Kelvin Lenses Limited

Howard J Gee

Brian John Tighe

Polymeric materials suitable for bio-medical applications, particularly in making contact lenses, are derived by reaction of the following:

Fluorine-containing hydrogel-forming polymeric materials

Polymeric materials suitable for biomedical applications, particularly in making contact lenses, are formed by copolymerization and crosslinking of: (1) an amide of an unsaturated carboxylic acid such as acrylamide or methacrylamide; (2) an N-vinyl lactam such as N-vinyl pyrrolidone; (3) an ester of an unsaturated carboxylic acid such as a hydroxy-substituted ester of acrylic or methacrylic acid; (4) an unsaturated carboxylic acid such as acrylic or methacrylic acid; and (5) a hydrophobic monomer component comprising: (a) a fluorine-containing polymerizable monomer having a fluoroaliphatic side chain, such as fluoroalkyl acrylate or methacrylate, and (b) a non-fluorine-containing polymerizable hydrophobic vinyl monomer such as styrene; crosslinking with a crosslinking agent either being carried out during copolymerization or subsequently. The resulting polymeric materials may be machined to produce a contact lens form and then hydrated to form a hydrogel which is suitable for use as an extended wear contact lens.

Polymeric materials suitable for bio-medical applications, particularly in making contact lenses, are formed by copolymerization and crosslinking of: (1) an amide of an unsaturated carboxylic acid such as acrylamide or methacrylamide; (2) an N-vinyl lactam, such as N-vinyl pyrrolidone; (3) an ester of an unsaturated carboxylic acid, such as a hydroxy-substituted ester of acrylic or methacrylic acid; (4) an unsaturated carboxylic acid, such as acrylic or methacrylic acid; and (5) a polymerizable hydrophobic vinyl monomer, such as styrene; crosslinking with a crosslinking agent either being carried out during copolymerization or subsequently. The resulting polymeric materials may be machined to produce a contact lens form and then hydrated to form a hydrogel which is suitable for use as an extended wear contact lens.

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Derbyshire, United Kingdom

Howard J Gee