KR20060028082A - Manufacturing mathod of contact lens and contact lens that is made by its method - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a contact lens and a contact lens manufactured thereby, wherein the outer surface of the lens body (CL1) made of a hydrophobic polymer (P1) is thin-film coated with a flexible hydrophilic polymer (CL2), and an oxygen transmittance Since the high lens body CL1 is partially exposed to the outside through a plurality of minute holes h formed in the hydrophilic polymer CL2 which is a flexible polymer, the contact lens can be safely and conveniently worn. This effect is greatly improved.

Description

Manufacturing method of contact lens and contact lens manufactured by this method             

1A to 1C are views for explaining a first step of molding the lens body;

2 is a view for explaining a second step of surface treatment of the lens body;

3 is a view for explaining a third step of coating a flexible hydrophilic polymer material on the outer surface of the lens body,

4 is a view for explaining a fourth step of forming a fine hole in the flexible polymer material of the coated lens,

5 is a cross-sectional view of a contact lens according to the present invention.

-Explanation of terms for the main parts of the accompanying drawings-

10; Molding apparatus, 11; Lower mold,

12; Upper mold, 13; Burner,

20; Plasma apparatus 21; chamber,

22a, 22b; Electrode 23; High voltage oscillator,

30; Radiation etching apparatus, 31; chamber,

32; Pedestal, 33; Radiation generator,

CL; Contact lens, CL1; Lens,

CL2; Flexible polymer material, h; hole,

P1; Hydrophobic polymer,

P2; Monomer.

The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a contact lens, a contact lens produced by the present invention, a method of manufacturing a contact lens having excellent hydrophilicity and excellent oxygen permeability, and a contact lens manufactured thereby.

As is well known, the contact lens is a lens that corrects the refractive error of the eye by closely contacting the front surface of the eye, and can be used when it is difficult to correct with glasses. There are advantages such as not being exposed to the outside, but it is cumbersome to handle and easy to lose compared to glasses, and because it puts a large foreign object in the eye, it can cause various symptoms until you get used to it. Such contact lenses are usually used in cases of difficulty in correcting eyeglasses such as imbalanced eyes with large differences in refractive power of both eyes besides intensity myopia, primitive vision, astigmatism and conical cornea, or after cataract surgery. In many cases, they have become involved in beauty, sports, and occupation.

The contact lenses are classified into hard contact lenses and soft contact lenses according to materials.

Hard contact lenses, which are harder than soft contact lenses, such as PMMA (Polymethylmethacrylate), have a relatively good shape of the lens, so that the vision correction function is stable, the durability is long, and the product life is long. Although there is an advantage that it is convenient, there is a risk that the cornea is damaged when the lens is attached or detached, the fit is not good, there is a disadvantage that the lens is easily removed because it is hydrophobic. These hard contact lenses have low oxygen transmittance, but their size is relatively small compared to soft contact lenses, and when the eyelid blinks or moves the eyeball while the lens is worn, the hard contact lenses move along with the tears. Oxygen supply is made.

Soft contact lenses that are more flexible than hard contact lenses such as PHEMA (Polyhydroxyethyl Methacrylate) and PVP (PolyVinyl Pyrrolidone) are more comfortable to wear because they are softer, have a water content of 30% to 80%, and are hydrophilic. Although it does not come out easily, the lens is inconsistent in shape correction due to its shape deformation, so it is unstable, and its durability is relatively poor, so the product life is short, and the lens has to be cleaned and disinfected frequently to prevent mold or bacteria. There is a disadvantage. Moreover, such a conventional soft contact lens has a relatively large size compared to a hard contact lens (the material is flexible and has a large contact area with the eye to safely wear the lens). Contact lenses have poor oxygen permeability, resulting in problems such as red eyes.

On the other hand, soft contact lenses made of hydrophobic polymers such as PDMS (Polydimethylsiloxane) are easier to clean and store than soft contact lenses made of hydrophilic polymers because they do not adhere to mold or bacteria like hydrophobic hard contact lenses. However, since it is hydrophobic, it is not easy to wear the lens, and even if worn, it is inconvenient in use that it is easily detached from the eye.

