Method for producing ophthalmic lenses

1. A method for making to a contact lens, the method comprising the steps of:

(1) obtaining a fluid lens-forming composition and a mold, wherein the fluid lens-forming composition comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of a hydrophilic vinylic monomer, a silicone-containing vinylic monomer, a silicone-containing crosslinker, a silicone-containing prepolymer, a hydrophilic prepolymer free of silicone, and combinations thereof, wherein the mold has a first mold half with a first molding surface for defining the anterior surface of a contact lens and a second mold half with a second molding surface for defining the posterior surface of the contact lens, and wherein said first and second mold halves are configured to receive each other such that a cavity is formed between said first and second molding surfaces;

(2) applying a coating of an aqueous catanionic solution containing a cationic surfactant and an anionic surfactant onto the first molding surface and/or the second molding surface, wherein the weight percentage ratio of the anionic surfactant over the cationic surfactant in the aqueous solution is from about 0.1 to about 10, wherein the anionic surfactant is a salt of a C 5 -C 18 alkyl sulfate, a salt of a C 5 -C 18 alkyl sulfonate, or a combination thereof, and wherein the cationic surfactant is a silicone-containing polyquat;

(3) drying the coating of the aqueous catanionic solution to form a coat of catanionic vesicles on the coated first and/or second molding surface;

(4) introducing the fluid lens-forming composition into the cavity formed by the first and second molding surfaces, the first and/or second molding surfaces having the coat of the catanionic vesicles formed thereon;

(5) actinically irradiating the fluid lens-forming composition in the cavity to form the contact lens; and

(6) opening the mold and removing the formed contact lens from the mold, wherein the formation of the coat of the catanionic vesicles on the first and/or second molding surfaces is characterized by having a percentage of reduction in mold separation force of at least about 50% between the mold and the formed lens relative to a control mold without any releasing coating thereon.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the coating of the aqueous catanionic solution is applied onto the first and second molding surfaces of the mold, wherein the weight percentage ratio of the anionic surfactant over the cationic surfactant in the aqueous solution is from about 0.25 to about 8, and wherein the formation of the coat of the catanionic vesicles on the first and second molding surfaces is characterized by having a percentage of reduction in mold separation force of at least about 55% between the mold and the formed lens relative to a control mold without any releasing coating.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the anionic surfactant is a salt of a C 5 -C 14 alkyl sulfate or sulfonate.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the cationic surfactant is represented by formula (I)

in which R 1 is a C 1 -C 8 alkylene divalent radical, R 2 is a C 1 -C 8 alkyl radical, X − is a halogen ion, a is an integer of from 10 to 50, and b is an integer of from 2 to 8.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the mold is a reusable mold.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein in the cationic surfactant of formula (I), R 1 is propylene divalent radical and R 2 is methyl or ethyl.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the step of applying the coating of the aqueous catanionic solution is carried out by spraying the catanionic solution onto the first and second molding surfaces of the mold.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the step of drying the coating of the aqueous catanionic solution is carried out under a N 2 stream.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the anionic surfactant is a salt of a C 5 -C 14 alkyl sulfate or sulfonate.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the cationic surfactant is represented by formula (I)

in which R 1 is a C 1 -C 8 alkylene divalent radical, R 2 is a C 1 -C 8 alkyl radical, X − is a halogen ion, a is an integer of from 10 to 50, and b is an integer of from 2 to 8.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein in the cationic surfactant of formula (I), R 1 is propylene divalent radical and R 2 is methyl or ethyl.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the step of applying the coating of the aqueous catanionic solution is carried out by spraying the catanionic solution onto the first and second molding surfaces of the mold.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the step of drying the coating of the aqueous catanionic solution is carried out under a N 2 stream.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the mold is a reusable mold.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mold is a reusable mold.