A method of producing an optical device from a volume of a curable composition, includes the following steps: —polymerizing a first portion of the volume by irradiating an external surface of the volume with a light irradiation, thereby increasing a transmittance of the first portion for the light irradiation; —polymerizing a second portion of the volume by irradiating the second portion with the light irradiation through the external surface and the polymerized first portion, wherein the light irradiation has a light intensity varying over the external surface between a first light intensity and a second light intensity distinct from the second light intensity. A corresponding system is also described.

An ophthalmic substrate conveyor and method of conveying ophthalmic substrates for vacuum deposition utilizes gravity and impulse action energy to convey an ophthalmic substrate to an adjacent vacuum deposition machine, for coating the ophthalmic substrate with an ophthalmic substance through physical vapor deposition. The conveyor provides a spring-loaded lens wheel that selectively retains the ophthalmic substrate during coating. The lens wheel rides a pair of inclined rails, urged by gravity, to a vacuum deposition machine that coats HEV absorbing material onto ophthalmic substrate. An escapement mechanism subassembly transfers impulse action energy to the lens wheel to regulate the speed and direction of the lens wheel across the inclined rails. A rotation servomechanism senses and rotates the lens wheel to the desired orientation during coating. A ring spreader actuator engages springs in the lens wheel to clamp and release the ophthalmic substrate. A control unit regulates servomechanism and ring spreader actuator.

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.

Provided is a method for forming an ophthalmic lens as well as a lens formed by such method. The method includes the curing of a reactive monomer mixture within a mold assembly under conditions to permit incorporation of functional features into selective portions of the ophthalmic lens.

A molded contact lens comprising a stiffer optic zone relative to the peripheral zone of the contact lens provides an optical element for correcting astigmatism without the need for or substantially minimizing the need for the correction of rotational misalignment. The higher elastic modulus optic zone vaults over the cornea thereby allowing a tear lens to form. The tear lens follows or assumes the shape of the back surface of the contact lens. The combination of the tear lens and the optical zone provide an optical element for correction of refractive error.

Apparatuses and methods for multistage molding of contact lenses containing low oxygen permeable components or oxygen impermeable components. Components may be embedded within a contact lens by forming a device on a polymer substrate, molding a spacer onto a male mold, bonding the device to the spacer, removing the polymer substrate, and molding the remainder of the contact lens.

The present invention provides methods for forming an ophthalmic lens that can include a media insert and/or electronic components. In particular, the present disclosure provides for adhesion promoting functionalization steps for a biocompatible coating to bind a hydrogel material to a plastic surface or electronic component prior to the polymerization of the hydrogel. In some aspects, the media insert can be used to contain energy sources and/or functional electronic components which may be, for example, in a stacked integrated component configuration to permit a generally arcuate shape that can conform to the anterior surface of an eye.

Apparatuses and methods for multistage molding of contact lenses containing low oxygen permeable components or oxygen impermeable components. Components may be embedded within a contact lens by forming a device on a polymer substrate, molding a spacer onto a male mold, bonding the device to the spacer, removing the polymer substrate, and molding the remainder of the contact lens.

This invention discloses apparatus for generating an ophthalmic lens with at least a portion of one surface free-formed from a Reactive Mixture. In some embodiments, an ophthalmic lens is formed on a substrate with an arcuate optical quality surface via a source of actinic radiation controllable to cure a definable portion of a volume of Reactive Mixture.

Provided is a method for manufacturing photoabsorbing contact lenses and photoabsorbing contact lenses produced thereby. The method comprises: (a) providing a mold assembly comprised of a base curve and a front curve, the base curve and the front curve defining and enclosing a cavity therebetween, the cavity containing a reactive mixture, wherein the reactive mixture comprises at least one polymerizable monomer, a photoinitiator which absorbs at an activating wavelength, and a photoabsorbing compound which displays absorption at the activating wavelength; and (b) curing the reactive mixture to form the photoabsorbing contact lens by exposing the reactive mixture to radiation that includes the activating wavelength, wherein the radiation is directed at both the base curve and the front curve of the mold assembly, and wherein the radiation's radiant energy at the base curve is greater than the radiation's radiant energy at the front curve.