Methods for preventing or reducing interaction between packaging materials and polymeric articles contained therein

Abstract

A method for preventing or reducing interaction between a container and a polymeric article contained therein comprises oxidizing a surface of the polymeric article. The method is advantageously used to package ophthalmic devices in polymeric containers.

1 . A method for preventing or reducing interaction between a container and a polymeric article contained therein, said method comprising: 
 oxidizing a surface of said polymeric article.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising disposing a quantity of solution in said container.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said oxidizing comprises exposing said polymeric article to oxygen-containing plasma.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said oxygen-containing plasma is generated by a technique selected from the group consisting of low-pressure electrical discharge, radio-frequency (“RF”) capacitive discharge, RF inductively coupled plasma discharge, microwave-generated plasma discharge, and combinations thereof; and said plasma being generated in an oxygen-containing atmosphere.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein said oxygen-containing atmosphere comprises a material selected from the group consisting of oxygen, air, NO x , SO x , and mixtures thereof with an inert gas selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, helium, argon, neon, krypton, xenon, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said oxygen-containing plasma is generated by RF inductively coupled plasma discharge in an oxygen-containing atmosphere.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein said plasma discharge is generated at a radio frequency in a range from about 1 MHz to about 100 MHz.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said oxidizing is carried out at a pressure in a range from about 0.1 Pa to about 1000 Pa.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said oxidizing is carried out for a time from about 1 second to about 2 hours.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said oxidizing is carried out for a time from about 10 seconds to about 1 hour.  
     
     
         11 . A method for preventing or reducing interaction between a package and a polymeric article contained therein, said method comprising: 
 exposing said polymeric article to oxygen-containing plasma to produce a treated polymeric article; and    disposing said treated polymeric article in a quantity of an aqueous solution contained in said package;    wherein said oxygen-containing plasma is generated by RF inductively coupled plasma discharge at a radio frequency in a range from about 1 MHz to about 100 MHz, said exposing is carried out in an oxygen-containing atmosphere having a pressure in a range from about 0.1 to about 1000 Pa, for a time in a range from about 1 second to about 2 hours.    
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said polymeric article is a contact lens or an intraocular lens.  
     
     
         13 . A package comprising a polymeric article having an oxidized surface contained in a container, wherein said polymeric article is free from interaction with an internal surface of said container.  
     
     
         14 . The package of  claim 13 , wherein said container further includes a quantity of an aqueous solution.  
     
     
         15 . The package of  claim 14 , wherein said surface of said polymeric article is oxidized by a treatment in oxygen-containing plasma.  
     
     
         16 . The package of  claim 15 , wherein said oxidized polymeric articles has a surface oxygen concentration greater than a surface oxygen concentration of a polymeric article before oxidation.  
     
     
         17 . The package of  claim 15 , wherein said oxidized polymeric article has a surface oxygen concentration of greater than about 25 atomic percent, as determined by XPS analysis.  
     
     
         18 . The package of  claim 17 , wherein said plasma is generated by RF inductively coupled plasma discharge in an oxygen-containing atmosphere at a radio frequency in a range from about 1 MHz to about 100 MHz.