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 system and a method of cast molding toric contact lenses permits aligning first and second mold sections at multiple rotational positions. Each mold section includes a set of alignment features that engage with complementary alignment features on the other mold section.

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.

Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method and apparatus for forming an ophthalmic lens. An exemplary method includes providing a plurality of posterior tools each having a posterior optic defining surface and a plurality of anterior tools each having an anterior optic defining surface, wherein each one of the plurality of posterior tools has a different central posterior optic defining surface including a unique conic section. The method further includes selecting one of the plurality of posterior tools and one of the plurality of anterior tools based on a criteria, and forming a posterior mold by the selected one of the plurality of posterior tools and an anterior mold by the selected one of the plurality of anterior tools, the posterior mold and the anterior mold operable to form an ophthalmic lens having the criteria.

Method and apparatus of manufacturing a toric contact lens comprising providing a toric insert (12) without an orientation mark to be used in forming a toric contact lens mold section; placing the toric insert without an orientation mark in an orientation mark fixture (10) comprising a single piece fixture housing (20) structured to hold a toric insert at an angle specified for an orientation mark, the fixture housing having intersecting surfaces (36, 40) which form a generally V-shaped region on which the toric insert is located, the generally V-shaped region contacting the toric insert at two different contact points, lines or areas; fixing the toric insert without an orientation mark to the orientation mark fixture; forming an orientation mark on the toric insert fixed to the orientation mark fixture; using the toric insert with the orientation mark to form a toric contact lens mold section; and using the toric contact lens mold section to form a toric contact lens.

A method of forming a mold insert used to produce an intraocular lens (IOL) mold is disclosed herein. The method includes providing stock material and cutting the stock material, which includes multiple cutting steps. The cutting steps are performed on transitional regions of supporting portions of the mold insert. Peripheral surfaces of the mold insert have varying roughness values, and supporting portions of the mold insert have a greater roughness than the optical portion of the mold insert. An IOL is also disclosed herein that is formed using an IOL mold that is injection molded using the mold insert. A method of forming the IOL is also disclosed herein.