloxamines in commercial scale batches which uses a binary system of inhibitors to eliminate the formation of high molecular weight impurities. It has also been surprisingly discovered that the inorganic impurities formed during the commercial scale synthetic process are removed by the use of resin materials.

Abstract: Biomedical devices such as contact lenses formed from a polymerization product of a mixture comprising (a) a multi-armed macromonomer comprising multiple side chains attached to a nucleus, wherein each side chain comprises a thio carbonyl thio fragment of the same or different reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (“RAFT”) agent; and (b) one or more biomedical device-forming monomers are disclosed.

Abstract: The present application relates to novel monomers comprising polycarbosiloxane monomers useful in certain specific embodiments in the manufacture of devices. More particularly, the present application relates to certain ethylenically unsaturated free radical polymerizable monomers comprising polycarbosiloxane monomers. Even more particularly, the present application pertains to monomers comprising polycarbosiloxane monomers which further comprise at least two ethylenically unsaturated free radical polymerizable groups.

Abstract: An optical device comprising an optical hydrogel with select regions that have been irradiated with laser light having a pulse energy from 0.01 nJ to 50 nJ and a wavelength from 600 nm to 900 nm. The irradiated regions are characterized by a positive change in refractive index of from 0.01 to 0.06, and exhibit little or no scattering loss. The optical hydrogel is prepared with a hydrophilic monomer.

Abstract: An optical device comprising an optical hydrogel with select regions that have been irradiated with laser light having a pulse energy from 0.01 nJ to 50 nJ and a wavelength from 600 nm to 900 nm. The irradiated regions are characterized by a positive change in refractive index of from 0.01 to 0.06, and exhibit little or no scattering loss. The optical hydrogel is prepared with a hydrophilic monomer.

Abstract: A new synthetic method of forming free radical polymerizable end terminal functionalized poloxamers and poloxamines in commercial scale batches which uses a binary system of inhibitors to eliminate the formation of high molecular weight impurities. It has also been surprisingly discovered that the inorganic impurities formed during the commercial scale synthetic process are removed by the use of resin materials.

Abstract: The present invention relates to polymeric compositions useful in the manufacture of biocompatible medical devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to certain monoethylenically unsaturated polymerizable group containing polycarbosiloxane monomers capable of polymerization to form polymeric compositions having desirable physical characteristics useful in the manufacture of ophthalmic devices.

Abstract: The present invention relates to polymeric compositions useful in the manufacture of biocompatible medical devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to certain cationic random copolymers capable of polymerization to form polymeric compositions having desirable physical characteristics useful in the manufacture of ophthalmic devices. Such properties include the ability to extract the polymerized medical devices with water. This avoids the use of organic solvents as is typical in the art. The polymer compositions comprise polymerized siloxane prepolymer containing pendant cationic and polymerizable groups.

Abstract: A packaged, sterilized intraocular lens prepared by a process comprising providing a hydrophobic acrylic, or low water acrylic, intraocular lens and positioning the acrylic lens in a lens enclosure with an aqueous solution to provide a lens package. The lens package is then heated to a temperature sufficient for sterilization, however, the heating of the lens package must begin before the acrylic lens reaches an equilibrated, hydrated state following contact of the lens with the aqueous solution. The resulting sterilized acrylic intraocular lens will have less than sixty percent of total volume of disc-like features, or less than forty percent of total volume of water vacuoles, after 60 days following sterilization compared to an acrylic lens of the same composition, which was sterilized under the same conditions, but in an equilibrated, hydrated state.