Method of manufacturing complex optical designs in soft contact lenses

Abstract

A method of manufacturing complex optical surfaces in soft contact lenses includes a first step of defining the complex optical surfaces with a computer assisted drafting program using a mix of patient determined parameters and selected manufacturing process determined parameters to define a mathematical 'meta lens'. A machine code data set is then generated to machine a plurality of contact lens mold inserts to define a complex optical surface on each of the inserts. The machining step is conducted with a single point diamond lathe having submicron precision and repeatability. A first and second plurality of intermediate contact lens mold halves are then molded with said contact lens mold inserts to define said complex optical surfaces on said mold halves having micron range transitions between optical surfaces. The complex geometric forms and optical surfaces include bifocal lenses, aspheric lenses, and toric lenses wherein the lenses may include parabolic or elliptical geometry. The first plurality of mold halves is assembled with the second plurality of mold halves with a polymerizable monomer therebetween and polymerized to form a plurality of soft contact lenses having said complex optical surfaces defined thereon.