Abstract: A low water contact lens material having high O.sub.2 permeability, a lower water content and reduced polymer matrix size provides adequate O.sub.2 to the cornea, but does not wick water away from the eye nor allow protein or other tear components to penetrate and deposit in the lens. Such a lens is made by polymerizing and crosslinking a prepolymer which contains a cyclic polyol with polyalkylether segments containing curable segments. The cyclic polyols consist of alkoxylated glucose or sucrose which are then reacted with an isocyanate to produce an ultraviolet curable prepolymer. The prepolymer is then placed in a mold and polymerized by exposure to ultraviolet light. The free hydroxyl groups of the material react with a highly hydrophilic reagent to form covalent bonds thus making the surface of the material more wettable.

Abstract: An improved method is disclosed of imparting a tint or color to a soft, hydrogel contact lens by uniformly dispersing a dye throughout the lens. The dye is composed of a water-soluble compound essentially free of ethylenic unsaturation. A homogeneous solution of the dye in a hydrophilic monomer is prepared, the solution is subjected to polymerization conditions to yield a hydrophilic polymer from which the lens is formed, and the dye dispersed within the polymer is bonded to the polymer by contact with aqueous base prior to final hydration.The finished lens does not require soaking in an aqueous solution of the dye to impart the desired tint or color to the lens. Additionally, the dye uniformly dispersed throughout the lens according to the improved method does not leach out of the lens or migrate within the lens.

Abstract: A polymer composition composed of the reaction product of a hydrophilic monomer and an acyclic monomer is disclosed. The preferred hydrophilic monomer is hydroxyethyl methacrylamide (HMA), and the preferred acyclic monomer is hydroxyoctyl methacrylate (HOMA). The monomeric components can be polymerized in a polystyrene mold to make contact lenses, and when swollen with water, are suitable for use as soft hydrogel contact lenses.The preferred compositions also include a zwitterionic monomer, such as a sulfobetaine, and a crosslinking agent, such as ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA).Hydrogel contact lenses made from these polymers exhibit high water content and mechanical strength, and are compatible with polystyrene molds.

Abstract: Male and female members for contact lenses where either member is able to hold the contact lens as it moves from station to station during the hydration process. The female member fits together with the male member forming a chamber. Each of the members contains a line centrally located so that both surfaces of the contact lens are flushed during the hydration process, and drainage takes place radially on the outside of the mated male and female chamber members. These members may be produced on a frame with a plurality of members, usually eight to a frame, to allow ease of processing. Full automation is possible, and complete and positive lens control during any step of the process through the packaging step is achieved.

Abstract: A container for a number of sealed packages for individual contact lenses which can hold the individual packages during shipment and storage. The container provides tamper-resistant and tamper-evident features.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for the accurate, ongoing filling of prescriptions for disposable contact lenses. In a preferred system, a central ordering/inventory computer is associated with satellite PCs at which attending eye care professionals can place orders. In preferred methods, periodic serial to batcxh mode conversions merge new orders, standing orders, order changes, as well as other updates and deletions. Patient history files allow maintenance of data bases for the eye care professionals as well as for the manufacturer of lenses.

Abstract: Shaped hydrogel articles such as soft contact lenses are prepared by (1) molding or casting a polymerization mixture comprising: (a) a monomer mixture comprising a major proportion of a hydrophilic (meth)acrylate ester such as 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, and a cross-linking monomer; and (b) a water-displaceable diluent, wherein said diluent has a viscosity of at least 100 MPa Sec at 30.degree. C., and wherein said diluent consists essentially of a boric acid ester of certain dihydric alcohols, said dihydric alcohols having Hansen polar (.delta..sub.p) and Hansen hydrogen bonding (.delta..sub.h) cohesion parameters falling within the area of a circle defined as having a center at .delta..sub.h =20.5, .delta..sub.p =13, and a radius of 8.5, to produce a shaped gel of a coploymer of said monomers and said diluent, and (2) thereafter replacing said diluent with water.

Abstract: A container for a number of sealed packages for individual contact lenses. The individual lenses are packed in a sealed container in water and must be steam sterilized. Each individual package is stacked in the container of this invention during sterilization and drains are provided in the container for excess water resulting from the sterilization process. When sterilization is completed the container may be closed and sealed. The container has tamper resistant and tamper evident features.

Abstract: A molded blister package for storing and dispensing a hydrophilic contact lens comprises a base portion which includes a cavity surrounded by a outstanding flange, and a cover sheet sealed to the flange to enclose the cavity. A portion of the side wall of the cavity is inclined to form a ramp to the flange. The cover sheet may be stripped from the flange to expose the cavity and inclined side wall whereupon the lens is readily removed by sliding up and out of the cavity along the inclined surface.

Abstract: A method for forming shaped hydrogel articles such as soft contact lenses wherein hydrophilic monomers are mixed with an inert diluent prior to polymerization, and the diluent is replaced with water following the polymerization. Diluents yielding optically clear hydrogels with good mechanical properties are selected on the basis of their viscosity and their Hanson cohesion parameters relative to the cohesion parameters of the polymeric component of the hydrogel.

Abstract: A soft contact lens, particularly a multifocal or toric lens having prism ballast for lens orientation, is provided with a channel in the back surface of the lens circumscribing the optical zone of the lens to impart flexibility to the peripheral area of the lens and to provide for improved tear distribution. Optionally, the channel may be included in the front surface of the lens to impart flexibility to the peripheral area of the lens without affecting tear distribution. Advantages of the channel are particularly evident in flexibility of multifocal lenses which have significant vertical translation between the near and distance vision modes.

Abstract: A soft toric contact lens having spherocylindrical power for correcting astigmatism in humans and utilizing a prism ballast as a means of maintaining correct axial orientation. The degree of prism is greater than about 0.5 diopter, and the peripheral outer surface of the lens is tapered off to a relatively thin edge of constant thickness over a substantial portion of the ballast area.

Abstract: A soft, multifocal contact lens of the segmented type intended to translate vertically between the near-vision and distance-vision modes, characterized in that the superior portion of the lens is equiangularly truncated from points on either side of the vertical axis at the apex of the lens to points on each respective side proximal the horizontal axis of the lens.