Provided is a method for preparing a polymeric article including introducing a polymerizable composition into a mold; sealing the composition within the mold using a sealing means; placing the mold into a convection cure oven; subjecting the polymerizable composition to a cure cycle sufficient to partially cure the composition; extracting the mold from the convection cure oven; optionally, removing the sealing means from the mold; placing the mold into an auxiliary curing chamber which is placed into the convection cure oven, or placing the mold into an auxiliary curing chamber which is within the convection cure oven; subjecting the polymerizable composition to a further cure cycle to complete polymerization of the composition, thereby forming a cured polymeric article; and removing the cured polymeric article from the mold.

The present invention generally relates to a method for producing silicone hydrogel contact lenses having less optical defects or free of optical defects by subjecting the extraction tray for the formed silicone hydrogel contact lenses to a reciprocating lowering and raising motion thereof to obtain the silicone hydrogel contact lenses.

An apparatus useful for rapidly producing at least one object having a contoured surface portion from a light-polymerizable resin is provided. The apparatus includes (a) a window containing an inhibitor of polymerization, on which window a coating of light polymerizable resin can be placed, with the inhibitor of polymerization forming a first dead zone of unpolymerizable resin in the light polymerizable resin; (b) a polymerizing light source operatively associated with the window and positioned for projecting polymerizing light through the window; (c) a controller operatively associated with said light source and configured to pattern and project said polymerizing light at a first light dosage sufficient to form the object in the resin under stationary conditions, while spatially modulating the first light dosage so that the first dead zone is spatially contoured in thickness, to produce a first contoured surface portion on each object, which first contoured surface portion is in contact with the first dead zone of unpolymerizable resin.

A water extractable ophthalmic device is disclosed which is a polymerization product of a monomeric mixture comprising: (a) one or more cyclic lactams; (b) one or more non-bulky organosilicon-containing monomers; (c) one or more bulky siloxane monomers; and (d) a crosslinking agent mixture comprising (i) one or more first crosslinking agents containing at least two ethylenically unsaturated reactive end groups, wherein the at least two ethylenically unsaturated reactive end groups are (meth)acrylate-containing reactive end groups and (ii) one or more second crosslinking agents containing at least two ethylenically unsaturated reactive end groups wherein at least one of the ethylenically unsaturated reactive end groups is a non-(meth)acrylate reactive end group. The water extractable ophthalmic device has an equilibrium water content of at least about 50 wt. %, a contact angle of less than about 50°, and an oxygen permeability of at least about 60 Barrers.

A UV (ultraviolet) curing apparatus for a contact-lens polymerization process is provided. A UV curing module is equipped for the mold cavities of contact-lens curing molds, including a plurality of first UV light sources arranged above the mold cavities and a plurality of second UV light sources arranged below the mold cavities. A plurality of first light output areas of a first light guide device guides the light beams emitted by the first UV light sources to illuminate upper light receiving surfaces of the molds. A plurality of second light output areas of a second light guide device guides the light beams emitted by the second UV light sources to illuminate lower light receiving surfaces of the molds. Thereby, the contact-lens polymer inside the molds is uniformly cured, and the yield is raised.

A UV (ultraviolet) curing apparatus for a contact-lens polymerization process is provided. A UV curing module is equipped for the mold cavities of contact-lens curing molds, including a plurality of first UV light sources arranged above the mold cavities and a plurality of second UV light sources arranged below the mold cavities. A plurality of light output areas of a first light guide device guides the light beams emitted by the first UV light sources to illuminate upper light receiving surfaces of the molds. A plurality of reflecting plates of a second light guide device reflects and scatters the light beams emitted by the second UV light sources to lower light receiving surfaces of the molds. Thereby, the contact-lens polymer inside the molds is uniformly cured, and the yield is raised.

Described herein is a method for producing a contact lens comprising a central zone that has a diameter of about 13 mm or less, is concentric with the central axis of the contact lens, and possesses at least one photo functionality. The method comprises: applying a first polymerizable fluid composition containing at least one photochemically functional compound on a central portion of the molding surface of a female mold half to form a circular layer; partially curing, in situ, the circular layer in the female mold half; dispensing a second polymerizable fluid composition over the partially-cured circular layer on the molding surface of the female mold half; and a step of curing the second polymerizable fluid composition and the partially-cured circular layer immersed therein in the mold cavity formed between the the molding surfaces of the female mold half and a male mold half.

Described herein is a method for producing a contact lens comprising a central photochromic zone that has a diameter of about 13 mm or less and is concentric with the central axis of the contact lens. The method comprises: applying a first polymerizable fluid composition containing at least one photochromic compound on a central portion of the molding surface of a female mold half to form a circular layer; partially photocuring, in situ, the circular layer in the female mold half by using a visible light; dispensing a second polymerizable fluid composition over the partially-cured circular layer on the molding surface of the female mold half; and a step of thermally curing the second polymerizable fluid composition and the partially-cured circular layer immersed therein in the mold cavity formed between the the molding surfaces of the female mold half and a male mold half.

Described herein is a colored hydrogel contact lens, comprising: a hydrogel material; at least one cosmetic colored film; wherein the cosmetic colored film is made of a thermal plastic material or thermal setting material and is surrounded by the hydrogel material, wherein the colored hydrogel contact lens is capable of absorbing from about 10% to about 75% by weight of water when being fully hydrated, wherein the contact lens has an anterior surface and an opposite posterior surface and a circumferential edge where the anterior and posterior surfaces are tapered off, wherein the contact lens comprises a central optical zone, a peripheral zone surrounding the central optical zone, and an edge zone surrounding the peripheral zone.

According to some aspects, this application provides devices and methods for treating cystinosis in a patient. Removable intra-ocular devices and contact lenses containing cystine-sequestering materials effective for uptake of cystine from the eyes of a patient having cystinosis are provided. Methods of making the cystine-sequestering contact lenses are also provided.