Abstract: The present invention provides a medical device, preferably a contact lens, which a core material and an antimicrobial metal-containing LbL coating that is not covalently attached to the medical device and can impart to the medical device an increased hydrophilicity. The antimicrobial metal-containing coating on a contact lens of the invention has a high antimicrobial efficacy against microorganisms including Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial and a low toxicity, 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 an antimicrobial metal-containing LbL coating thereon.

Abstract: A lens care system and method for venting gas to release pressure from a container, such as generated in peroxide-based lens treatment. A seal formed between a deformable cap and a container cup prevents release of liquid, but deformation of the cap under the influence of pressure generated within the container temporarily releases the seal to permit venting of gas.

Abstract: The invention is related to a cost-effective method for making a silicone hydrogel contact lens having a crosslinked hydrophilic coating thereon. A method of the invention involves heating a silicone hydrogel contact lens in an aqueous solution in the presence of a water-soluble, highly branched, thermally-crosslinkable hydrophilic polymeric material having positively-charged azetidinium groups, to and at a temperature from about 40° C. to about 140° C. for a period of time sufficient to covalently attach the thermally-crosslinkable hydrophilic polymeric material onto the surface of the silicone hydrogel contact lens through covalent linkages each formed between one azetidinium group and one of the reactive functional groups on and/or near the surface of the silicone hydrogel contact lens, thereby forming a crosslinked hydrophilic coating on the silicone hydrogel contact lens. Such method can be advantageously implemented directly in a sealed lens package during autoclave.

Abstract: The instant invention pertains to a method and a fluid composition for producing contact lenses with improved lens quality and with increased product yield. The method of the invention involves adding a phospholipid into a fluid composition including a lens-forming material in an amount sufficient to reduce an averaged mold separation force by at least about 40% in comparison with that without the phospholipids.

Abstract: The invention provides an actinically-crosslinkable linear polysiloxane copolymer. The actinically-crosslinkable polysiloxane copolymer can be used to prepare a silicone hydrogel contact lens having a hydrophilic surface without post-curing surface treatment. The invention is also related to a silicone hydrogel contact lens obtained from a lens-forming material including an actinically-crosslinkable polysiloxane copolymer of the invention and to a method for making an actinically-crosslinkable polysiloxane copolymer of the invention. In addition, the invention provides a non-crosslinkable linear polysiloxane copolymer capable of being used as a internal wetting agent which can render the surface of a silicone hydrogel contact lens hydrophilic.

Abstract: The invention relates to a biomedical molding, in particular a contact lens, which is obtainable by crosslinking, in a mold, an aqueous solution of a crosslinkable polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) prepolymer comprising at least 0.5 weight-%, based on the entire formulation, of a non-reactive PVA, wherein the number-average molecular weight of the non-reactive PVA is higher than that of the crosslinkable PVA. A contact lens of the invention has an improved wearing comfort.

Abstract: The present invention provides a lens care kit for disinfecting and/or cleaning contact lenses. The lens care kit of the invention comprising: (1) a lens care solution; (2) a lens case for holding the lens care solution and a contact lens immersed in the lens care solution; (3) a singlet oxygen-generating agent which is dissolved or dispersed in a lens care solution; and (4) a light irradiation source for irradiating the singlet oxygen-generating agent for a period of time sufficient to produce a sufficient amount of singlet oxygen in the lens care solution to disinfect the contact lens.

Abstract: Described herein are methods for producing silicone hydrogel lenses. The methods involve introducing into a mold a water-based lens-forming composition, curing the lens-forming composition in a mold to form the lens, and removing the lens from the mold. The lens-forming composition comprises (i) a polysiloxane-containing vinylic monomer or macromer, (ii) at least one hydrophilic vinylic monomer, (iii) a surfactant, and, and (iv) water. The surfactant is polysiloxane-containing surfactant that is free of actinically-polymerizable groups and is a copolymer having from about 10% to about 40% by weight of one or more polysiloxane segments and from about 90% to about 60% by weight hydrophilic units and/or segments. The methods permit the use of water as a solvent and reduce the need for organic solvents. Additionally, the lenses produced by the methods can have improved properties such oxygen permeability.

