Alcon, Inc.

Novartis Ag

Norvartis Ag

Burkhard Dietrich

Roger Biel

Alice Weimin Liu

Jens Hof

Daniel Kessler

Karin Stoller

Giovanni Campanelli

A production line (PL) for the production of ophthalmic lenses () comprises The manufacturing module (MM) comprises a plurality of manufacturing stations (). At least one of these manufacturing stations () is configured to apply a lens identification code () to the respective lens. The lens identification code () includes information indicative of the type of the respective lens. Either the inspection module (IM) or the packaging module (PP) includes a lens detection station () configured to read the lens identification code () applied to the respective lens and to detect the type of the lens from the lens identification code () read from the respective lens in order to determine whether the type of lens detected actually is the type of lens which is expected to be detected by the lens detection station () at that time.

Modular production line for the production of ophthalmic lenses

A casting mold () for the manufacture of ophthalmic lenses, in particular hard and soft contact lenses comprises a male mold half () having a generally convexly shaped male mold surface () and a female mold half having a generally concavely shaped female mold surface (). Each of the male and female mold surfaces comprises a lens-forming surface () which is encircled by a non lens-forming annular edge surface (). The lens-forming surface () comprises a central optical zone () and a non-optical peripheral zone () surrounding the central optical zone. At least one of the male and female mold halves () is provided with at least one permanent marking () which is arranged on a surface in the peripheral zone () of the lens-forming surface () and/or on the non lens-forming annular edge surface ().

Casting mold for the manufacture of ophthalmic lenses

The present invention general related to a reusable mold and a method of using the mold to manufacture contact lenses. The mold comprises a first mold half having a first mold surface in contact with a lens forming composition and a second mold half having a second mold surface in contact with the lens forming composition, wherein the first mold half and the second mold half are configured to receive each other such that a cavity is formed between the first mold surface and the second mold surface, wherein the cavity defines the shape of a contact lens to be molded, wherein the lens forming composition is polymerizable and/or crosslinkable by an actinic radiation, wherein at least one of the mold halves is a precision press molded mold made from an oxide glass selected from a group consisting of borosilicates glass and fluorophosphates glass.

Reusable lens molds and methods of use thereof

The present invention general related to a method and a reusable mold for making a contact lens, comprising a first mold half having a first mold surface in contact with a silicone containing lens forming composition and a second mold half having a second mold surface in contact with the lens forming composition. The first mold half and the second mold half are configured to receive each other such that a cavity is formed between the first mold surface and the second mold surface, wherein the cavity defines the shape of a contact lens to be molded. The lens forming composition is polymerizable and/or crosslinkable by a UV radiation, wherein at least one of the mold halves is made from an oxide glass material having a UV transmission cut-off wavelength no less than 390 nm and a specific gravity higher than 3.5.

The present invention general related to a reusable mold for making a contact lens comprises a first mold half having a first mold surface in contact with a polymerizable and/or crosslinkable silicone containing lens forming composition and a second mold half having a second mold surface in contact with the lens-forming composition, and the first mold half and the second mold half are configured to receive each other such that a cavity is formed between the first mold surface and the second mold surface. The cavity defines the shape of a contact lens to be molded. The reusable mold has at least one of the mold halves being made from an oxide glass comprising fluorine and/or fluoride. The mold made by oxide glass comprising fluorine and/or fluoride demonstrates improving mold cleanability with water based cleaning process.

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Monheim, Germany

Burkhard Dietrich