Curable colored inks for making colored silicone hydrogel lenses

1. A method for making a colored silicone hydrogel contact lens, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a contact lens constructed of a silicone hydrogel;

(b) applying a colored coat to at least a portion of a surface of the lens with an ink, wherein the ink comprises at least one colorant and a photo-curable or thermo-curable silicone-containing binder polymer including ethylenically unsaturated groups and segments derived from at least one silicone-containing vinylic monomer or macromer; and

(c) curing the ink, thereby causing the color coat to adhere to the lens wherein the silicon-containing binder polymer is a obtained by

(1) copolymerizing a polymerizable composition to obtain a silicone-containing polymer, wherein the polymerizable composition comprising:

(a) at least one hydrophilic vinylic monomer devoid of functional group other than an ethylenically unsaturated group, (b) at least one functionalizing vinylic monomer containing at least one first functional group selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl group, primary amino group, secondary amino group, carboxylic group, epoxy group, aldehyde group, acid halide group, isothiocyanate group, isocyanate group, halide group, acid anhydride group, and combinations thereof;

(c) at least one silicone-containing vinylic monomer or macromer; and

(d) optionally one or more components selected from the group consisting of a polymerization initiator, a chain transfer agent, wherein the silicone-containing polymer comprises first functional group(s) derived from functionalizing vinylic monomer, and

(2) introducing the ethylenically unsaturated groups to the silicone-containing polymer to form the photo- or thermo-curable silicone-containing binder polymer by reacting the silicone-containing polymer with an ethylenically functionalizing agent including ethylenically unsaturated groups and a second functional group, wherein the first functional group of the silicone-containing polymer and second functional group of the ethyleniacally functionalizing agent react with each other to form a covalent linkage.

2. A method for making a colored silicone hydrogel contact lens, comprising the steps of:

(a) applying a colored coat to at least a portion of at least one of molding surfaces of a lens mold with an ink, wherein the ink comprises at least one colorant and a photo-curable or thermo-curable silicone-containing binder polymer including ethylenically unsaturated groups and segments derived from at least one silicone-containing vinylic monomer or macromer, wherein the mold has a lens-forming cavity between the molding surfaces, wherein the colored coat contains a first surface exposed to the interior of the lens-forming cavity and a second surface in contact with the molding surface;

(b) dispensing a lens-forming material into the lens-forming cavity of the mold while maintaining substantially the color coat in position; and

(c) curing the lens-forming material within the lens-forming cavity to form the contact lens, whereby the colored coat detaches from the molding surface and becomes integral with the body of the colored contact lens, wherein the silicon-containing binder polymer is a obtained by

(1) copolymerizing a polymerizable composition to obtain a silicone-containing polymer, wherein the polymerizable composition comprising:

(a) at least one hydrophilic vinylic monomer devoid of functional group other than an ethylenically unsaturated group,

(b) at least one functionalizing vinylic monomer containing at least one first functional group selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl group, primary amino group, secondary amino group, carboxylic group, epoxy group, aldehyde group, acid halide group, isothiocyanate group, isocyanate group, halide group, acid anhydride group, and combinations thereof;

(c) at least one silicone-containing vinylic monomer or macromer; and

(d) optionally one or more components selected from the group consisting of a polymerization initiator, a chain transfer agent, wherein the silicone-containing polymer comprises first functional groupjs) derived from functionalizing vinylic monomer, and

(2) introducing the ethylenically unsaturated groups to the silicone-containing polymer to form the photo- or thermo-curable silicone-containing binder polymer by reacting the silicone-containing polymer with an ethylenically functionalizing agent including ethylenically unsaturated groups and a second functional group, wherein the first functional group of the silicone-containing polymer and second functional group of the ethyleniacally functionalizing agent react with each other to form a covalent linkage.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the silicone -containing vinylic monomers is methacryloxyalkylsiloxanes, 3-methacryloxy propylpentamethyldisiloxane, bis(methacryloxypropyl)tetramethyl-disiloxane, monomethacrylated polydimethylsiloxane, mercapto-terminated polydimethylsiloxane, N-[tris(trimethylsiloxy)silylpropyl]acrylamide, tristrimethylsilyloxysilylpropyl methacrylate (TRIS), or N-[tris(trimethylsiloxy)silylpropyl]methacrylamide.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the functionalizing vinylic monomer is methacrylic acid (MAA), acrylic acid, glycidylmethacrylate, glycidylacrylate, 2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate (HEMA), 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate (HEA), methacrylic anhydride, N-hydroxymethylacrylamide (NHMA), 2-bromoethylmethacrylate, or vinylbenzylchoride.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the polymerizable composition comprises a chain transfer agent selected from the group consisting mercaptoethane, mercaptoethanol, ethanedithiol, propanedithiol, and mercapto-terminated polydimethylsiloxane.

6. The method of claim of 2 , wherein the ethylenically functionalizing agent is glycidylmethacrylate, glycidylacrylate, 2-isocyanatoethylmethacrylate (IEM), N-hydroxymethylacrylamide (NHMA), acryloylchloride, methacrylolylchloride, methacrylic acid, acrylic acid, 2-bromoethylmethacrylate, or methacrylic anhydride.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the silicone containing vinylic monomers is methacryloxyalkylsiloxanes, 3-methacryloxy propylpentamethyldisiloxane, bis(methacryloxypropyl)tetramethyl-disiloxane, monomethacrylated polydimethylsiloxane, mercapto-terminated polydimethylsiloxane, N-[tris(trimethylsiloxy)silylpropyl]acrylamide, tristrimethylsilyloxysilylpropyl methacrylate (TRIS), or N-[tris(trimethylsiloxy)silylpropyl]methacrylamide.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the functionalizing vinylic monomer is methacrylic acid (MAA), acrylic acid, glycidylmethacrylate, glycidylacrylate, 2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate (HEMA), 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate (HEA), methacrylic anhydride, N-hydroxymetbylacrylamide (NHMA), 2-bromoethylmethacrylate, or vinylbenzylchoride.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymerizable composition comprises a chain transfer agent selected from the group consisting mercaptoethane, mercaptoethanol, ethanedithiol, propanedithiol, and mercapto-terminated polydimethylsiloxane.