Contact lens comprising ceria particles and method of fabricating the same

A contact lens comprising:

• a cross-linked hydrogel comprising poly-2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (PHEMA or poly-HEMA);
• and
• water-soluble ceria particles dispersed in the poly-2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (PHEMA or poly-HEMA), wherein the cross-linked hydrogel is prepared by:
• mixing 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA), ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA), deionized water, and ceria nanoparticles with at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of 1-vinyl-2-pyrrolidinone (NVP) and methyl methacrylate (MMA), to form a mixed solution;
• adding a photo-initiator into the mixed solution;
• and
• applying ultraviolet rays to the mixed solution,
• wherein the ceria particles eliminate reactive oxygen species or harmful radicals, and
• wherein in preparing the cross-linked hydrogel, a ratio between contents of the HEMA and deionized water is controlled to satisfy a following relationship:
• HEMA/(HEMA+deionized water)=60%.

A contact lens comprising:

• a cross-linked hydrogel comprising poly-2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (PHEMA or poly-HEMA);
• and
• an insertion received in the cross-linked hydrogel, wherein the insertion is composed of water-soluble ceria particles at a high concentration, wherein the insertion has a pattern surrounding a center of the contact lens, wherein the cross-linked hydrogel is prepared by:
• mixing 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA), ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA), deionized water, and ceria nanoparticles with at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of 1-vinyl-2-pyrrolidinone (NVP) and methyl methacrylate (MMA), to form a mixed solution;
• adding a photo-initiator into the mixed solution;
• and
• applying ultraviolet rays to the mixed solution, and
• wherein in preparing the cross-linked hydrogel, a ratio between contents of the HEMA and deionized water is controlled to satisfy a following relationship:
• HEMA/(HEMA+deionized water)=60%.