Hydroxy-substituted polymeric shaped hydrogel article

Claim 2

An ophthalmic device prepared by a process comprising the steps: a. thermoforming an uncrosslinked polymer having a softening temperature of at least 100° C. comprising the product of at least 95 weight percent of an ethylenically-unsaturated monomer bearing at least one trihaloacetoxy-substituent group, said ethylenically unsaturated monomer being (1) a compound having a formula ##STR2## wherein R is hydrogen or methyl, X is fluoro, chloro, bromo, iodo, perhaloacetoxy or perfluoroalkylsulfonoxy of one to three carbon atoms, and Y is trichloroacetyl or trifluoroacetyl, or (2) vinyl trihaloacetate, by heating said uncrosslinked polymer in a mold or pressing into sheets or films at a temperature in the range of 150° to 400° C. for 5 seconds to 15 minutes, and then cooling the resulting thermoformed polymer, to provide a thermoplastic, hydrogel precursor ophthalmic device. b. solvolyzing the hydrogel precursor ophthalmic device by reacting with a nucleophile which causes displacement of said trihaloacetoxy group to provide a hyroxy-substituted polymeric ophthalmic device, said solvolyzing step taking place in the presence of a diluent which is not a solvent for said thermoformed polymer, wherein when said polymer is derived from vinyl trihaloacetate it has a syndiotactic stereochemical configuration.

Claim 3

The ophthalmic device according to claim 1 which is a contact lens.

Claim 4

The ophthalmic device according to claim 1 which is an intraocular lens.

Claim 5

The ophthalmic device according to claim 1 which is a corneal implant.

Claim 6

The ophthalmic device according to claim 1 which is a homopolymer of vinyl alcohol.

Claim 7

An ophthalmic device according to claim 1 which is a copolymer of vinyl alcohol.

Claim 8

An ophthalmic device prepared by a process comprising the steps: a. thermoforming an uncrosslinked polymer having a softening temperature of at least 100° C. comprising the product of at least 95 weight percent of an ethylenically-unsaturated monomer bearing at least one trihaloacetoxy-substituent group, said ethylenically unsaturated monomer being (1) a compound having a formula ##STR3## wherein R is hydrogen or methyl, X is fluoro, chloro, bromo, iodo, perhaloacetoxy or perfluoroalkylsulfonoxy of one to three carbon atoms, and Y is trichloroacetyl or trifluoroacetyl, or (2) vinyl trihaloacetate, by heating said uncrosslinked polymer in a mold or pressing into sheets or films at a temperature in the range of 150° to 400° C. for 5 seconds to 15 minutes, and then cooling the resulting thermoformed polymer, to provide a thermoplastic, hydrogel precursor ophthalmic device. b. solvolyzing the hydrogel precursor ophthalmic device by reacting with a nucleophile which causes displacement of said trihaloacetoxy group to provide a hyroxy-substituted polymeric ophthalmic device, said solvolyzing step taking place in the presence of a diluent which is not a solvent for said thermoformed polymer, c. hydrating said hydroxy-substituted polymeric article to provide a shaped hydrogel ophthalmic device, wherein when said polymer is derived from vinyl trihaloacetate it has a syndiotactic stereochemical configuration.

Claim 9

An ophthalmic device prepared by a process comprising the steps: a. thermoforming an uncrosslinked polymer having a softening temperature of at least 100° C. comprising the product of at least 95 weight percent of an ethylenically-unsaturated monomer bearing at least one trihaloacetoxy-substituent group, said ethylenically unsaturated monomer being (1) a compound having a formula ##STR3## wherein R is hydrogen or methyl, X is fluoro, chloro, bromo, iodo, perhaloacetoxy or perfluoroalkylsulfonoxy of one to three carbon atoms, and Y is trichloroacetyl or trifluoroacetyl, or (2) vinyl trihaloacetate, by heating said uncrosslinked polymer in a mold or pressing into sheets or films at a temperature in the range of 150° to 400° C. for 5 seconds to 15 minutes, and then cooling the resulting thermoformed polymer, to provide a thermoplastic, hydrogel precursor ophthalmic device. b. solvolyzing the hydrogel precursor ophthalmic device by reacting with a nucleophile which causes displacement of said trihaloacetoxy group to provide a hyroxy-substituted polymeric ophthalmic device, said solvolyzing step taking place in the presence of a diluent which is not a solvent for said thermoformed polymer, c. hydrating said hydroxy-substituted polymeric article to provide a shaped hydrogel ophthalmic device, wherein when said polymer is derived from vinyl trihaloacetate it has a syndiotactic stereochemical configuration.

Claim 10

The ophthalmic device according to claim 7 which is a contact lens.

Claim 11

The ophthalmic device according to claim 7 which is an intraocular lens.

Claim 12

The ophthalmic device according to claim 7 which is a corneal implant.

Claim 13

The ophthalmic device according to claim 7 which is a corneal transplant.

Claim 14

The ophthalmic device according to claim 7 which is a homopolymer of vinyl alcohol.

Claim 15

The ophthalmic device according to claim 7 which is a copolymer of vinyl alcohol.

