Understanding the various types of lenses available and how they function is important before getting into the specific steps of making contacts.
Lenses come in a plethora of styles.Although weekly, monthly, and rigid lenses are also available, daily soft lenses are among the most popular.There are also ongoing developments, such as nightglasses that can be removed during sleep and provide clear vision throughout the day.Some are even able to be worn continuously for various periods of time.The majority of contact lenses correct vision and are functional.Some, like colored contact lenses, are cosmetic.Even therapeutic lenses are available to safeguard injured eyes.
Prescription contact lenses, like glasses, refract and focus light to sharpen vision.The "contact" is the difference.These ocular prosthetics adhere to or float on the tear film layer on top of the cornea and sit directly on the eye's surface.
So, how exactly are contact lenses produced?
Contact lenses are mostly made of plastic polymers, sometimes mixed with monomers, although the materials used may vary from manufacturer to manufacturer and from function to function.Typically, oxygen-permeable plastic polymers containing silicon and fluorine are used to make rigid lenses.The older, non-oxygen-permeable variety of these lenses is now referred to as "hard lenses," despite their former name.
Soft contacts, on the other hand, are typically made of a Silicone hydrogel. Hydrogels are plastic polymers that are hydrophilic. This means that they are good at absorbing water, making them soft and flexible while keeping their optical properties.Silicone hydrogels are used in some lenses, which allow for greater oxygen permeability but are less wet than pure hydrogels.
The process of shaping these plastics into specific curves is necessary for the production of contact lenses.Different prescriptions correspond to various curvatures with Technology transfer.
The type of contact lens—soft contacts, rigid gas permeable contacts, or hybrid lenses—determines the manufacturing process.The majority of soft contact lenses are manufactured in large quantities using a highly automated method that permits computer-controlled precision and consistency.On the other hand, rigid lenses are made specifically for each person who wears them.
As the name recommends, this technique begins with infusing liquid plastic into a form under tension.The male and female parts of the mold have different curves to accommodate various prescription strengths.Between the two pieces of the mold, the lens is shaped.This used to require finishing on a lathe, but more sophisticated and precise molding technology has eliminated the need for this. This is the complete process involved in the making of Manufacturing contact lenses.
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