A (meth)acrylic hydrogel obtainable by a method comprising steps of: i) Providing a multiple-component composition, ii) Mixing the constituents contained in the multiple-component composition with water such that in the thus resulting mixture, the weight ratio of the total amount of said at least one water-soluble (meth)acrylic compound to the amount of water is in the range of 0.1:1 to 5:1, iii) Letting the mixture form (meth)acrylic hydrogel, wherein the multiple-component composition comprises constituents: a) at least one water-soluble (meth)acrylic compound, b) at least one free radical initiator, c) at least one benzoate, d) optionally at least one catalyst for free radical formation, wherein the at least one water-soluble (meth)acrylic compound is selected from the group consisting of hydroxyethylmethacrylate (HEMA), hydroxypropylmethacrylate (HPMA), polyethylene glycol dimethacrylate (PEG-DMA), methoxy polyethylene glycol methacrylate (MPEG-MA), ethoxylated trimethylolpropane tri(meth)acrylate (TMP-TMA), maleic acid, itaconic acid, magnesium diacrylate, sodium acrylate, sodium methacrylate, potassium acrylate, potassium methacrylate, potassium salt of 3-sulfopropylacrylat, 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid (AMPS®), sodium salt of 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid (Na-AMPS®), and mixtures thereof. i) Providing a multiple-component composition, ii) Mixing the constituents contained in the multiple-component composition with water such that in the thus resulting mixture, the weight ratio of the total amount of said at least one water-soluble (meth)acrylic compound to the amount of water is in the range of 0.1:1 to 5:1, iii) Letting the mixture form (meth)acrylic hydrogel, wherein the multiple-component composition comprises constituents: a) at least one water-soluble (meth)acrylic compound, b) at least one free radical initiator, c) at least one benzoate, d) optionally at least one catalyst for free radical formation, wherein the at least one water-soluble (meth)acrylic compound is selected from the group consisting of hydroxyethylmethacrylate (HEMA), hydroxypropylmethacrylate (HPMA), polyethylene glycol dimethacrylate (PEG-DMA), methoxy polyethylene glycol methacrylate (MPEG-MA), ethoxylated trimethylolpropane tri(meth)acrylate (TMP-TMA), maleic acid, itaconic acid, magnesium diacrylate, sodium acrylate, sodium methacrylate, potassium acrylate, potassium methacrylate, potassium salt of 3-sulfopropylacrylat, 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid (AMPS®), sodium salt of 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid (Na-AMPS®), and mixtures thereof. a) at least one water-soluble (meth)acrylic compound, b) at least one free radical initiator, c) at least one benzoate, d) optionally at least one catalyst for free radical formation, wherein the at least one water-soluble (meth)acrylic compound is selected from the group consisting of hydroxyethylmethacrylate (HEMA), hydroxypropylmethacrylate (HPMA), polyethylene glycol dimethacrylate (PEG-DMA), methoxy polyethylene glycol methacrylate (MPEG-MA), ethoxylated trimethylolpropane tri(meth)acrylate (TMP-TMA), maleic acid, itaconic acid, magnesium diacrylate, sodium acrylate, sodium methacrylate, potassium acrylate, potassium methacrylate, potassium salt of 3-sulfopropylacrylat, 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid (AMPS®), sodium salt of 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid (Na-AMPS®), and mixtures thereof.