Protein deposition resistant contact lens
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.
Claims14
A protein deposition resistant contact lens formed by:
- 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 deposits on said contact lens.
A contact lens with enhanced gas permeability formed by:
- 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 contact lens with reduced water contact angle formed by:
- 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 reduce a contact angle between water in a contacting tear film and a contact lens surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.