Process for making soft contact and intraocular lenses with an esterifiable carboxyl-containing polymer
US4668446A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 27, 1985 |
| Grant date | May 26, 1987 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 27, 2005 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S525/937
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A process of making soft lenses from an esterifiable, partially cross-linked carboxyl-containing polymer, and a method of attaching a haptic to a swellable intraocular lens. The soft contact lenses are made by first forming a lens button from a hard polymer containing .alpha.,.beta.-ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid such as acrylic or methacrylic acid and 0.1-10 mols per 100 mols of monomer of a divinyl cross-linking agent such as 1,4-butanediol dimethacrylate. The hard lens button is then esterified by contact with an alcohol having up to 15 carbon atoms such as n-butanol under esterifying conditions in the substantial absence of water while simultaneously removing water of reaction. Unreacted alcohol may be removed by solvent exchange with a lower molecular weight alcohol and/or drying. In the haptic attachment method, a lens is formed from a polymer and a peripheral bore is formed in the lens; the lens is swollen with an organic fluid such as ethanol and an enlarged end of a haptic is inserted in the peripheral bore; and the organic fluid is then removed from the lens so that the haptic is secured to the lens by contraction of the peripheral bore about the enlarged secti…
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