US2003000028A1PendingUtilityA1

Colorants for use in tinted contact lenses and methods for their production

45
Priority: Feb 23, 2001Filed: Dec 20, 2001Published: Jan 2, 2003
Est. expiryFeb 23, 2021(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Frank MolockKhaled ChehabJames D. FordTure Kindt-LarsenCraig William WalkerJoe M. WoodJulieann WeberGary L. Collins
B29D 11/00903
45
PatentIndex Score
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Claims

Abstract

The invention provides a colorant for use in tinting contact lenses in which the binding polymer used is capable of forming an interpenetrating polymer network with the lens material. When the colorants of the invention are applied to uncured lens material that is subsequently cured, the binding polymer forms an interpenetrating polymer network with the lens material embedding the colorant within the lens material resulting in a stable, tinted lens.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A colorant for use in tinting contact lenses, the colorant comprising one or more pigments, one or more solvents, and a binding polymer, wherein the binding polymer is capable of forming an interpenetrating polymer network with a lens material.  
     
     
         2 . The colorant of  claim 1 , wherein the interpenetrating polymer network formed is a semi-interpenetrating polymer network.  
     
     
         3 . The colorant of  claim 1 , wherein the interpenetrating polymer network formed is a sequential-interpenetrating polymer network.  
     
     
         4 . The colorant of  claim 1 , wherein the binding polymer comprises a molecular weight of about 7,000 to about 40,000.  
     
     
         5 . The colorant of  claim 1 , wherein the binding polymer comprises:  
       CH 3 (CH 2 ) x —L—COCHR═CH 2    
       wherein L is —NH or oxygen, x is a whole number from 2 to 24, R is a C 1  to C 6  alkyl or hydrogen.  
     
     
         6 . The colorant of  claim 1 , wherein the binding polymer comprises a copolymer of methacrylic acid, 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, and lauryl methacrylate.  
     
     
         7 . The colorant of  claim 1 , wherein the binding polymer comprises a copolymer of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate and methacrylic acid.  
     
     
         8 . The colorant of  claim 1 , wherein the binding polymer comprises a homopolymer of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate.  
     
     
         9 . The colorant of  claim 1 ,  2 ,  3 ,  4 ,  6 ,  7  or  8 , wherein the one or more solvents comprises at least one medium boiling point solvents and one low boiling point solvent.  
     
     
         10 . The colorant of  claim 1 ,  2 ,  3 ,  4 ,  6 ,  7  or  8 , wherein the surface tension is ≦28 dynes/cm.  
     
     
         11 . The colorant of  claim 6 ,7 or 8 wherein the medium boiling point solvents comprise l-ethoxy-2-propanol and isopropyl lactate.  
     
     
         12 . The colorant of  claim 1 ,  2 ,  3 ,  4 ,  6 ,  7  or  8 , further comprising a plasticizer and an opacifying agent.  
     
     
         13 . The colorant of  claim 12 , comprising about 0.2 to about 25 weight percent of the one or more pigments, about 30 to about 45 weight percent of the binding polymer, about 40 to about 70 weight percent of the one or more solvents, about 0 to about 25 weight percent of the opacifying agent, and about 0.2 to about 7 weight percent of the plasticizer.  
     
     
         14 . A colorant for use in tinting contact lenses, the colorant comprising one or more pigments, one or more solvents, and a binding polymer having a molecular weight of about 7,000 to about 40,000, wherein the binding polymer is capable of forming a interpenetrating polymer network with a lens material comprising a HEMA-based hydrogel or a silicone-based hydrogel.  
     
     
         15 . The colorant of  claim 14 , wherein the interpenetrating polymer network formed between the binding polymer and the lens material is a semi-interpenetrating polymer network  
     
     
         16 . The colorant of  claim 14 , wherein the interpenetrating polymer network formed between the binding polymer and the lens material is a sequential interpenetrating polymer network  
     
     
         17 . The colorant of  claim 14 , wherein the binding polymer comprises a copolymer of methacrylic acid, 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, and lauryl methacrylate.  
     
     
         18 . The colorant of  claim 14 , wherein the binding polymer comprises a copolymer of methacrylic acid and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate.  
     
     
         19 . The colorant of clam 14, wherein the binding polymer comprises a homopolymer of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate.  
     
     
         20 . The colorant of claims  14 - 19 , wherein the one or more solvents comprises two medium boiling point solvents and one low boiling point solvent.  
     
     
         21 . The colorant of  claim 20 , wherein the two medium boiling point solvents comprise 1-ethoxy-2-propanol and isopropyl lactate.  
     
     
         22 . The colorant of claims  14 - 19  further comprising a plasticizer and an opacifying agent.  
     
     
         23 . The colorant of  claim 22 , comprising about 0.2 to about 25 weight percent of the one or more pigments, about 30 to about 45 weight percent of the binding polymer, about 40 to about 70 weight percent of the one or more solvents, about 0 to about 25 weight percent of the opacifying agent, and about 0.2 to about 7 weight percent of the plasticizer.  
     
     
         24 . A method for manufacturing a tinted contact lens comprising the steps of: a.) applying to a molding surface of a mold a tinting-effective amount of a colorant comprising one or more pigments, one or more solvents and a binding polymer; b.) dispensing a lens-forming amount of a lens material into the mold; c.) swelling the colorant in the lens material; and d.) curing the lens material in the mold to form the tinted contact lens, wherein the binding polymer and the lens material form an interpenetrating polymer network.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the binding polymer has a molecular weight of about 7,000 to about 40,000 and the lens material comprises HEMA based hydrogels or silicone-based hydrogels.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the binding polymer comprises a copolymer of methacrylic acid, 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, and lauryl methacrylate.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the binding polymer comprises a copolymer of methacrylic acid and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the binding polymer comprises a homopolymer of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 24  or  25 , wherein the one or more solvents comprises two medium boiling point solvents and one low boiling point solvent.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the two medium boiling point solvents comprise 1-ethoxy-2-propanol and isopropyl lactate.  
     
     
         31 . A mold for use in manufacturing a tinted contact lens comprising a first and second mold half, wherein at least one molding surface of the first and second mold halves comprises one or more pigments, one or more solvents, and a binding polymer, wherein the binding polymer is capable of forming an interpenetrating polymer network with a lens material.  
     
     
         32 . The mold of  claim 31 , wherein the interpenetrating polymer network formed between the binding polymer and the lens material is a semi-interpenetrating polymer network.  
     
     
         33 . The mold of  claim 31 , wherein the interpenetrating polymer network formed between the binding polymer and the lens material is a sequential interpenetrating polymer network.  
     
     
         34 . The mold of  claim 31 , wherein the binding polymer has a molecular weight of about 7,000 to about 40,000.  
     
     
         35 . The mold of  claim 31 , wherein the binding polymer comprises a copolymer of methacrylic acid, 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, and lauryl methacrylate.  
     
     
         36 . The mold of  claim 31 , wherein the binding polymer comprises a copolymer of methacrylic acid and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate.  
     
     
         37 . The mold of  claim 31 , wherein the binding polymer comprises a homopolymer of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate.  
     
     
         38 . The mold of claims  31 - 37  wherein the one or more solvents comprises two medium boiling point solvents and one low boiling point solvent.  
     
     
         39 . The mold of  claim 38 , wherein the two medium boiling point solvents comprise 1-ethoxy-2-propanol and isopropyl lactate.  
     
     
         40 . The ophthalmic lens derived from the colorant of  claim 23 , the method of  claim 30  and the mold of  claim 39 .  
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 24  wherein said pigment is coated or wetted with said binding polymer.

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