Method for providing an abrasion resistant coating for plastic ophthalmic lenses and the resulting lenses

摘要

A process is disclosed for applying an adherent, optically clear, abrasion resistant coating to plastic ophthalmic substrates such as plastic lenses. The process includes: (a) forming a partially hydrolyzed solution of a vinyltri(lower alkoxy)silane, such as vinyltriethoxysilane, in a water-miscible, volatile, organic solvent, the silane being present from 25-75% by weight; (b) applying a thin, uniform coating of the partially hydrolyzed solution to a clean surface of the ophthalmic lens; (c) maintaining the coated substrate in a high humidity and preferably elevated temperature environment until the silane is substantially completely hydrolyzed; and, (d) dehydrating the coated substrate under low humidity conditions at an elevated temperature below the temperature at which the substrate degrades until an adherent, abrasion resistant coating is formed. Plastic lenses and other ophthalmic plastic components coated according to the above process are also described.