Chemical treatment to improve oxygen permeability through and protein deposition on hydrophilic (soft) and rigid gas permeable (RGP) contact lenses
AssigneeAllergan, Inc.
InventorDavid Meadows
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for treating hydrophilic and rigid gas permeable contact lenses, as well as the manufacture of protein adhesion resistant and gas permeable enhanced lenses, is obtained through purging the hydrated contact lens, formed from polymer comprising hydrogen atoms, substantially all water and oxygen, and thereafter exposing the purged contact lens to a fluorine-containing gas in non-plasma conditions for a period of time and at a temperature sufficient to replace hydrogen atoms in the polymer in order to inhibit protein deposits on the contact lens. The conditions of fluorine exposure can be controlled in order to provide a gas permeable enhanced contact lens.
Claims20
A method for treating hydrophilic and rigid gas permeable contact lenses, said method comprising:
- purging a hydrated contact lens, formed from a polymer comprising hydrogen atoms, of substantially all water and oxygen;
- and
- exposing the purged contact lens to a fluorine-containing gas at non-plasma conditions for a period of time and at a temperature sufficient to replace hydrogen atoms in the polymer in order to inhibit protein and lipid deposits on said contact lens.
A method for treating hydrophilic and rigid gas permeable contact lenses, said method comprising:
- purging a hydrated contact lens, formed from a polymer comprising hydrogen atoms, of substantially all water and oxygen;
- and
- exposing the purged contact lens to a fluorine-containing gas at non-plasma conditions for a period of time and at a temperature sufficient to replace hydrogen atoms in the polymer in order to improve wettability of the contact lens.
A method for treating hydrophilic and rigid gas permeable contact lenses, said method comprising:
- purging a hydrated contact lens, formed from a polymer comprising hydrogen atoms, of substantially all water and oxygen;
- and
- exposing the purged contact lens to a fluorine-containing gas at non-plasma conditions for a period of time and at a temperature sufficient to replace hydrogen atoms in the polymer in order to increase oxygen permeability of the contact lens.
A method for treating unhydrated hydrophilic and rigid gas permeable contact lenses formed from a polymer comprising hydrogen atoms, said method comprising exposure of the unhydrated lens to fluorine gas at non-plasma conditions for a period of time and at a temperature sufficient to replace hydrogen atoms in the polymer in order to inhibit protein and lipid deposition on said contact lenses.
A method for treating unhydrated hydrophilic and rigid gas permeable contact lens formed from a polymer comprising hydrogen atoms, said method comprising exposing the unhydrated lens to fluorine gas at non-plasma conditions to replace hydrogen atoms in the polymer in order to increase oxygen permeability of the contact lens.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.