The siloxane bond in contact lens materials: the siloxanyl alkyl methacrylate copolymers

The siloxanyl alkyl methacrylate copolymers with methyl methacrylate and other components including hydrophilic monomers and crosslinking agents are used to make siloxane methacrylate oxygen-permeable rigid contact lenses. These copolymers contain the element silicon as siloxane bonds in side branches of the main polymer chain, which is made of carbon-to-carbon bonds. The siloxane bonds are the main contributing factor to the oxygen permeability of these materials. Because silicone is not a component of these contact lenses, it is not appropriate to refer to them as silicone methacrylate contact lenses. This paper analyzes data from three fundamental patents and gives the oxygen permeability coefficients of three types of siloxanyl alkyl methacrylate copolymers. In one type the siloxanyl component contains two silicon atoms, in the second type it contains three silicon atoms, and in the third type it contains four silicon atoms. A general relationship, expressed by a power function, is developed between the oxygen permeability coefficients of siloxanyl alkyl methacrylate copolymers and dimethylsilicone rubber and their percent disiloxane or silicon content.