Method for producing contact lenses

1. A method for producing silicone hydrogel contact lenses, comprising:

a) providing a mold including a male mold half having a first optical molding surface and a female mold half having a second optical molding surface, wherein the male and female mold halves are configured to receive each other such that a mold cavity is formed between the first and second molding surfaces when the mold is closed;

b) dispensing an amount of a silicone hydrogel lens-forming material into the female mold half, wherein the silicone hydrogel lens-forming material comprises at least one silicone-containing vinylic monomer or at least one silicone-containing vinylic macromer or at least one silicone-containing prepolymer having ethylenically unsaturated groups;

c) mating the male and female mold halves to close the mold;

d) curing the silicone hydrogel lens-forming material located in the mold cavity, thereby forming a molded silicone hydrogel contact lens;

e) separating the mold into the male and female mold halves, with the silicone hydrogel contact lens adhered on the male mold half;

f) holding the molded silicone hydrogel contact lens attached to the male mold half with a vacuum supplied with a suction cup;

g) with a pushing pin deforming the male mold half having the molded silicone hydrogel contact lens adhered thereon so as to separate the molded silicone hydrogel contact lens from the male mold half and to transfer the molded silicone hydrogel contact lens to the suction cup;

h) moving the suction cup away from the pushing pin while the suction cup continues to hold the molded silicone hydrogel contact lens;

i) applying a compressed gas to blow the molded silicone hydrogel contact lens away from the suction cup into a container;

wherein the step of separating the mold into the male and female mold halves comprises:

a) applying a restraining force to the female mold half with a first pry finger set for maintaining the female mold half in a fixed position; b) applying a force to a non-optical surface of the female mold half with a pin at a location about the center area of the non-optical surface of the female mold half to deform the female mold half thereby breaking the bonds between the second optical molding surface of the female mold half and the silicone hydrogel contact lens and c) applying a vertical lifting movement to the male mold half with a second pry finger set while maintaining the restraining-force on the female mold half so as to effectuate gradual separation between the female mold half and the male mold half.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the force is applied to the non-optical surface of the female mold half with the pin at a location about the center area of the non-optical surface of the female mold half at an angle of less than about 30 degrees relative to a longitudinal axis of the mold.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the force is applied to the non-optical surface of the female mold half with the pin at a location about the center area of the non-optical surface of the female mold half at an angle of less than about 10 degrees relative to the longitudinal axis of the mold.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the force is applied to the non-optical surface of the female mold half with a pin at the location about the center area of the non-optical molding surface of the female mold half at an angle of less than about 5 degrees relative to the longitudinal axis of the mold.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the silicone hydrogel able lens-forming material is polymerized by thermal curing.