Abstract: The invention provides a method for making silicone hydrogel contact lenses in a relatively efficient and consistent manner from a lens formulation (i.e., a polymerizable composition) including a thermal initiator having a 10-hour half-life temperature (T10h?) under a controlled thermal curing scheme. A method of the invention comprises a step of curing the lens formulation in an oven according to a thermal curing profile that comprises or consists essentially of increasing the oven's temperature from room temperature or a temperature that is at least about 5° C. lower than T10h? to a temperature that is at least 30° C. higher than T10h? at a selected rate (e.g., from about 1° C./minute to about 10° C./minute). Under such a controlled thermal curing scheme, the lens diameter of the fully-hydrated silicone hydrogel contact lenses obtained according to a method of the invention does not vary significantly with the positions of the molds in the oven.