The invention provides a contact lens manufacturing method comprising a process for removing unprocessed molded silicone hydrogel contact lenses from mold halves in a relatively efficient and consistent manner. A method of the invention comprising the steps of formulating a lens formulation by dissolving/blending all polymerizable components in a mixture a hydrophobic acrylic monomer as a reactive diluent and an organic solvent as a non-reactive diluent at a weight ratio of least 0.24 (reactive diluent over the sum of reactive and non-reactive solvents) per gram of the polymerizable composition and using a relatively low ultrasonic vibration energy for delensing. This method of the invention can be easily implemented in a production environment for enhancing the production yield.

The invention provides a contact lens manufacturing method comprising a process for removing unprocessed molded silicone hydrogel contact lenses from mold halves in a relatively efficient and consistent manner. A method of the invention comprises the combination of using a hydrophilic (meth)acrylamido monomer as one of major polymerizable components in a lens formulation for cast-molding of contact lenses, adding a post-curing treatment step which involves heating molds with molded lenses therewithin in an oven at a post-curing temperature higher than the curing temperature and under nitrogen gas flow at a higher flow rate, and using ultrasonic vibration energy for delensing. This method of the invention can be easily implemented in a production environment for enhancing the production yield.

A method for manufacturing a silicone hydrogel contact lens is described that comprises curing a polymerizable composition comprising at least one siloxane monomer and at least one hydrophilic vinyl-containing monomer in a contact lens mold comprising a molding surface having a coating comprising a hydrophilic polymer. The hydrophilic coating is not solubilized by the polymerizable composition during the curing step. The resulting polymeric lens body is removed from the mold, washed to remove any of the hydrophilic polymer that may have transferred from the mold surface to the lens during the curing or lens removal process, and packaged to provide a silicone hydrogel contact lens having a contact angle that is lower than what it would otherwise be had the lens been cured in the same contact lens mold lacking the hydrophilic coating.

A body-mountable device may include a first polymer layer, a second polymer layer, and a structure that includes a sensor between the first and second polymer layers. Fabricating the body-mountable device may involve providing a respective surface layer on each of one or more molding pieces, forming a first polymer layer, positioning the structure on the first polymer layer and then forming, between molding pieces, the second polymer layer over the structure positioned on the first polymer layer. The surface layer of each molding piece may facilitate release of the polymer layer or fabricated body-mountable device without disruption to the embedded structure.

The invention provides a method for making silicone hydrogel contact lenses. The method of the invention is characterized by using an organic solvent as a processing-aid tool for controlling lens diameter without significantly affecting lens equilibrium water content during cast-molding of soft contact lenses from a polymerizable composition. By adjusting the weight percentage of the organic solvent in a polymerizable composition for making SiHy contact lenses, one can adjust lens diameter of produced SiHy lenses to meet target without affecting adversely the lens properties.

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.

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 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; bring 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.

Embodiments relate to a polymerizable composition comprising a phosphorus-based mold releasing agent for an optical use whose preparation process is improved, and a process for preparing the phosphorus-based mold releasing agent. The phosphorus-based mold releasing agents can be prepared more easily and conveniently by using phosphorous pentoxide, which can easily react with a monoalcohol and/or water at room temperature in the absence of a catalyst or a solvent. In addition, byproducts are not generated during the reaction. Thus, when a lens is produced by using the mold release agent obtained therefrom, it is possible to prevent a defective appearance of the lens that may be caused by byproducts, thereby further enhancing the appearance properties thereof. Further, since separate steps for removing byproducts, specifically, such steps as washing and filtration, are not required, wastewater is not generated. Thus, it is not only environmentally friendly, but the production cost can also be reduced as the process is simple.

A method for making an improved contact lens with the steps of providing a mold with a space between the top surface and a bottom surface, and positioning a mat in the space of the mold, providing a bead of liquid polymer of predetermined size at a predetermined location on the surface of the mat, pressing the bead of liquid polymer into the mat between the top surface and the bottom surface of the mold to form an optical zone framed by a mat peripheral zone, exposing the optical zone and the peripheral zone with U-V radiation to harden the optical zone into a composite improved contact lens, removing the cross-linked improved contact lens from the mold, processing the peripheral zone surrounding the optical zone to have a fenestration surface having holes, the holes being through holes with predetermined diameters selected to pass larger proteins, lipids, metabolites.