Abstract: Biomedical devices, such as ophthalmic lenses, and methods of making such devices having a surface coating including at least one polyionic layer. A preferred method involves spray coating a polycationic material onto a core lens, rinsing and drying the lens, followed by spray coating a polyanionic material, rinsing and drying. The coating process may be applied a plurality of times to achieve a multi-layer coating on the lens surface. A particularly preferred embodiment is a contact lens comprising a highly oxygen permeable hydrophobic core coated with a 5 to 20 bilayers of hydrophilic polyionic materials.

Abstract: The invention provides a cost-effective method for making a silicone hydrogel contact lens which has a good wettable coating with a good durability.

Abstract: The instant invention pertains to a method and a fluid composition for producing contact lenses with improved lens quality and with increased product yield. The method of the invention involves adding a phospholipid into a fluid composition including a lens-forming material in an amount sufficient to reduce an averaged mold separation force by at least about 40% in comparison with that without the phospholipids.

Abstract: The instant invention pertains to a method and a fluid composition for producing contact lenses with improved lens quality and with increased product yield. The method of the invention involves adding a phospholipid into a fluid composition including a lens-forming material in an amount sufficient to reduce an averaged mold separation force by at least about 40% in comparison with that without the phospholipids.

Abstract: Biomedical devices, such as ophthalmic lenses, and methods of making such devices having a surface coating including at least one polyionic layer. A preferred method involves spray coating a polycationic material onto a core lens, rinsing and drying the lens, followed by spray coating a polyanionic material, rinsing and drying. The coating process may be applied a plurality of times to achieve a multi-layer coating on the lens surface. A particularly preferred embodiment is a contact lens comprising a highly oxygen permeable hydrophobic core coated with a 5 to 20 bilayers of hydrophilic polyionic materials.

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. In one embodiment, an opthalmic lens is a copolymerization product of at least one oxyperm, at least one ionoperm, and a crosslinker. In one embodiment, a lens has a tensile modulus of less than about 3.0 MPa, yet in another embodiment, the tensile modulus is between about 0.5 to about 1.5 MPa.

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: The instant invention pertains to a method and a fluid composition for producing contact lenses with improved lens quality and with increased product yield. The method of the invention involves adding a phospholipid into a fluid composition including a lens-forming material in an amount sufficient to reduce an averaged mold separation force by at least about 40% in comparison with that without the phospholipids.

Abstract: Described herein are tri-functional compounds useful in the production of ophthalmic lenses. The compounds are composed of UV absorber having a polymerization initiator directly or indirectly bonded to the ultraviolet absorber, and an olefinic group directly or indirectly bonded to the ultraviolet absorber. Also described herein are polymers and ophthalmic lenses produced from the tri-functional compounds described herein.

Abstract: The invention relates to a soft hydrogel contact lens, especially a silicone hydrogel contact lens, which has a capability of delivering a hydrophobic comfort agent into the eye of a wearer. The hydrophobic comfort agent includes without limitation a monoglyceride, a diglyceride, a triglyceride, a glycolipid, a glyceroglycolipid, a sphingolipid, a sphingo-glycolipid, a phospholipid, a fatty acid, a fatty alcohol, a hydrocarbon having a C12-C28 chain in length, a mineral oil, a silicone oil, or a mixture thereof. It can be released from the soft hydrogel contact lens into the eye of a wearer when being worn so as to strengthen and stabilize the tear film lipid layer and alleviate the dryness of the eye.

Abstract: The invention provides an actinically-crosslinkable linear polysiloxane copolymer. The actinically-crosslinkable polysiloxane copolymer can be used to prepare a silicone hydrogel contact lens having a hydrophilic surface without post-curing surface treatment. The invention is also related to a silicone hydrogel contact lens obtained from a lens-forming material including an actinically-crosslinkable polysiloxane copolymer of the invention and to a method for making an actinically-crosslinkable polysiloxane copolymer of the invention. In addition, the invention provides a non-crosslinkable linear polysiloxane copolymer capable of being used as a internal wetting agent which can render the surface of a silicone hydrogel contact lens hydrophilic.

Abstract: Biomedical devices, such as ophthalmic lenses, and methods of making such devices having a surface coating including at least one polyionic layer. A preferred method involves spray coating a polycationic material onto a core lens, rinsing and drying the lens, followed by spray coating a polyanionic material, rinsing and drying. The coating process may be applied a plurality of times to achieve a multi-layer coating on the lens surface. A particularly preferred embodiment is a contact lens comprising a highly oxygen permeable hydrophobic core coated with a 5 to 20 bilayers of hydrophilic polyionic materials.