Research & Development - Innovative Technologies

The main function of Contamac's research and development department is the continuous generation of new and improved products for the ophthalmic industry. Working with customers and monitoring our industry closely, we are able to develop products that meet ever changing and challenging requirements.

When we have identified a need for a new product, we follow our ISO approved design and development program. This system ensures that all possible aspects and implications of a new product are evaluated at each stage of the design process. The use of this system, together with our knowledge of the industry ensures, the correct amount of resource and priority is given to a particular development.

The complexities of research and development projects, and the nature of the end product, vary considerably. We often respond to customer requests for simple requirements such as a variation in handling tints and colours or a change in the dimensions of the finished button. The objective of many projects is to develop leading edge technology products and these are often complex and long term. As a manufacturer of material that ultimately becomes either a contact lens or an intraocular lens, the primary use of the final device will also dictate the complexity of testing and regulatory issues.

Contact lens products include materials for producing soft hydrophilic contact lenses and gas permeable contact lenses. Materials for GP lenses essentially consist of silicon acrylate and fluorine acrylate monomers, that enable the material to be permeable to oxygen. Major developments in this market have centred on increasing both wettability and permeability, which are two diametrically opposed properties. Recently the use of plasma treatment systems to improve surface wettability has become widespread in the US and is rapidly gaining favour in other countries. Contamac has developed the OPTIMUM range of RGP materials, which has industry leading properties and also recently gained FDA approval for the plasma treatment of lenses made from these materials.

The soft lens industry has seen in the last decade the emergence of silicone hydrogel materials. These have all the familiar properties of soft lenses, including a significant water content, making the lens soft and comfortable. However, they also incorporate elements found in the RGP type of lenses to increase oxygen permeability of these materials. The reason for the development of these materials was for continuous wear contact lenses. However in recent years these materials have been successfully marketed as a daily wear lens. Contamac has a silicone hydrogel material that can be used by lens manufacturers to produce lathe cut lenses with increased oxygen permeability. Also we are working on improved versions of this product type to offer even greater flexibility for our customers.

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