Recently, oxygen-permeable and hydrophobic rigid gas permeable (RPG) lenses, such as Cellulose Acetate Butylate (CAB) and silicone-based, which are classified as hard contact lenses with intermediate physical properties between hard contact lenses and soft contact lenses, have been developed. It is developed and used. These RGP contact lenses are hydrophobic, so they are stored in a dry state compared to soft contact lenses, so there is less moisture in the lens, which lowers the risk of eye disease caused by bacteria and has higher oxygen transmittance than hard contact lenses. It is difficult to wear away from the wearable, protein deposits are accumulated in the fine holes formed on the lens surface to improve the oxygen transmission amount, there is a disadvantage that it is easy to cause contamination and scratches when worn.

Recently, research has been actively conducted to develop a contact lens that is hydrophilic and has excellent oxygen permeability, is easy to wear, and has a smooth supply of oxygen to the cornea. Since only the method is focused, the development of contact lenses that can be worn and used more safely and conveniently has been difficult.

Accordingly, the present invention has been invented to meet the above requirements, and provides a method of manufacturing a contact lens which is hydrophilic and excellent in oxygen permeability, which can be safely and conveniently worn, and a contact lens manufactured thereby. There is this.

The present invention for achieving the above object, the first step of molding a hydrophobic polymer having a high oxygen transmittance into the lens body; A second step of surface treating the lens body molded by the first step using plasma; A third step of thin-film coating a flexible hydrophilic polymer on the outer surface of the lens body surface-treated by the second step; And a fourth step of forming a contact hole by forming a fine hole in a flexible polymer having a material forming the surface of the lens coated by the third step using radiation, and manufacturing the contact lens. It is a contact lens.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The present invention consists of the following four steps.

1. First step; Molding the hydrophobic polymer (P1) having a high oxygen permeability into the lens body (CL1).

This first step uses a known method of molding a hard contact lens. Briefly, the hydrophobic polymer P1 having a high oxygen permeability is introduced into the upper and lower molds 11 and 12 (see FIG. 1A), and the polymer P1 is heated by the heater 13. After pressing and molding the lower molds 11 and 12 (see FIG. 1B), the lens body CL1 formed from the upper and lower molds 11 and 12 is pulled out to complete the molding of the lens body CL1. (See Fig. 1C). In the present embodiment, any of the known hydrophobic polymers (high oxygen transmittance) can be used as the hydrophobic polymer (P1). For example, in the case of using a flexible polymer such as PDMS (Polydimethylsiloxane) as the hydrophobic polymer (P1), a new soft contact lens combining only the advantages of the existing hydrophobic soft contact lens and the existing hydrophilic soft contact lens may be manufactured. It becomes possible. On the other hand, when using polymers used for RGP contact lenses such as CAB (Cellulose Acetate Butylate) and silicones as hydrophobic polymers (P1), the new RGP combines only the advantages of conventional RGP contact lenses and conventional hydrophilic soft contact lenses. It is possible to manufacture contact lenses.

2. second stage; Surface treatment of the lens body (CL1) formed by the first step using a plasma.

This second step uses a known method of treating the surface of the lens body CL1 using the known plasma apparatus 20 as shown in FIG. In brief, when the lens body CL1 is placed in the chamber 21 and disposed between the two electrodes 22a and 22b, the high voltage oscillator 23 is operated while the chamber 21 is closed. Plasma is formed between the two electrodes 22a and 22b, and the surface of the lens body CL1 is cleaned by the plasma, thereby activating the flexible hydrophilic polymer CL2 to be easily coated.

3. third step; A thin film coating step of the flexible hydrophilic polymer (CL2) on the outer surface of the lens body (CL1) surface-treated by the second step.

