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.

The invention provides a method producing contact lenses, including the step of: holding the molded silicone hydrogel contact lens attached to the one of the female mold half or the male mold half with a vacuum supplied with a suction cup; deforming a surface of the one of the female mold half or the male mold half having the molded silicone hydrogel contact lens attached to with a pin so as to separate the molded silicone hydrogel contact lens from the mold half attached to and to transfer the molded silicone hydrogel contact lens to the suction cup; moving the suction cup away from the pin while the suction cup continues to hold the molded silicone hydrogel contact lens remains; applying a compressed gas to blow the molded silicone hydrogel contact lens away from the suction cup into a container.

In the method and the apparatus for releasing a molded article from a mold according to the embodiments, the lateral of the molded article in the mold is pressed, so that it is possible to minimize the damage of the mold and the molded article at the time of the release, while the amount of a mold release agent used is minimized.

A machine for disassembling a lens mold assembly including a first mold part, a second mold part, and a molded-lens sandwiched therebetween. The machine includes a centering unit to center the lens mold assembly. The machine includes a disassembling module having a mold engagement mechanism to engage the first and second mold parts to clamp and move the lens mold assembly. The disassembling module includes a molded-lens holder mechanism having at least two clamping members to clamp the molded-lens of the lens mold assembly. The machine includes an alignment guidance module to detect relative positions between the molded lens of the lens mold assembly and the molded-lens holder mechanism to align the molded lens for clamping by the molded-lens holder mechanism. The mold engagement mechanism is configured to hold the first and second mold parts individually and to separate the first and second mold parts from the molded lens.

A smart contact lens includes a contact lens, a nanostructures layer, a first sensor, a connector, and a smart module. The nanostructures layer may be anti-bacterial. The smart contact lens may be worn on an eye or may be implanted within an eye. The nanostructures layer is fabricated by depositing a colloidal dispersion onto an electrostatically-coated substrate. The colloidal dispersion is then removed and nanoholes are etched. The electrostatic coating is removed and a biocompatible material is spin-coated onto the substrate. Upon removal, a quasi-randomly distributed nanostructures layer forms.

The invention provides a method producing contact lenses, comprising the step of: separating the mold into the male and female mold halves, with the silicone hydrogel contact lens adhered on one of the male and female mold halves; cooling the lens-adhere mold half with the molded silicone hydrogel contact lens adhered thereon; bringing a shaped ultrasonic horn in direct contact with at least one area of a non-optical surface of the female mold half or the male mold half having the molded silicone hydrogel contact lens attached thereon; and applying a ultrasonic vibrational energy to the at least one area of the non-optical surface of the female mold half or the male mold half having the molded silicone hydrogel contact lens attached thereon so as to separate the molded silicone hydrogel contact lens from the mold half attached thereon.

The invention provides a method producing contact lenses, comprising the step of: separating the mold into the male and female mold halves, with the silicone hydrogel contact lens adhered on one of the male and female mold halves; cooling the lens-adhere mold half with the molded silicone hydrogel contact lens adhered thereon; bringing a shaped ultrasonic horn in direct contact with at least one area of a non-optical surface of the female mold half or the male mold half having the molded silicone hydrogel contact lens attached thereon; and applying a ultrasonic vibrational energy to the at least one area of the non-optical surface of the female mold half or the male mold half having the molded silicone hydrogel contact lens attached thereon so as to separate the molded silicone hydrogel contact lens from the mold half attached thereon.

The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a contact lens including the steps of: (i) adding reactive components to a mold, wherein the reactive components comprise (a) at least one hydroxy-containing silicone component having a weight average molecular weight from about 200 to about 15,000 g/mole and (b) at least one mono-ether terminated, mono-methacrylate terminated polyethylene glycol having a weight average molecular weight from about 200 to about 10,000 g/mole; (ii) curing the reactive components within the mold to form the contact lens; and (iii) removing the contact lens from said mold.

The present invention relates to a siloxane monomer used in the production of a silicone hydrogel lens, a composition for the preparation of a lens containing the same, and a silicone hydrogel lens prepared from the same, wherein the silicone hydrogel lens according to the present invention has a feature of easy release from a component of a mold.