Abstract: A highly water-absorptive soft contact lens made of a copolymer comprising(A) 10 to 40 parts by weight of an acrylate or methacrylate polymer having a hydrophilic group and at least one polymerizable group in its molecule and(B) 90 to 60 parts by weight of a hydrophilic monomer selected from the group consisting of a N-vinyllactam, acrylamide, N-substituted acrylamide derivative, methacrylamide and N-substituted methacrylamide derivative;the total amount of the components (A) and (B) being 100 parts by weight. The soft contact lens has a high water content, excellent oxygen permeability, transparency and excellent physical properties.

Abstract: A highly water-absorptive optical material obtained by saponification for hydrophilic treatment of a copolymer composed essentially of:(A) from 2 to 30 parts by weight of a (meth)acrylate polymer having at least one polymerizable group per molecule on an average obtained by copolmerizing (a) at alkyl (meth)acrylate monomer and (b) a monomer having at least two polymerizable groups per molecule, as the main components, and(B) from 70 to 98% by weight of a fatty acid vinyl ester.

Abstract: This invention provides a detergent composition by which proteinaceous depositions can be easily removed from contact lenses in a short time, and a method for removing such depositions from the contact lenses. The detergent composition comprises an anionic or amidoamine-type ampholytic surfactant; and thiourea or a reductant.

Abstract: This invention provides a detergent composition by which proteinaceous depositions can be easily removed from contact lenses in a short time, and method for removing such depositions from the contact lenses. The detergent composition comprises (A) at least one glycosidase selected from the group consisting of amylase, cellulase, pectinase, hemicellulase, alginase, heparinase and dextranase; and (B) at least one activator selected from the group consisting of urea, thiourea, acid salts of guanidine, reductants, amino acids and salts thereof.

Abstract: An oxygen permeable soft contact lens material having an improved oxygen permeability, improved softness and transparency prepared by copolymerizing a mixture comprising(a) a polyorganoxiloxane having polymerizable groups containing an unsaturated bond and hydrophilic groups containing a hydroxyl group in the molecular side chains, each of said side chains having a polymerizable group and a hydrogroup, and(b) a monomer having silylated hydroxyl groups as main components, and subjecting the resulting copolymer to desilylation.

Abstract: An oxygen permeable hard contact lens having an improved oxygen permeability and an improved hardness and rigidity and an improved refractive index, made of a polymer comprising a styrene containing a silyl or siloxanyl group having at most 15 silicon atoms.

Abstract: A water-absorptive contact lens made of a copolymer consisting essentially of:(a) from about 50 to about 95 parts, by weight of the total monomer units, of hydrophilic monomer units consisting essentially of from about 25 to 100 parts, by weight of the total hydrophilic monomer units, of N-methyl-3-methylene-2-pyrrolidone represented by the formula: ##STR1## and from 0 to about 75 parts, by weight of the total hydrophilic monomer units, of N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone; and(b) from about 5 to about 50 parts, by weight of the total monomer units, of reinforcing monomer units consisting essentially of at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of alkyl acrylates, alkyl methacrylates, styrene, alkyl styrenes, benzyl acrylate and benzyl methacrylate.

Abstract: A soft contact lens made of a copolymer composed essentially of:(a) from about 30 to about 60 parts by weight of at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of long chain alkyl acrylates and methacrylates represented by the general formula: ##STR1## where R.sub.1 is a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, and R.sub.2 is a straight chained or branched alkyl group having from 5 to 18 carbon atoms;(b) from about 40 to about 70 parts by weight of at least one hydrophilic monomer selected from the group consisting of dimethylacrylamide, N-vinylpyrrolidone, a hydroxyalkyl acrylate and a hydroxyalkyl methacrylate; and(c) from about 0.05 to about 2.0 parts by weight of a cross-linking agent; and having a water content of from about 25 to about 50% by weight.

Abstract: A cleaning and storage composition for contact lens comprising an anionic surface active agent and a non-ionic surface active agent. The composition has synergistically increased cleaning effect and safety to eye tissue by the combination use of anionic and non-ionic surface active agents, and it is suitable for use in storing contact lenses as well as cleaning the lenses.

