Novartis Ag

Alcon, Inc.

Sandra Corti

Robert Carey Tucker

Laura Ashley Creech

Ellen A Day

Roland Schmieder

Michael Hugh Quinn

John Christopher Phelan

Courtney Flem Morgan

Barry L Atkins

Joshua Andrew Wallach

Lance Kyle Lipscomb

The invention is directed to a colored contact lens designed for making a wearer's eyes to appear larger, bolder, and enhanced color while giving the wearers eyes a very natural appearance. A colored contact lens of the invention comprising a first print of a first color and a second print of a second color, wherein the first print consisting of an annular ring of gradient dot matrix, wherein the second print comprises a limbal ring and an outer starburst pattern, wherein the limbal ring surrounds the outer starburst pattern, wherein the annular ring and the limbal ring have a substantially identical outer diameter and the annular ring has a larger inside diameter than the limbal ring, the first color and the second color are different or the same, wherein the first print and the second print are concentric with the center of contact lens.

Colored contact lenses and method of making the same

The present invention generally relates to a method for making colored contact lenses, in particular to colored silicone hydrogel contact lenses. The present invention is also related to a method of a first high intensity UV curing the colored print on the mold and a second high intensity UV treating mold for making colored silicone hydrogel contact lenses. The present invention illustrates the right combination of the first high intensity UV exposure and the second high intensity UV exposure allows a lens that maintains good ion permeability (IP) value and a good print quality.

The invention is directed to a colored contact lens designed for making a wearer's eyes to appear larger, bolder, and enhanced color while giving the wearer's eyes a very natural appearance. A colored contact lens of the invention comprising a first print of a first color and a second print of a second color, wherein the first print consisting of an annular ring of gradient dot matrix, wherein the second print comprises a limbal ring and an outer starburst pattern, wherein the limbal ring surrounds the outer starburst pattern, wherein the annular ring and the limbal ring have a substantially identical outer diameter and the annular ring has a larger inside diameter than the limbal ring, the first color and the second color are different or the same, wherein the first print and the second print are concentric with the center of contact lens.

The present invention is related to a method for making contact lenses with identifying mark, in particular to silicone hydrogel contact lenses. The present invention is also related to a method of high intensity UV curing the identifying mark print on the mold and high intensity UV treating mold for making silicone hydrogel contact lenses with identifying mark.

Contact lenses with identifying mark

A contact lens, comprising a preprint of a first shade and a main print of a second shade, wherein the preprint consisting of a first band of gradient dot matrix, wherein the main print consisting of a second band of evenly spaced circular voids, wherein the second band surrounds the starburst pattern, wherein the first band and the second band have a substantially identical outer diameter and the first band has a smaller inside diameter than the second band, wherein the first shade and the second shade are different, wherein the gradient dot matrix is characterized by dot coverage increases in a radial direction from the center too the peripheral edge or a position near the peripheral edge of the substantially-circular pattern.

Colored contact lens

The present invention provides a chemical ink comprises a solvent, a binder polymer, a colorant and optionally a crosslinker. The ink of the invention has one or more of the following characteristics: a viscosity lower than about 50 centipoises; a surface tension of from about 20 mN/m to about 60 mN/m; a particle size of less than about 5 &#x3bc;m; prolonged stability; an appropriate color level (visible by eye); uniform drop formation; jet stability; good adhesion to contact lenses; good transfer from a mold to a lens made in the mold; and stability of ink in inkjet nozzles. The ink of the invention is useful for inkjet printing of a high-quality color image on a contact lens or a mold so as to produce a colored contact lens.

Ink formulations and uses thereof

The present invention provides novels inks and methods for making a colored polymeric substrates, preferably a contact lens. In the inventive method at least a portion of a surface of a lens is coated with a color coat comprising at least one colorant, and a binder polymer obtained by copolymerizing a first monomer being ethylenically unsaturated and having a latent crosslinkable pendent group; and a second monomer having an ethylenically unsaturated double bond copolymerizable with the first monomer. The lens is then subjected to conditions that cause the color coat to adhere to the lens.

Colored printing ink for contact lenses

The present invention is related to water-based inks for making colored hydrogel contact lenses, in particular, colored HEMA-based hydrogel contact lenses. The ink of the invention comprises at least one colorant, water, and a water-soluble and actinically-curable binder polymer which is a vinyl group-terminated polyurethane polymer, a vinyl group-terminated polyurea binder polymer, or a mixture thereof. Also, the ink of the invention is characterized by having a viscosity greater than 50 centipoise (cps), a prolonged stability, and a good adhesion to a HEMA-based hydrogel contact lens. The ink of the invention preferably further has a good compatibility with a HEMA-based hydrogel material, and/or good transferability from a mold to a HEMA-based hydrogel contact lens made in the mold. The present invention is also related to a method for making colored hydrogel contact lenses using an ink of the invention.

Water-based inks for hydrogel lenses

The present invention provides a chemical ink for pad printing a medical device comprising water; a colorant; and a crosslinkable, water-soluble poly(vinyl alcohol). The ink has a viscosity of greater than 50 centipoise, and good adhesion to the medical device. Method for printing contact lenses with such ink are also disclosed.

The invention is directed to a colored contact lens designed for enhancing a wearer's eye color while giving the wearer's eyes a very natural appearance. A colored contact lens of the invention comprises a colored central zone which includes a colored substantially-circular pattern composed of non-opaque colored dots. Sizes of the dots and/or amounts of space between the dots are varied in a radially-controlled manner so that local colored dot coverage increases in a radial direction from the center to the peripheral edge or a position near the peripheral edge of the substantially-circular pattern.

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Suwanee, GA, United States of America

Sandra Corti