Claim 16

A shaped article prepared by a process comprising the steps: a. thermoforming an uncrosslinked polymer having a softening temperature of at least 100° C. comprising the product of at least 95 weight percent of an ethylenically-unsaturated monomer bearing at least one trihaloacetoxy-substituent group, said ethylenically unsaturated monomer being (1) a compound having a formula ##STR4## wherein R is hydrogen or methyl, X is fluoro, chloro, bromo, iodo, perhaloacetoxy or perfluoroalkylsulfonoxy of one to three carbon atoms, and Y is trichloroacetyl or trifluoroacetyl, or (2) vinyl trihaloacetate, by heating said uncrosslinked polymer in a mold or pressing into sheets or films at a temperature in the range of 150° to 400° C. for 5 seconds to 15 minutes, and then cooling the resulting thermoformed polymer, to provide a thermoplastic, hydrogel precursor shaped article, b. solvolyzing the hydrogel precursor shaped article by reacting with a nucleophile which causes displacement of said trihaloacetoxy group to provide a hydroxy-substituted polymeric shaped article, said solvolyzing step taking place in the presence of a diluent which is not a solvent for said thermoformed polymer, wherein when said polymer is derived from vinyl trihaloactate it has a syndiotactic stereochemical configuration.

Claim 17

A shaped article prepared by a process comprising the steps: a. thermoforming an uncrosslinked polymer having a softening temperature of at least 100° C. comprising the product of at least 95 weight percent of an ethylenically-unsaturated monomer bearing at least one trihaloacetoxy-substituent group, said ethylenically unsaturated monomer being (1) a compound having a formula ##STR4## wherein R is hydrogen or methyl, X is fluoro, chloro, bromo, iodo, perhaloacetoxy or perfluoroalkylsulfonoxy of one to three carbon atoms, and Y is trichloroacetyl or trifluoroacetyl, or (2) vinyl trihaloacetate, by heating said uncrosslinked polymer in a mold or pressing into sheets or films at a temperature in the range of 150° to 400° C. for 5 seconds to 15 minutes, and then cooling the resulting thermoformed polymer, to provide a thermoplastic, hydrogel precursor shaped article, b. solvolyzing the hydrogel precursor shaped article by reacting with a nucleophile which causes displacement of said trihaloacetoxy group to provide a hydroxy-substituted polymeric shaped article, said solvolyzing step taking place in the presence of a diluent which is not a solvent for said thermoformed polymer, wherein when said polymer is derived from vinyl trihaloactate it has a syndiotactic stereochemical configuration.

Claim 18

The shaped article according to claim 14 wherein said process further comprises the step of hydrating said hydroxy-substituted polymeric article to provide a shaped hydrogel article.

Claim 19

The shaped article according to claim 15 which is a homopolymer of vinyl alcohol.

Claim 20

The shaped article according to claim 15 which is a copolymer of vinyl alcohol.

Claim 21

The shaped article according to claim 14 which is a homopolymer of vinyl alcohol.

Claim 22

The shaped article according to claim 14 which is a copolymer of vinyl alcohol.

Claim 23

An article bearing a hydrogel precursor coating prepared by a method comprising the steps: a. providing an article bearing a coating of an uncrosslinked polymer having a softening temperature of at least 100° C. comprising the product of at least 95 weight percent of an ethylenically-unsaturated monomer bearing at least one trihaloacetoxy-substituent group, said ethylenically unsaturated monomer being (1) a compound having a formula ##STR5## wherein R is a hydrogen or methyl, X is fluoro, chloro, bromo, iodo, prehaloacetoxy or perfluoroalkylsulfonoxy of one to three carbon atoms, and Y is trichloroacetyl or trifluoroacetyl, or (2) vinyl trihaloacetate, b. heating said coated article at a temperature in the range of 150° to 400° C. for 5 seconds to 15 minutes to provide an article bearing a coating of a thermoformed polymer, and c. cooling said coated article to provide an article bearing a thermoplastic, hydrogel precursor coating solvolyzing said resulting coated article with a nucleophile capable of displacing said trihaloacetoxy group to provide a hydroxy-substituted-polymer coated article, wherein when said polymer is derived from vinyl trihaloactate it has a syndiotactic stereochemical configuration.

Claim 24

An article bearing a hydrogel precursor coating prepared by a method comprising the steps: a. providing an article bearing a coating of an uncrosslinked polymer having a softening temperature of at least 100° C. comprising the product of at least 95 weight percent of an ethylenically-unsaturated monomer bearing at least one trihaloacetoxy-substituent group, said ethylenically unsaturated monomer being (1) a compound having a formula ##STR5## wherein R is a hydrogen or methyl, X is fluoro, chloro, bromo, iodo, prehaloacetoxy or perfluoroalkylsulfonoxy of one to three carbon atoms, and Y is trichloroacetyl or trifluoroacetyl, or (2) vinyl trihaloacetate, b. heating said coated article at a temperature in the range of 150° to 400° C. for 5 seconds to 15 minutes to provide an article bearing a coating of a thermoformed polymer, and c. cooling said coated article to provide an article bearing a thermoplastic, hydrogel precursor coating solvolyzing said resulting coated article with a nucleophile capable of displacing said trihaloacetoxy group to provide a hydroxy-substituted-polymer coated article, wherein when said polymer is derived from vinyl trihaloactate it has a syndiotactic stereochemical configuration.

Claim 25

An article according to claim 20 prepared by the additional step of: hydrating said hydroxy-substituted polymer-coated article to provide an article bearing a hydrogel coating.