High refractive-index, hydrophilic, arylsiloxy-containing monomers and polymers, and ophthalmic devices comprising such polymers

1. A polymeric composition comprising units of a hydrophilic, arylsiloxy-containing monomer of formula

wherein R is hydrogen or CH 3 ; Ph is selected from the group consisting of unsubstituted and substituted phenyl groups; u, v, x, z, y 1 , y 2 , and y 3 are independently selected integers; 1≦u, v, x, z≦10; and 0≦y 1 , y 2 , y 3 ≦100.

2. The polymeric composition of claim 1 , wherein 1≦u, v, x, y≦4 and 1≦y 1 , y 2 , y 3 ≦20.

3. The polymeric composition of claim 1 , wherein Ph is a substituted phenyl group having a formula of

wherein R 5 is selected from the group consisting of —COOH, —CH 2 CH 2 OH, —CH 2 CH 2 OCH 2 CH 2 OR, —CH 2 CH(OH)CH 2 OH, —C(O)NH 2 , and —C(O)N(CH 3 ) 2 , wherein R is H or CH 3 .

4. The polymeric composition of claim 1 , further comprising units of at least one additional monomer selected from the group consisting of different hydrophilic monomers and hydrophobic monomers.

5. The polymeric composition of claim 4 , wherein the additional monomer is selected from the group consisting of N,N′-dimethylacrylamide, glyceryl methacrylate, N-vinylpyrrolidone, and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate.

6. The polymeric composition of claim 4 , wherein the additional monomer is selected from the group consisting of C 1 -C 10 alkyl methacrylates, C 1 -C 10 alkyl acrylates, C 6 -C 40 arylalkyl acrylates, C 6 -C 40 arylalkyl methacrylates, and other aromatic-based silicon-containing monomers.

7. The polymeric composition of claim 4 , wherein the additional monomer is N,N′-dimethylacrylamide.

8. The polymeric composition of claim 4 , wherein the additional monomer is selected from the group consisting of 2-phenylethyl acrylate, 2-phenylethyl methacrylate, and combinations thereof.

9. The polymeric composition of claim 4 , further comprising units of a crosslinking agent.

10. The polymeric composition of claim 9 , wherein the crosslinking agent is selected from the group consisting of ethylene glycol dimethacrylate; diethylene glycol dimethacrylate; ethylene glycol diacrylate; triethylene glycol dimethacrylate; triethylene diacrylate; allyl methacrylates; allyl acrylates; 1,3-propanediol dimethacrylate; 1,3-propanediol diacrylate; 1,6-hexanediol dimethacrylate; 1,6-hexanediol diacrylate; 1,4-butanediol dimethacrylate; 1,4-butanediol diacrylate; trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate; glycerol trimethacrylate; polyethyleneoxide mono- and di-acrylates; N,N′-dihydroxyethylene bisacrylamide; diallyl phthalate; triallyl cyanurate; divinylbenzene; ethylene glycol divinyl ether; N,N-methylene-bis-(meth)acrylamide; divinylbenzene; divinylsulfone; and combinations thereof.

11. The polymeric composition of claim 4 , further comprising a UV light absorber selected from the group consisting of β-(4-benzotriazoyl-3-hydroxyphenoxy)ethyl acrylate; 4-(2-acryloxyethoxy)-2-hydroxybenzophenone; 4-methacryloyloxy-2-hydroxybenzophenone; 2-(2′-methacryloyloxy-5′-methylphenyl)benzotriazole; 2-(2′-hydroxy-5′-methacryloyloxyethylphenyl)-2H-benzotriazole; 2-[3′-tert-butyl-2′-hydroxy-5′-(3″-methacryloyloxypropyl)phenyl]-5-chlorobenzotriazole; 2-(3′-tert-butyl-5′-(3″-dimethylvinylsilylpropoxy)-2′-hydroxyphenyl]-5-methoxybenzotriazole; 2-(3′-allyl-2′-hydroxy-5′-methylphenyl)benzotriazole; 2-[3′-tert-butyl-2′-hydroxy-5′-(3″-methacryloyloxypropoxy)phenyl]-5-methoxybenzotriazole, and 2-[3′-tert-butyl-2′-hydroxy-5′-(3″-methacryloyloxypropoxy)phenyl]-5-chlorobenzotriazole.

12. The polymeric composition of claim 4 , wherein the polymeric composition has a refractive index in a range from about 1.4 to about 1.6.

13. The polymeric composition of claim 4 , wherein the polymeric composition has equilibrium absorbed water greater than about 4.5 percent by weight.

14. The polymeric composition of claim 4 , wherein the polymeric composition has an elongation before break of greater than about 80 percent.