Polymers and hard, gas-permeable contact lenses made therefrom

US5196493A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Ciba-Geigy · US

Inventors

• Erich Gruber · Steyr, AT
• Horst Schafer · Aschaffenburg, DE
• Bernhard Seiferling · Goldbach, DE
• Harro M. von der Haegen · Laufach, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 25, 1991
• Grant date: Mar 23, 1993
• Expiry date: Apr 25, 2011

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C08F290/068
• WIPO field: Macromolecular chemistry, polymers
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

The present invention relates to novel polymers, to processes for the preparation thereof, to contact lenses consisting substantially of those polymers and to processes for the manufacture thereof and to the use of the novel polymers for the manufacture of contact lenses. The polymers according to the invention are especially the copolymerisation products of monomer mixtures comprising the following monomers: PA0 a) 20-60% siloxane monovinyl component PA0 b) 1-25% siloxane oligovinyl component PA0 c) 10-55% fluorine-containing vinyl component PA0 d) 3-30% hydrophobic vinyl component having a bulky hydrocarbon radical, PA0 e) 0-10% hydrophilic vinyl component PA0 f) 0-15% additional cross-linking vinyl component. The novel polymers and the contact lenses made therefrom are distinguished by a high degree of hardness while at the same time being highly permeable to oxygen.