Injection-compression molding apparatus and methods to form a lens in a mold insert by an injecting a polymer into an internal cavity of the mold insert until a pressure of the internal cavity exceeds a predetermined force value, the first mold side being fixed and the second mold side being moveable and configured to apply a force generating the internal cavity pressure. The method includes controlling a first temperature of the first mold side to be in a range of 4 degrees Fahrenheit to 10 degrees Fahrenheit greater than a second temperature of the second mold side and controlling a coining compression distance of the second mold side to be in a range of 0.008 inches to 0.018 inches.

A production line (PL) for the production of ophthalmic lenses (7) comprises a manufacturing module (MM), an inspection module (IM), and a packaging module (PP) in which the lenses identified by the inspection module (IM) as being acceptable are packed into primary packages.

The manufacturing module (MM) comprises a plurality of manufacturing stations (300, 301, 302, 310, 320, 321, 322, 330, 331, 340, 341, 342, 350, 351, 352). At least one of these manufacturing stations (310; 320, 321, 322, 330, 331) is configured to apply a lens identification code (70, 71, 72) to the respective lens. The lens identification code (70, 71, 72) includes information indicative of the type of the respective lens.

Either the inspection module (IM) or the packaging module (PP) includes a lens detection station (502, 604) configured to read the lens identification code (70, 71, 72) applied to the respective lens and to detect the type of the lens from the lens identification code (70, 71, 72) read from the respective lens in order to determine whether the type of lens detected actually is the type of lens which is expected to be detected by the lens detection station (502, 604) at that time.

A manufacturing module (MM) for contact lenses comprises a plurality of manufacturing stations (300, 301, 302, 310, 320, 321, 322, 330, 331, 340, 341, 342, 350, 351, 352) arranged in a closed loop and a plurality of lens mold carriers (1, 2) which are transported through the manufacturing stations. Each lens mold carrier (1, 2) comprises a frame (10, 20) having a predetermined number of mounting sites (100, 200) arranged along the frame. Each lens mold carrier (1, 2) further comprises a predetermined number of molds (112, 212) removably mounted to the frame (10, 20) at the mounting sites (100, 200), the molds being reusable male or female molds (212, 112). Two lens mold carriers (1, 2) are assigned to each other to form a pair, so that upon mating the pair of lens mold carriers (1, 2) the male and female molds (212, 112) are mated to form mold cavities defining the shape of the lenses. The manufacturing stations comprise a mold changing station (300, 301, 302) configured to be capable of removing a mold from its mounting site (100, 200) and mounting a different mold at the said mounting site (100, 200), or configured to change the rotational position of a mold (112, 212) mounted to the frame (10, 20), or both.

A modular production line for the production of contact lenses comprises at least three separate modules: a manufacturing module (MM), an inspection module (IM), and a packaging module (PP).

The modular production line further comprises fixedly arranged transfer interfaces between the individual modules (MM, IM, PP) for transferring the lenses from a preceding module to a subsequent module. The manufacturing module (MM) comprises a plurality of manufacturing stations (300, 301, 302, 310, 320, 321, 322, 330, 331, 340, 341, 342, 350, 351, 352) which are grouped to form a plurality of individual manufacturing units (30; 31; 32; 33; 34; 35) arranged in a closed loop. Reusable male and female molds (212, 112) are transported through the manufacturing stations of the manufacturing units, and each manufacturing unit (30; 31; 32; 33; 34; 35) comprises a plurality of the manufacturing stations (300, 301, 302, 310, 320, 321, 322, 330, 331, 340, 341, 342, 350, 351, 352). A plurality of transfer robots (36) is provided, each transfer robot (36) of the plurality of transfer robots (36) being arranged at a location between two manufacturing units (30; 31; 32; 33; 34; 35) to transfer the reusable molds from one manufacturing unit to the other manufacturing unit.

A method of removing a liquid from a container (1) for accommodating an ophthalmic contact lens, in particular a soft contact lens, during transporting the container (1) from a liquid bath (13) to a subsequent processing station (14), the method including the steps of: transporting the container (1) from the liquid bath to the subsequent processing station, generating suction (20), and applying the suction (20) to a bottom (11) of the container (1) during the step of transporting the container (1) from the liquid bath to the subsequent processing station, thereby removing the liquid from the container (1).

An optical device comprising a lens configured to be disposed in an eye. The lens is configured to contact a sclera of the eye and have a clearance above a cornea of the eye when disposed in the eye. The lens comprises a back surface that comprises at least one non-symmetrical feature that is configured to engage a corresponding feature on the eye. The lens is configured to be rotationally stable in use based on the at least one non-symmetrical feature on the back surface of the lens.

An optical device comprising a lens configured to be disposed in an eye. The lens is configured to contact a sclera of the eye and have a clearance above a cornea of the eye when disposed in the eye. The lens comprises a back surface that comprises at least one non-symmetrical feature that is configured to engage a corresponding feature on the eye. The lens is configured to be rotationally stable in use based on the at least one non-symmetrical feature on the back surface of the lens.

Techniques and mechanisms for fabrication of an eye mountable device. In an embodiment, an apparatus includes two curved lens portions and a flexible arm structure that extends between, and is anchored to, each of the two curved lens portions. The eye mountable device is formed at least in part by manipulation of the curved lens portions using the arm structure. Flexibility of the arm structure accommodates positioning of one curved lens portion to overlap the other curved lens portion. A lens of the eye mountable device is formed by the curved lens portions. In another embodiment, an enclosure formed by the lens has disposed therein an accommodation actuator.

A method of incorporating nanoparticles into a contact lens includes contacting the contact lens with a solvent sufficient to remove liquid from the contact lens and contacting the contact lens with colloidal nanoparticles sufficient to transfer nanoparticles from the colloidal nanoparticles to the contact lens.

A method for superposing a first ophthalmic lens having a first face and a second ophthalmic lens having a second face in order to build an optical assembly delimited by the first and second faces. The method includes detecting respective positions in space and shapes of the first and second ophthalmic lenses, by using at least one sensor, detecting a first reference point on the first ophthalmic lens and a second reference point on the second ophthalmic lens, based on these respective positions in space and shapes, and modifying the respective positions so as to superpose the first and second reference points.