Copolymers of acrylic or methacrylic materials of known type and reacted with novel, silicone-substituted acrylic and methacrylic compounds so as to produce an oxygen-permeable plastic material which is uniquely suitable for manufacturing novel corneal contact lenses. The silicone materials include high molecular weight polysiloxanylalkylesters of acrylic and methacrylic acids, made from acrylic or methacrylic ester silanes containing one or more highly substituted siloxanyl groups. One such siloxane substituent, pentamethyldisiloxane, is prepared by a novel method. Certain of the substituted silanes are prepared using a novel compound, tris(trimethylsiloxy) acetoxysilane. The polymers made from the combination of novel and known monomers are highly permeable to oxygen and can be used to make lenses, including bifocal lenses, which are thick enough to be rugged, hard enough to provide dimensional stability, and optimum optical correction, and sufficiently permeable to oxygen to provide extended duration wearing capabilities. A number of novel monomers are disclosed. The polymers may be made from known monomers and individual novel monomers, or from the known monomers or mixtures thereof and mixtures of the novel monomers. The finished polymers may also include conventional additives such as wetting agents and cross-linking agents.
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