Uv/hevl-filtering silicone hydrogel contact lenses

A method for producing HEVL-filtering silicone hydrogel contact lenses, comprising the steps of:

• (1) obtaining preformed HEVL-filtering silicone hydrogel contact lenses each free of optical brightener;
• (2) drying the preformed HEVL-filtering silicone hydrogel contact lenses;
• (3) soaking the preformed HEVL-silicone hydrogel contact lenses in dry state obtained step (2) in a solution comprising at least one optical brightener for sufficient long to allow the optical brightener to penetrate into and distribute in each of the preformed HEVL-filtering silicone hydrogel contact lenses;
• (4) washing the preformed HEVL-filtering silicone hydrogel contact lenses having the optical brightener distributed therein with water or an aqueous solution to remove excess optical brightener while retaining the optical brightener in an amount for provide the HEVL-filtering contact lens with a reduced b* value without decreasing HEVL % T of the HEVL-filtering contact lens;
• and
• (5) packaging and autoclaving the preformed HEVL-filtering silicone hydrogel contact lenses obtained in step (4) in a packaging solution in a sealed lens package,
• wherein each of the HEVL-filtering silicone hydrogel contact lenses in fully hydrated state has a UVA % T of less than 5%, UVB % T of about 1% or less, a HEVL % T of about 65% or less, and an averaged % transmission of at least 90% between 450 nm and 700 nm and comprises a bulk silicone hydrogel material that comprises the optical brightener distributed therein and repeating units of (a) at least one hydrophilic vinylic monomer, (b) at least one siloxane-containing vinylic monomer and/or at least one polysiloxane vinylic crosslinker, (c) at least one UV-absorbing vinylic monomer, (d) at least one polymerizable HEVL-absorbing compound capable of absorbing HEVL between 380 nm and 450 nm, and (e) at least blue-tinting agent.

A method for producing HEVL-filtering silicone hydrogel contact lenses, comprising the steps of:

• (1) introducing a polymerizable composition into a mold, wherein the polymerizable composition comprises (a) at least one hydrophilic vinylic monomer, (b) at least one siloxane-containing vinylic monomer and/or at least one polysiloxane vinylic crosslinker, (c) at least one UV-absorbing vinylic monomer, (d) at least one polymerizable HEVL-absorbing compound capable of absorbing HEVL between 380 nm and 450 nm, (e) at least blue-tinting agent;
• (f) at least one reactive optical brightener present in an amount for provide the HEVL-filtering contact lens with a reduced b* value without decreasing HEVL % T of the HEVL-filtering contact lens, and (g) from about 0.2% to about 1.5% by weight of at least one free-radical initiator, wherein the mold comprises a female mold halve having a first molding surface and a male mold half having a second molding surface, wherein the mold halves are configured to receive each other such that a lens-forming cavity is formed between the first molding surface and the second molding surface;
• (2) curing the polymerizable composition in the mold to form a UV/HEVL-filtering silicone hydrogel contact lens precursor;
• (3) removing the UV/HEVL-filtering silicone hydrogel contact lens precursor from the mold;
• and
• (4) subjecting the UV/HEVL-filtering silicone hydrogel contact lens precursor to one or more post-molding processes selected from the group consisting of extraction, hydration, surface treatment, packaging, sterilization, and combinations thereof,
• wherein each of the HEVL-filtering silicone hydrogel contact lenses in fully hydrated state has a UVA % T of less than 5%, UVB % T of about 1% or less, a HEVL % T of about 65% or less, and an averaged % transmission of at least 90% between 450 nm and 700 nm.