Oxygen permeable contact lens composition, methods and article of manufacture

Abstract

Contact lenses are fabricated from a copolymer of a polysiloxanylalkyl acrylic ester and an alkyl acrylic ester. The copolymer has increased oxygen permeability.

Having described my invention in such manner as to enable those skilled in the art to understand and practice it and having identified the preferred embodiments thereof, I claim: .[. 
     
       1.  A new composition of matter specially adapted for the production of contact lenses having increased oxygen permeability, said new composition being a solid copolymer of comonomers consisting essentially of: (a) about 10 to 60 parts by weight of a polysiloxanylalkyl ester of the structure ##STR4## wherein: (1) X and Y are selected from the class consisting of C 1  -C 5  alkyl groups, phenyl groups and Z groups,   (2) Z is a group of the structure ##STR5## (3) A is selected from the class consisting of C 1  -C 5  alkyl groups and phenyl groups,   (4) R is selected from the class consisting of methyl groups and hydrogen,   (5) m is an integer from one to five, and   (6) n is an integer from one to three; and     (b) about 40 to 90 parts by weight of an ester of a C 1  -C 20  monohydric alkanol and an acid selected from the class consisting of acrylic and methacrylic acids..].   
     
     
       2. As a new article of manufacture, a contact lens having increased oxygen permeability .Iadd.in comparison with poly(methylmethacrylate).Iaddend., said lens being fabricated from .[.the copolymer composition of claim 1,.]. .Iadd.a solid copolymer of comonomers consisting essentially of: (a) about 10 to 60 parts by weight of a polysiloxanylalkyl ester of the structure ##STR6## wherein (1) X and Y are selected from the class consisting of C 1  -C 5  alkyl groups, phenyl groups and Z groups, (2) Z is a group of the structure ##STR7## (3) A is selected from the class consisting of C 1  -C 5  alkyl groups and phenyl groups,   (4) R is selected from the class consisting of methyl groups and hydrogen,   (5) m is an integer from one to five, and   (6) n is an integer from one to three; and     (b) about 40 to 90 parts by weight of an ester of a C 1  -C 20  monohydric alkanol and an acid selected from the class consisting of acrylic and methacrylic acids, said lens .Iaddend.having a refractive index of from 1.35 to 1.50.  .Iadd.     
     
     
       3.  The contact lens of claim 2 wherein said solid copolymer of comonomers includes as a comonomer a minor amount of a crosslinking monomer. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 4. The contact lens of claim 3 wherein said cross-linking monomer is a polyol dimethacrylate or a polyol diacrylate. .Iaddend..Iadd. 5. The contact lens of claim 3 wherein said cross-linking monomer is present in an amount equal to about 0.01% to about 2% by weight of said copolymer. .Iaddend..Iadd. 6. The contact lens of claim 5 wherein said cross-linking monomer is a polyol dimethacrylate or a polyol diacrylate. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 7. The contact lens of claim 3 wherein said solid copolymer of comonomers includes as a comonomer a minor amount of a wetting monomer. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 8. The contact lens of claim 7 wherein said wetting monomer is methacrylic acid. .Iaddend..Iadd. 9. The contact lens of claim 7 wherein said wetting monomer is present in an amount equal to about 0.1% to about 10% by weight of said copolymer. .Iaddend..Iadd. 10. The contact lens of claim 9 wherein said wetting monomer is methacrylic acid. .Iaddend..Iadd. 11. The contact lens of claim 2 wherein said solid copolymer of comonomers includes as a comonomer a minor amount of a wetting monomer. .Iaddend..Iadd. 12. The contact lens of claim 11 wherein said wetting monomer is methacrylic acid. .Iaddend..Iadd. 13. The contact lens of claim 11 wherein said wetting monomer is present in an amount equal to about 0.1% to about 10% by weight of said copolymer. .Iaddend..Iadd. 14. The contact lens of claim 13 wherein said wetting monomer is methacrylic acid. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 15. The contact lens of claims 2 or 3 wherein a wetting agent is applied to the surface of said lens. .Iaddend..Iadd. 16. The contact lens of claim 15 wherein said wetting agent is a dilute aqueous solution of an alkyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride. .Iaddend..Iadd. 17. The contact lens of claims 2 or 3 wherein the wettability of the surface of said lens is improved by exposure of the surface to a corona discharge. .Iaddend..Iadd. 18. The contact lens of claims 2 or 3 wherein the wettability of the surface of said lens is improved by treatment of the surface with a strong oxidizing agent. .Iaddend..Iadd. 19. The contact lens of claim 18 wherein said strong oxidizing agent is nitric acid. .Iaddend.