Abstract: The invention provides a method for imaging and thickness determination of coatings on coated contact lenses. The method comprises selectively staining a negatively-charged-groups-containing coating over the lens body of a coated contact lens by immersing the coated contact lens in an aqueous solution comprising a fluorescently-labeled polycationic polymer and having a pH of from about 6.5 to 8.0; orthogonally cutting the selectively-stained coated contact lens; and determining the thickness of the coating on the coated contact lens. In addition, the invention provides a method for selecting a candidate coating material comprising negatively charged groups for applying a coating with a desired thickness onto silicone hydrogel contact lenses and for optimizing a coating process for producing coated silicone hydrogel contact lenses with a desired thickness coating thereon.

Abstract: The invention relates to an ophthalmic product which comprises a sealed and autoclave-sterilized lens package including (1) a post-autoclave packaging solution containing a polymeric surfactant having an HLB value of from about 11 to about 16 and a Mn of from about 800 to about 20,000 Daltons and (2) a readily-usable silicone hydrogel (SiHy) contact lens immersed in the packaging solution. The readily-usable SiHy contact lens comprises the polymeric surfactant thereon providing an excellent wettability to the readily-usable SiHy contact lens directly out of the lens package, and also the leachable polymeric surfactant which is physically distributed in the polymer matrix of the SiHy contact lens and can be released to the eye of a patient for at least 7 days of daily wear and to replenish the lens surface-bound polymeric surfactant to provide sustainable wettabilities to the contact lens and the eye.

Abstract: The invention provides a contact lens manufacturing method for cast-molding of silicone hydrogel contact lenses having enhanced oxygen permeability without adversely affecting desirable lens mechanical properties (e.g., modulus). A method of the invention comprises adding a small amount of a radical scavenger (e.g., H-TEMPO) in a polymerizable composition for cast-molding of SiHy contact lenses) to provide the resultant polymerizable composition with a bi-phase curing profile at a curing temperature of from about 45° C. to about 100° C. With such a bi-phase curing profile, the resultant polymerizable composition can be thermally cured at the curing temperature to form a SiHy contact lens having an oxygen permeability higher than that for a polymerizable composition having the substantially identical composition excepting being free of any radical scavenger.

Abstract: The invention relates to an ophthalmic product which comprises a sealed and autoclave-sterilized lens package including (1) a post-autoclave packaging solution containing a polymeric surfactant having an HLB value of from about 11 to about 16 and a Mn of from about 800 to about 20,000 Daltons and (2) a readily-usable silicone hydrogel (SiHy) contact lens immersed in the packaging solution. The readily-usable SiHy contact lens comprises the polymeric surfactant thereon providing an excellent wettability to the readily-usable SiHy contact lens directly out of the lens package, and also the leachable polymeric surfactant which is physically distributed in the polymer matrix of the SiHy contact lens and can be released to the eye of a patient for at least 7 days of daily wear and to replenish the lens surface-bound polymeric surfactant to provide sustainable wettabilities to the contact lens and the eye.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for imaging and thickness determination of coatings on coated contact lenses. The method comprises selectively staining a negatively-charged-groups-containing coating over the lens body of a coated contact lens by immersing the coated contact lens in an aqueous solution comprising a fluorescently-labeled polycationic polymer and having a pH of from about 6.5 to 8.0; orthogonally cutting the selectively-stained coated contact lens; and determining the thickness of the coating on the coated contact lens. In addition, the invention provides a method for selecting a candidate coating material comprising negatively charged groups for applying a coating with a desired thickness onto silicone hydrogel contact lenses and for optimizing a coating process for producing coated silicone hydrogel contact lenses with a desired thickness coating thereon.

Abstract: The invention provides a contact lens manufacturing method for cast-molding of silicone hydrogel contact lenses having enhanced oxygen permeability without adversely affecting desirable lens mechanical properties (e.g., modulus). A method of the invention comprises adding a small amount of a radical scavenger (e.g., H-TEMPO) in a polymerizable composition for cast-molding of SiHy contact lenses) to provide the resultant polymerizable composition with a bi-phase curing profile at a curing temperature of from about 45° C. to about 100° C. With such a bi-phase curing profile, the resultant polymerizable composition can be thermally cured at the curing temperature to form a SiHy contact lens having an oxygen permeability higher than that for a polymerizable composition having the substantially identical composition excepting being free of any radical scavenger.

