Apparatus and method for the production of ophthalmic lenses
View Patent ↗An apparatus and method for the production of ophthalmic lenses, and particularly contact lenses, which minimizes damage of the lens in removal from the mold. The ophthalmic lens is produced in a mold having a male part and a female part that are placed in proximate relation to each other to create a lens-forming cavity. At least the female surface of the female part mold is preferably coated with plasma and is irradiated for a predetermined time such that the female surface and/or surface coating is at least partially cured. Once the female surface, and alternately the male surface and other surfaces of the mold, is at least partially cured, a curable lens-forming material is placed into the lens-forming cavity and cured to form an ophthalmic lens.
1. An article, comprising:
a reusable plastic mould for producing an ophthalmic lens having a male part and a female part, the male part having a male surface and the female part having a female surface, wherein either the male surface, the female surface or both surfaces are treated to have a water contact angle of less than 60 degrees but greater than 0 degrees, and wherein the female surface, the male surface or both are coated with polyethylene amine, and polyethylene amine /PAAm, NH 2 -polyvinylalcohol.
2. The article of claim 1 , wherein either the male part or the female part are plastic.
3. The article of claim 2 , wherein the plastic is selected from the group consisting of polymethylmethacrylate, polycarbonate, polypropylene, polyethylene, cyclic olefin copolymer and cyclic olefin polymer.
4. The article of claim 1 , wherein the male surface, the female surface or both surfaces are treated with plasma.
5. The article of claim 1 , wherein the female surface, the male surface or both are coated with polyethylene amine, a combination of polyethylene amine /PAAm, NH 2 -polyvinylalcohol, and a diamond like carbon coating.
6. The article of claim 1 , wherein the water contact angle is less than 40 degrees but greater than 0 degrees.
7. The article of claim 1 , wherein the treatment covers the mold surface uniformly.