Contact lenses having a rounded edge form

Abstract

Methods for producing contact lenses include providing a back surface tool having a surface generally corresponding to a desired contact lens surface and a convex curve along an outer radius thereof, positioning the tool in a molding apparatus, introducing a moldable material into the molding apparatus to form a first mold section having a negative impression of the surface of the tool, assembling the first mold section with a second mold section to form a lens shaped cavity therebetween and forming a contact lens member in the lens shaped cavity of the assembled mold sections. Molds useful in producing contact lenses, tools useful in making mold sections for molding contact lenses and contact lenses having rounded edge surfaces are also provided.

1 - 20 . (canceled)  
   
   
       21 . A contact lens sized and adapted for placement on a cornea of an eye, the contact lens comprising: 
 a lens body comprising a hydrophilic silicone-containing material having an anterior face, a posterior face, and a peripheral edge surface extending from the posterior face to the anterior face, the peripheral edge surface having a rounded posterior portion extending from the posterior face toward the anterior face, the contact lens providing enhanced lens wearer comfort relative to an identical contact lens without a rounded posterior portion of a peripheral edge surface.    
   
   
       22 . The contact lens of  claim 21 , wherein the lens body is formed by a process including cast molding using a first polymeric mold section having a surface in a general shape of a negative of the posterior face and a concave outer peripheral surface, and a second polymeric mold section having a surface in a general shape of a negative of the anterior face.  
   
   
       23 . The contact lens of  claim 21  which provides enhanced scleral safety relative to an identical contact lens without the rounded posterior portion.  
   
   
       23 . The contact lens of  claim 21  wherein the contact lens provides enhanced lens wearer comfort relative to an identical contact lens with a pointed outer peripheral edge surface.  
   
   
       25 . The contact lens of  claim 21  wherein the lens body is subjected to no post-formation processing to alter the rounded configuration of the outer peripheral edge surface.  
   
   
       26 . The contact lens of  claim 21  which provides a refractive correction selected from the group consisting of a spherical correction, a toroidal correction, and a multifocal correction.  
   
   
       28 . The contact lens of  claim 21 , wherein the peripheral edge surface has a rounded anterior portion extending from the anterior face toward the posterior face of the lens body.  
   
   
       29 . The contact lens of  claim 21 , wherein the peripheral edge surface is rounded from the posterior face to the anterior face of the lens body.  
   
   
       30 . The contact lens of  claim 21 , wherein the peripheral edge surface has a rounded posterior portion and a planar anterior portion extending from the anterior face to the rounded posterior portion.  
   
   
       31 . The contact lens of  claim 21 , wherein the lens body comprises a hydrogel material.  
   
   
       32 . A contact lens sized and adapted for placement on a cornea of an eye, the contact lens comprising: 
 a lens body comprising a hydrophilic silicone-containing material and having an anterior face, a posterior face, and a peripheral edge surface extending from the posterior face to the anterior face, the peripheral edge surface having a rounded posterior portion extending from the posterior face toward the anterior face, the contact lens providing enhanced scleral safety relative to an identical contact lens without the rounded outer peripheral edge surface    
   
   
       33 . The contact lens of  claim 32 , wherein the lens body is formed by a process including cast molding using a first polymeric mold section having a surface in a general shape of a negative of the posterior face and a concave outer peripheral surface, and a second polymeric mold section having a surface in a general shape of a negative of the anterior face.  
   
   
       34 . The contact lens of  claim 32  wherein the contact lens provides enhanced scleral safety relative to an identical contact lens with a pointed outer peripheral edge surface.  
   
   
       35 . The contact lens of  claim 32  wherein the lens body is subjected to no post-formation processing to alter the rounded configuration of the outer peripheral edge surface.  
   
   
       36 . The contact lens of  claim 32  which provides a refractive correction selected from the group consisting of a spherical correction, a toroidal correction, and a multifocal correction.  
   
   
       37 . The contact lens of  claim 32 , wherein the peripheral edge surface has a rounded anterior portion extending from the anterior face toward the posterior face of the lens body.  
   
   
       38 . The contact lens of  claim 32 , wherein the peripheral edge surface is rounded from the posterior face to the anterior face of the lens body.  
   
   
       39 . The contact lens of  claim 32 , wherein the peripheral edge surface has a rounded posterior portion and a planar anterior portion extending from the anterior face to the rounded posterior portion.  
   
   
       40 . The contact lens of  claim 32  wherein the lens body comprises a material selected from the group consisting of hydrogel-forming polymeric materials and mixtures thereof.