Surface treatment of fluorinated contact lens materials
AssigneeBausch & Lomb Incorporated
InventorGeorge L. Grobe, III
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Hydrogen-plasma modification of a contact lens made from a fluorinated polymer reduces the surface chemistry of by removing fluorine, leaving behind a carbon-enriched surface that is further plasma processed into a hydrophilic surface for a lens material to be inserted into the ocular environment.
Claims13
A fluorinated contact lens containing a fluorinated bulk material and a surface coating which, when the lens is in the unhydrated state, is characterized by a fluorine content or a C—F bonding content within a depth of about 74 ångstroms that is at least 25 percent depleted relative to the bulk material, and which contact lens is further characterized by hydrophilic polymers attached to the surface of the contact lens through oxygen or nitrogen containing moieties to provide the contact lens with improved wettability or biocompatibility.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.