In the third step, all known methods for thin-film coating a hydrophilic polymer (CL2) having a flexible material on the outer surface of the lens body (CL1) may be applied, but in the present embodiment, among these methods, plasma polymerization A method of thin-film coating a flexible hydrophilic polymer (CL2) on the outer surface of the lens body (CL1) using a plasma polymerization process was applied. Referring to FIG. 3, the high voltage oscillator 23 is placed in a state in which the lens body CL1 having the surface treatment is placed in the sealed chamber 21 and disposed between the two electrodes 22a and 22b. While operating to form a plasma between the two electrodes (22a, 22b), while entering the vaporized monomer (P2) such as acrylic acid into the sealed chamber 21, the injected gaseous monomer (P2) is the lens body by the plasma The material is polymerized into a flexible hydrophilic polymer (CL2) while being deposited on the outer surface of (CL1), and a flexible hydrophilic polymer (CL2) is coated on the surface of the lens body (CL1). In this embodiment, as the flexible hydrophilic polymer (CL2), a well-known soft contact lens material such as polyhydroxyethyl methacrylate (PHEMA), polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP), or the like was used.

4. Fourth step; A step of forming a contact hole (CL) by forming a fine hole (h) in the hydrophilic polymer (CL2) forming the surface of the lens coated by the third step using radiation.

This fourth step uses a known method of forming the fine holes h in the hydrophilic polymer CL2 forming the surface of the lens by using a known radiation etching apparatus 30 as shown in FIG. In brief, the hydrophilic polymer CL2 is formed by inserting the coated lenses CL1 and CL2 into the chamber 31 and placing the coated lenses CL1 and CL2 on the pedestal 32, and then operating the radiation generator 33 to form the surface of the lens. ), A plurality of fine holes h are formed in the hydrophilic polymer CL2, and the lens body CL1 is exposed to the outside through the fine holes h. As the radiation, an ion beam, an electron beam, a neutral beam, radiation, or the like may be used.

The contact lens CL manufactured according to the present invention as described above, as shown in Figure 5, the outer surface of the lens body (CL1) is a hydrophobic polymer (P1) is coated with a flexible hydrophilic polymer (CL2) material, This hydrophilic polymer CL2 has a structure in which a number of fine holes h are formed.

In the case of such a contact lens CL, since the coating surface in direct contact with the eye is a flexible hydrophilic polymer CL2, the wearing of the contact lens CL is convenient and the eye is prevented from being easily dried. In addition, a plurality of fine holes h are formed in the hydrophilic polymer CL2, and the lens body CL1 having a high oxygen permeability is partially exposed to the outside through the fine holes h, thereby supplying oxygen to the eye. It will work smoothly.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiment as described above, and of course, various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the following claims.

According to the present invention as described above, the outer surface of the lens body (CL1) of the hydrophobic polymer (P1) material is a thin film coating treatment with a flexible hydrophilic polymer (CL2), the lens body (CL1) of high oxygen transmittance is a material Partially exposed to the outside through a plurality of fine holes (h) formed in the hydrophilic polymer (CL2) constituting the flexible polymer, it is possible to wear the contact lens safely and conveniently, there is an effect that the marketability is greatly improved.

In particular, when the hydrophobic polymer (P1) is used as a polymer used for RGP contact lenses such as CAB (Cellulose Acetate Butylate) and silicone-based, not only the advantages of conventional hydrophobic soft lenses and conventional hydrophilic soft lenses, but also conventional hard contacts It is expected to take advantage of both the lens and the existing soft contact lens.

Claims (3)

A first step of molding the hydrophobic polymer (P1) having a high oxygen transmittance into the lens body (CL1); A second step of surface treating the lens body CL1 formed by the first step using plasma; A third step of thin-film coating a hydrophilic polymer (CL2) having a flexible material on the outer surface of the lens body (CL1) surface treated by the second step; And a fourth step of forming a contact hole (CL) by forming a fine hole (h) in the hydrophilic polymer (CL2) forming the surface of the lens coated by the third step by using radiation. Manufacturing method. The contact lens of claim 1, wherein the hydrophobic polymer (P1) is a flexible polymer made of a material such as polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) or a polymer used for RGP contact lenses such as Cellulose Acetate Butylate (CAB) and silicon. Manufacturing method. A contact lens manufactured by the manufacturing method according to claim 1.

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