Contact Lens Thermal Curing Oven
Throughout the years, contact lenses have continued to gain popularity as the product offerings have expanded to provide more comfort, flexibility in frequency, and affordability. The first contact lenses were made from blown glass which only allowed for a few hours of use. They were lacking in comfort and relative clarity. Since then, the materials, quality, and comfort of contact lenses have continually improved. In the not so distant future we will begin to see technological advances that are focused on adding more functionality within the contact lens.
Goodbye Dry Eye – Hydrogels Improve Comfort and Flexibility
Today, contact lenses are made with innovative hydrogels that retain moisture and fit comfortably all day long. Hydrogels are the starting point for which many contact lenses are made. A few years ago, researchers at MIT discovered a new way to prevent hydrogels from dehydrating. By binding the hydrogels to elastomers (elastic polymers) such as rubber and silicone, the hydrogels are impermeable to water helping them to retain both moisture and flexibility. This process requires curing of the polymers in an inert atmosphere and the resulting product is long-lasting and causes little to no irritation on the eye.
Up Close and Personal – Robotic Alternative to Reading Glasses
The advancement of contact lens technology has taken a step beyond comfort and quality to robotic functionality. In a brief article by Timothy Fox at Thomas Insights he addresses how new technology may make the age-old reading glasses a thing of the past. There is currently a soft contact lens in development that utilizes a robotic technology that can adjust zooming up to 32% just by blinking twice. The lens is designed to operate how the mammal and human eye work naturally. This new lens may be the solution to the dilemma of the misplaced reading glasses that has plagued generations for years.
Design Experience that Keeps Pace with Optics Innovation
The contact lens industry is one of the many industries served by Gruenberg. Gruenberg has provided both batch systems and conveyor systems for the curing of contact lens polymer. Their team has experience with the stringent process parameters that are required for the curing of the contact lens monomer under FDA registration and EC Medical Device Directives. The process controls often utilize a PLC platform control system that can be modified to interface with the customer’s internal station control system. This provides such options as product tracking, profile validation with temp uniformity compliance, oxygen PPM levels etc.
Contact us today to learn more about the advanced solutions Gruenberg can provide for your curing process or visit our website www.gruenberg.com. Stay connected with what’s going on by following us on Facebook and LinkedIn. Make sure to check back each month for a new blog post.