Method and apparatus for manufacturing contact lenses

A method of forming a contact lens, the method comprising:

• providing a polymerizable contact lens precursor material in a cavity defined by at least one cavity-defining portion of at least one mold member, the at least one cavity-defining portion comprising a material that is soluble in a solvent in which the contact lens is not soluble;
• polymerizing the polymerizable contact lens precursor material to form an unhydrated contact lens in the cavity;
• and
• holding a support portion of the at least one mold member whilst immersing the at least one cavity-defining portion in the solvent to dissolve at least part of the material that is soluble of the at least one cavity-defining portion, so that the contact lens is released from the cavity;
• wherein more of the polymerizable contact lens precursor material is provided to the cavity than is required to fill the cavity, so that there is an excess of the polymerizable contact lens precursor material;
• wherein,
• the excess of the polymerizable contact lens precursor material passes into a channel defined by at least one cavity-defining portion of at least one mold member;
• and
• a portion of the excess of the polymerizable contact lens precursor material passes from said channel into a channel defined by the support portion of the at least one mold member, so that, after the polymerizable contact lens precursor material is polymerized and the material that is soluble of the at least one cavity-defining portion is dissolved, the excess polymerizable contact lens precursor material forms a solid that is retained by the support portion.