Abstract: A water-absorptive contact lens made of a copolymer comprising units of an ester of acrylic or methacrylic acid and at least one saccharide selected from D-galactose, D-glucose and D-mannose and units of at least one member selected from a hydrophilic monomer and a hydrophobic monomer, which has excellent oxygen permeability and affinity for the eye and can be worn continuously for a long period of time. The contact lens is prepared by polymerizing a monomer mixture containing an ester of acrylic or methacrylic acid with a ketalized saccharide and a hydrophilic monomer and/or a hydrophobic monomer, and after forming the resulting copolymer into a contact lens, if necessary, treating the copolymer having a shape of contact lens with an acid to convert the ketal groups into hydroxyl groups.

Abstract: A cleaning composition for contact lenses, comprises, as the major component, polypropyleneoxide-polyethyleneoxide block copolymers (Pluronic type) and/or condensation products of polypropyleneoxide-polyethyleneoxide block copolymers with ethylene diamine (Tetronic type), in which said major component is a mixture of those having an ethyleneoxide content of from 35 to 55% by weight and a molecular weight of from 1,500 to 10,000 and those having an ethyleneoxide content of from 70 to 90% by weight and a molecular weight of at least 4,000.

Abstract: An oxygen permeable hard contact lens having an improved oxygen permeability and an improved fragility as well as excellent hardness and rigidity, made of a copolymer comprising an organosilane or organosiloxane having in one molecule at least one group of the general formula (I): ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 is hydrogen atom or methyl group, k is 0 or 1, and l is 1 or 3,and having at most 16 silicon atoms, and a fluoroalkyl acrylate or methacrylate of the general formula (II): ##STR2## wherein R.sup.1 is as defined above, m is 0 or 1, n is 0 or an integer of 1 to 3, and R.sub.f is a straight or branched fluoroalkyl group having 2 to 21 fluorine atoms.

Abstract: A cleaning and preservative solution for contact lenses which contains as an effective ingredient a monoester of saccharose with a fatty acid having the general formula: ##STR1## wherein R is a saturated or unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbon group having 8 to 18 carbon atoms. The solution has excellent cleaning and preservative effects. Contact lenses can be cleaned during the preservation of the lenses with soaking them in the solution.

Abstract: A polymerization product suitable for contact lenses comprising (a) an organosiloxane monomer having the following general formula ##STR1## wherein n is an integer of 1 to 3, X is --(CH.sub.2).sub.p --O].sub.q in which p is an integer of 2 to 4 and q is 0 or an integer of 1 to 3, and Y.sup.1, Y.sup.2 and Y.sup.3 are methyl group or --O--Si--(CH.sub.3).sub.3, and (b) a hydrophobic methacrylic acid alkyl ester monomer. The polymerization product and cross-linked polymerization product have excellent oxygen permeability and proper hydrophilic property and are substantially water-nonabsorptive, and contact lenses made thereof can be comfortably worn continuously for a long period of time.

Abstract: A novel methacrylic acid ester derivative, methyldi(trimethylsiloxy)sylylpropylglycerol methacrylate which is availably employed as a main monomer for preparing copolymers useful as a material of contact lenses. The derivative has siloxane bond which contributes to increase of the oxygen permeability of its copolymers, and has hydrophilic hydroxyl group and ether bond by which the derivative is miscible with a hydrophilic monomer in all proportions and is easily copolymerizable therewith and colorless transparent copolymers are obtained.

Abstract: A copolymer suitable for use as contact lenses, comprising a polymerization product of (a) at least one monomer selected from methyldi(trimethylsiloxy)sylylpropylglycerol methacrylate and methyldi(trimethylsiloxy)sylylpropylglycerolethyl methacrylate, (b) a hydrophilic monomer, (c) a methacrylic acid alkyl ester and (d) a cross-linking agent having at least two copolymerizable functional groups. Contact lenses made of the above copolymer has excellent oxygen permeability and can be comfortably worn continuously for a long term without a foreign body sensation and pain.

Abstract: A copolymer suitable for use as soft contact lenses, comprising a polymerization product of (a) at least one monomer selected from methyldi(trimethylsiloxy)sylylpropylglycerol methacrylate and methyldi(trimethylsiloxy)sylylpropylglycerolethyl methacrylate, (b) a hydrophilic monomer and (c) a cross-linking agent having at least two copolymerizable functional groups. Soft contact lens made of the above copolymer has excellent oxygen permeability in spite of low water content and can be comfortably worn continuously for a long term without a foreign body sensation and pain.