Abstract: A method of providing a male mold half for molding a toric contact lens at a predetermined target rotational orientation is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of: —providing the male mold half at a predetermined rotational orientation, —picking the male mold half up with a gripper having a central axis, —rotating the gripper with the male mold half about the central axis of the gripper by a predetermined rotational angle (?) towards the predetermined target rotational orientation, and —releasing the rotated male mold half from the gripper. Prior to picking the male mold half up, the method comprises centering the grippe and the male mold half relative to each other such that the central axis of the gripper and a central axis of the male mold half coincide.

Abstract: To achieve molding insert is properly mounted to the tooling plate of the injection molding machine, a sensor head comprising confocal sensors is used. The sensor heads are placed on the tooling plate at the respective position to determine whether the desired mold insert has been mounted to that position and whether the desired mold insert has been precisely and accurately mounted to the tooling plate.

Abstract: An injection molding apparatus for manufacturing an ophthalmic lens mold having a front surface comprising a lens forming portion and a rear surface, comprises a first molding tool and a second molding tool. The first and second molding tools are movable towards and away from each other between a closed position and an open position. In the closed position the first mold forming portion of the first molding tool and the second mold forming portion of the second molding tool define a cavity between them corresponding in shape to the shape of the ophthalmic lens mold. The surface of the second mold forming portion, at least in a central zone thereof, has a surface roughness Sa in the range of 0.3 ?m to 2 ?m, and a surface roughness Sz in the range of 10 ?m to 50 ?m.

Abstract: A method for determining geometrical parameters of a soft contact lens comprises the steps of providing an OCT imaging device comprising an OCT light source; providing a soft contact lens arranging the soft contact lens relative to the OCT imaging device so light coming from the OCT light source impinges on the back surface of the soft contact lens; generating a three-dimensional OCT image of the soft contact lens; from the three-dimensional OCT image determining a plurality of edge points located on the edge of the soft contact lens, connecting adjacent ones of the edge points by individual straight lines; summing up the lengths of all individual straight lines to a length U of the approximated circumference of the soft contact lens; from the length U determining a diameter D of the lens according to D=U/?.

Abstract: A method for verifying whether a molding insert (1a, 1b) is accurately mounted to a tooling plate (2a, 2b) comprises the steps of: a) providing a confocal sensor (3a, 3b); b) arranging the confocal sensor (3a, 3b) such that a confocal sensor reference plane (32a, 32b) as well as a tooling plate reference plane (22a, 22b) are normal to a mounting axis (21a, 21b) of the tooling plate and spaced from each other by a predetermined first distance (d1, e1); c) measuring a second distance (d2, e2) between the confocal sensor reference plane (32a, 32b) and a central impingement location (11a, 11b) on a molding surface (12a, 12b) of the molding insert (1a, 1b); d) based on the measured second distance (d2, e2) as well as based on the predetermined first distance (d1, e1), determining a third distance (d3, e3) of the central impingement location (11a, 11b) relative to the tooling plate reference plane (22a, 22b); e) comparing the third distance (d3, e3) with a predetermined target distance, and f) determining that the

Abstract: A method of providing a male mold half (1) for molding a toric contact lens at a predetermined target rotational orientation is disclosed. The male mold half comprises a front face (10) having a toric convex lens-forming surface (100) and a rear face (11) The method comprises the steps of: providing the male mold half (1) at a predetermined rotational orientation (PROM), picking the male mold half (1) up with a gripper (5) having a central axis (55), rotating the gripper (5) with the male mold half (1) about the central axis (55) of the gripper (5) by a predetermined rotational angle (?) towards the predetermined target rotational orientation (TROM), and releasing the rotated male mold half (1) from the gripper (5). Prior to picking the male mold half (1) up, the method comprises centering the gripper (5) and the male mold half (1) relative to each other such that the central axis (55) of the gripper and a central axis (113) of the male mold (1) half coincide.

Abstract: A method for determining geometrical parameters of a soft contact lens comprises the steps of providing an OCT imaging device comprising an OCT light source; providing a soft contact lens arranging the soft contact lens relative to the OCT imaging device so light coming from the OCT light source impinges on the back surface of the soft contact lens; generating a three-dimensional OCT image of the soft contact lens; from the three-dimensional OCT image determining a plurality of edge points located on the edge of the soft contact lens, connecting adjacent ones of the edge points by individual straight lines; summing up the lengths of all individual straight lines to a length U of the approximated circumference of the soft contact lens; from the length U determining a diameter D of the lens according to D=U/?.

Abstract: A method for determining whether or not a single use mold is acceptable, comprises providing a closed lens mold (1) comprising two lens mold halves, and having a first and a second optical lens molding surface forming a molding cavity (15) and defining a molding cavity thickness therebetween, providing at least one interferometer (3), each having at least one thickness measurement beam (31), providing a lens mold holder (2), positioning the lens mold (1) such that the thickness measurement beam (31) of the interferometer (3) impinges on the lens mold (1) for measurement of the distance between the two molding surfaces surrounding the molding cavity (15), measuring the thickness profile of the molding cavity (15) with the interferometer (3) on at least three positions of the molding cavity (15) of the lens mold (1), comparing the measured thickness profile with a predetermined thickness profile to determine whether or not the lens mold (1) is acceptable.

Abstract: Method for determining the refractive index (n) of a material of a contact lens, in particular of a soft contact lens, the contact lens (1) having a first surface and a second surface defining a lens geometry there between, by measuring the wavefront issued by the contact lens (1) with a wavefront sensor (4), obtaining data of the geometry of at least one section of the contact lens (1) with an optical coherence tomography system (3) and communicating the geometry of the at least one section of the contact lens (1) from the optical coherence tomography system (3) to an analyzer, particularly a computer, and determining the refractive index (n) of the material of the contact lens from the geometry of the at least one section of the contact lens and from the wavefront issued by the contact lens (1).