Abstract: The present invention relates to improved contact lens products which not only have initial insertion comfort. The contact lens product of the invention comprises a soft hydrogel contact lens immersed and autoclaved in a packaging solution including a low molecular weight polyethylene glycol (PEG) (or glycerin) and a homopolymer or copolymer of vinylpyrrolidone. The present invention also provides methods for making contact lens products of the invention.

Abstract: The present invention relates to improved contact lens products which not only have initial insertion comfort. The contact lens product of the invention comprises a soft hydrogel contact lens immersed and autoclaved in a packaging solution including a low molecular weight polyethylene glycol (PEG) (or glycerin) and a homopolymer or copolymer of vinylpyrrolidone. The present invention also provides methods for making contact lens products of the invention.

Abstract: The present invention relates to improved contact lens products which not only have initial insertion comfort. The contact lens product of the invention comprises a soft hydrogel contact lens immersed and autoclaved in a packaging solution including a low molecular weight polyethylene glycol (PEG) (or glycerin) and a homopolymer or copolymer of vinylpyrrolidone. The present invention also provides methods for making contact lens products of the invention.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing a medical device, preferably an ophthalmic device, more preferably a contact lens, made of a stabilized poly(oxyalkylene)-containing polymeric material. The method of the invention comprises the steps of: curing, in a mold, a composition comprising (a) a prepolymer having at least one poly(oxyalkylene) unit, (b) a biocompatible organic multi-acid or biocompatible salt thereof in an amount sufficient to improve the stability of the poly(oxyalkylene)-containing polymer made from the composition, (c) optionally a photoinitiator or a thermal initiator, and (d) optionally one or more vinylic monomers, to form the medical device being less susceptible to oxidative degradation; and removing the medical device from the mold.

Abstract: The present invention provides a lens care kit for disinfecting and cleaning contact lenses. The lens care kit of the invention comprises a colored lens care solution including a colored protein and a proteolytic enzyme. The kit of the invention allows customers to visually identify when their lenses are disinfected, clean, and ready to wear. The invention relies upon a color change to indicate the completion of disinfection and cleaning of contact lenses.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing a medical device, preferably an ophthalmic device, more preferably a contact lens, made of a stabilized poly(oxyalkylene)-containing polymeric material. The method of the invention comprises the steps of: curing, in a mold, a composition comprising (a) a prepolymer having at least one poly(oxyalkylene) unit, (b) a biocompatible organic multi-acid or biocompatible salt thereof in an amount sufficient to improve the stability of the poly(oxyalkylene)-containing polymer made from the composition, (c) optionally a photoinitiator or a thermal initiator, and (d) optionally one or more vinylic monomers, to form the medical device being less susceptible to oxidative degradation; and removing the medical device from the mold.

Abstract: The present invention provides a lens care kit for disinfecting and cleaning contact lenses. The lens care kit of the invention comprises a colored lens care solution including a colored protein and a proteolytic enzyme. The kit of the invention allows customers to visually identify when their lenses are disinfected, clean, and ready to wear. The invention relies upon a color change to indicate the completion of disinfection and cleaning of contact lenses.

Abstract: The present invention relates to improved contact lens products which not only have initial insertion comfort. The contact lens product of the invention comprises a soft hydrogel contact lens immersed and autoclaved in a packaging solution including a low molecular weight polyethylene glycol (PEG) (or glycerin) and a homopolymer or copolymer of vinylpyrrolidone. The present invention also provides methods for making contact lens products of the invention.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing a medical device, preferably an ophthalmic device, more preferably a contact lens, made of a stabilized poly(oxyalkylene)-containing polymeric material. The method of the invention comprises the steps of: curing, in a mold, a composition comprising (a) a prepolymer having at least one poly(oxyalkylene) unit, (b) a biocompatible organic multi-acid or biocompatible salt thereof in an amount sufficient to improve the stability of the poly(oxyalkylene)-containing polymer made from the composition, (c) optionally a photoinitiator or a thermal initiator, and (d) optionally one or more vinylic monomers, to form the medical device being less susceptible to oxidative degradation; and removing the medical device from the mold.