Patent ID: 9156213
Filing Date: 2015-10-13
Classification: B29D

Abstract:
1. A method for producing ready-to-use silicone hydrogel contact lenses each having a durable plasma hydrophilic coating, comprising the steps of: (a) generating an atmospheric plasma flow from a working gas by atmospheric pressure discharges at a surrounding atmospheric pressure, wherein the working gas comprises at least one organic compound selected from the group consisting of a C (b) controlling the continuity of the atmospheric plasma flow with a power generator; (c) introducing the atmospheric plasma flow to a surface of a wet or blot-dried wet silicone hydrogel contact lens to form a plasma coating on the wet or blot-dried wet silicone hydrogel contact lens; (d) placing and sealing the silicone hydrogel contact lens with the plasma coating thereon in a lens package containing a buffered saline; and (e) autoclaving the sealed lens package containing the silicone hydrogel contact lens with the plasma coating thereon so as to obtain the ready-to-use silicone hydrogel contact lens, wherein the plasma coating on the ready-to-use silicone hydrogel contact lens survives autoclaving and imparts to the ready-to-use silicone hydrogel contact lens a hydrophilicity/wettability characterized by having a water-break-up time of at least about 5 seconds and/or no more than about 30% of increase in average water contact angle relative to the same plasma coating before autoclaving.