Abstract: An injection molding apparatus for manufacturing an ophthalmic lens mold having a front surface comprising a lens forming portion and a rear surface, comprises a first molding tool and a second molding tool. The first and second molding tools are movable towards and away from each other between a closed position and an open position. In the closed position the first mold forming portion of the first molding tool and the second mold forming portion of the second molding tool define a cavity between them corresponding in shape to the shape of the ophthalmic lens mold. The surface of the second mold forming portion, at least in a central zone thereof, has a surface roughness Sa in the range of 0.3 ?m to 2 ?m, and a surface roughness Sz in the range of 10 ?m to 50 ?m.

Abstract: Method for determining the refractive index (n) of a material of a contact lens, in particular of a soft contact lens, the contact lens (1) having a first surface and a second surface defining a lens geometry there between, by measuring the wavefront issued by the contact lens (1) with a wavefront sensor (4), obtaining data of the geometry of at least one section of the contact lens (1) with an optical coherence tomography system (3) and communicating the geometry of the at least one section of the contact lens (1) from the optical coherence tomography system (3) to an analyzer, particularly a computer, and determining the refractive index (n) of the material of the contact lens from the geometry of the at least one section of the contact lens and from the wavefront issued by the contact lens (1).

Abstract: A method for determining whether or not a single use mold is acceptable, comprises providing a closed lens mold (1) comprising two lens mold halves, and having a first and a second optical lens molding surface forming a molding cavity (15) and defining a molding cavity thickness therebetween, providing at least one interferometer (3), each having at least one thickness measurement beam (31), providing a lens mold holder (2), positioning the lens mold (1) such that the thickness measurement beam (31) of the interferometer (3) impinges on the lens mold (1) for measurement of the distance between the two molding surfaces surrounding the molding cavity (15), measuring the thickness profile of the molding cavity (15) with the interferometer (3) on at least three positions of the molding cavity (15) of the lens mold (1), comparing the measured thickness profile with a predetermined thickness profile to determine whether or not the lens mold (1) is acceptable.

Abstract: A method for inspecting an ophthalmic lens, such as a contact lens, using Optical Coherence Tomography. The method includes illuminating a sample volume including the lens with a sample light beam which is provided from a light source having a power of at least 2 mW at a wavelength of 1040 nm to 1080 nm and which does not exceed 5 W. In carrying out the method an ophthalmic lens is inspected which has been manufactured such that it comprises scattering centers embedded in and/or on an anterior surface and in and/or on a posterior surface thereof, respectively, and/or distributed throughout a bulk material being delimited by the anterior surface and the posterior surface of the ophthalmic lens. An interference pattern resulting from a superposition of back-scattered light from the sample volume including the ophthalmic lens and a reference light beam provided from the light source may then be analyzed and evaluated.

Abstract: A method for inspecting an ophthalmic lens, such as a contact lens, using Optical Coherence Tomography. The method includes illuminating a sample volume including the lens with a sample light beam which is provided from a light source having a power of at least 2 mW at a wavelength of 1040 nm to 1080 nm and which does not exceed 5 W. In carrying out the method an ophthalmic lens is inspected which has been manufactured such that it comprises scattering centers embedded in and/or on an anterior surface and in and/or on a posterior surface thereof, respectively, and/or distributed throughout a bulk material being delimited by the anterior surface and the posterior surface of the ophthalmic lens. An interference pattern resulting from a superposition of back-scattered light from the sample volume including the ophthalmic lens and a reference light beam provided from the light source may then be analyzed and evaluated.

Abstract: Contact lenses often comprise a coating containing water so as to enhance comfort when being worn on the eye. The present invention is useful to determine the water content of the coating of a contact lens. To determine the water content of the coating, the lens having the coating to be measured is arranged under water. The reflectivity of the surface of the lens is then determined with the aid of a Chromatic sensor system.

Abstract: A method for determining residual moisture on and/or within a lens forming surface of a mold half includes the steps of carrying out an infrared inspection of at least a central portion of the lens forming surface of the mold half with the aid of an infrared camera, collecting measurement values resulting from the infrared inspection, which represent a degree of residual moisture on and/or within the lens forming surface, comparing the collected measurement values with a predefined threshold value representing a maximum tolerable residual moisture on and/or within a lens forming surface of a reference mold half, and, upon detection of an exceedance of the predefined threshold value representing the maximum tolerable residual moisture, preventing the inspected mold half from being used further.

Abstract: There is described a method for characterizing an ophthalmic lens, in particular a contact lens, having a front surface and a back surface, which method comprises the steps of: immersing the ophthalmic lens in a fluid selected from the group consisting of water, lacrimal fluid, tear-like fluid, and mixtures thereof, and with the aid of a chromatic sensor system: determining a transition from the fluid to the front surface or to the back surface of the ophthalmic lens to identify the location of the front surface or back surface of the ophthalmic lens, by illuminating at least one segment of the front surface or the back surface of the ophthalmic lens with incident white light; directing light reflected from the at least one segment of the front surface or of the back surface of the ophthalmic lens to a spectrometer; determining a dominant wavelength of the reflected light, which corresponds to the transition from the fluid to the at least one segment of the front surface or the back surface of the ophth

Abstract: A method for avoiding the entrapment of air bubbles (5) in a lens forming material (4), in particular in a low viscosity lens forming material, in an ophthalmic lens manufacturing process using mold halves (2, 3) each having a lens forming surface (21, 31) comprises electrostatically charging (60) a lens forming surface (21, 31) of the mold half (2, 3) prior to the lens forming surface (21, 31) coming into contact with the lens forming material (4).