Functional plasma coating for eyewear: glasses and lenses
Lenses for eyeglasses are generally made of CR39 (a thermosetting plastic) or polycarbonate, both of which are light in weight and do not break easily. Despite their advantages, these materials are relatively soft and reflective. They only attain the desired characteristics after surface treatment and finishing through applications of nano-coatings. This creates a hard, anti-reflective, and dirt repellent surface.
Cost-efficient manufacture of high-end eyeglass lenses
The biggest challenge in manufacturing quality eyeglass lenses is mass producing them cost-efficiently.
The manufacture of such lenses can be completely automated by combining low-pressure plasma processes (application of the scratch-proof layer) and Openair® Plasma processes (for anti-reflection and anti-fogging coatings) in one manufacturing line.
Plasma Treatment of contact lenses: Optimal oxygen permeability and adhesion of coatings
Many people wear contact lenses to correct their vision or for cosmetic reasons. The development of innovative contact lenses with a high wearing comfort and special functionalities is therefore steadily advanced.
Innovative contact lenses: Uniform wetting, adhesion of coatings, easy demolding
Among other things, contact lenses require good wettability but at the same time provide the best possible oxygen permeability for supplying the cornea of the eye. Contact lenses of recent generations with high wearing comfort are hybrid contact lenses: They are dimensionally stable and have a soft surface.
Low-pressure plasma technology allows the surface of contact lenses and intraocular lenses to be selectively functionalized in order to
- define the optimal oxygen permeability
- improve wettability (especially of silicone hydrogel lenses, RGP lenses)
- to ensure optimal sliding behaviour
- allow new material combinations
- optimize the manufacturing process (easy demolding in the molding process)
